THE INDIAN ACES and Philippine Mavericks will open up proceedings for day two of the Dubai leg in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) today.
The Indian Aces convincingly beat the Japan Warriors yesterday and are sitting pretty at the top of the points table. That said, the defending champions will enter this clash without the services of their magic man Fabrice Santoro. Rohan Bopanna will replace the Frenchman in the legends singles category. The Aces have already lost the services of Rafael Nadal and will strongly pin their hopes on debutant Bernard Tomic.
On the other hand, the Mavericks will be thrilled with the arrival of big serving Ivo Karlovic, who helped them beat the UAE Royals in a thriller yesterday. The Croat was the last minute replacement for the injured Richard Gasquet and will be a threat in the men’s singles and doubles. Mavericks’ captain Mark Philippoussis too, is nursing a knee injury and another debutant in James Blake will fill in the Australians boot in the legends singles.
Since both teams have been forced into make changes in the line-up, it will be interesting to see which team unites faster and gets the desired results. TFG analyses the game and predicts the match between the Aces and Mavericks.
LEGENDS SINGLES
Mavericks’ James Blake started off his IPTL campaign on a winning note after defeating Goran Ivanisevic in yesterday’s clash. The American has adapted to the conditions and the demands of the format quicker than expected and will certainly fancy his chances against Rohan Bopanna in the legends category. The Aces will surely feel the void as the Indian might not have enough skills and experience to move the debutant around the court. Should be a comfortable win for the Mavericks here.
Winner: Blake
WOMEN’S SINGLES
In this set, Aces Agnieszka Radwanska’s depth and consistency will prove to be quite a handful for Ajla Tomlajanovic. The Australian has visibly struggled on the court in the singles event and the Polish player will user all her court sense, variety and placement to upset the rhythm of the Aussie. Radwanska has already shown signs of imperious form in the tournament so far and a drubbing here for the Mavericks shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Winner: Radwanska
MIXED DOUBLES
The pair of Mirza/Bopanna might have lost their mixed doubles set yesterday but that wouldn’t have dented the Indian pair’s confidence. The Aces’ duo has played consistent tennis in this category and will certainly be keen on getting back to their winning ways. On the other side of the net, Gajdosova/ Vasselin are coming off a brilliant win and should fancy their chances. Expect a close set here and both women will feel pressure on their service games. That said, experience and coordination might just help the Aces eke out a win here.
Winner: Bopanna/Mirza
MEN’S DOUBLES
The clash between Aces’ Dodig/Bopanna and Mavericks’ Vasselin/Huey has all the making to provide another gripping set. All four men have decent credentials as doubles players and will come put with some stunning shots. While, Dodig has been a revelation for the Aces, Vasselin too has produced a few gems for the Mavericks. Expect some breaks of service games and a potential shoot-out awaits us. It’s a tough call here, but Vasselin/Huey might just have the last laugh.
Winner: Vasselin/Huey
MEN’S SINGLES
Expect the Croatian Giant to slam those big serves in the final set against Bernard Tomic. Both men are playing in their first IPTL, but Karlovic has come into the tournament with enough match practice under his belt and will certainly be the favourite here. The Australian will play cheeky tennis and might try to upset Karlovic’s game, but the Giant will be on a high after beating Federer and should get the job done without much fuss.
Winner: Karlovic
At the moment, both teams looked evenly matched and we are likely to witness another close encounter in the opening match of the day. The fourth and the fifth set might decide the course of the match and the Mavericks with another complete team performance should be able to get through the inform Aces and move up the points table.