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The 2015 CTL season boasts a deadly line up of players, which is no surprise given the success of the first season. The six teams – Mumbai Tennis Masters, Nagpur Orangers, Hyderabad Aces, Punjab Marshalls, Raipur Rangers and one more from an as yet unannounced city – are teeming with an array of quality players from all over the world.The Mumbai team consists of stars like Richard Krajicek, Andreas Seppi, Flavia Pennetta and Sriram Balaji. The Nagpur Orangers squad, meanwhile, has Alex Corretja, Feliciano Lopez, Jelena Jankovic and Divij Sharan.Hyderabad has Thomas Johansson, Ivo Karlovic, Martina Hingis and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, while Raipur’s team consists of Thomas Muster, Roberto Bautista Agut, Alize Cornet and Ramkumar Ramanathan.We also have Punjab whose line-up has big names like Greg Rusedski, Marcos Baghdatis, Elina Svitolina and Saketh Myneni, and the unannounced team is not without its fair share of stars either – there’s Rainer Schuettler, Fernando Verdasco, Heather Watson and Vishnu Vardhan.As all these players go head-to-head during the CTL, the audiences will be treated to a series of enthralling battles between closely matched players. Here’s looking at the 5 best matchups in store this season:
#1 Richard Krajicek versus Thomas Muster
A former World No. 4 player with 17 singles and 3 doubles titles to his name, Krajicek is famous for being the only player to defeat Pete Sampras at Wimbledon from 1993 to 2000. He achieved the feat in the 1996 quarterfinals, and he went on to win the title that year, his only Grand Slam triumph. Krajicek has a mammoth serve and an aggressive playing style, both attributes perfectly suited to fast-court tennis.
Thomas Muster, on other hand, is a former World No. 1 player; the Austrian legend has 44 singles titles to his credit. He has also won a Grand Slam title, winning the 1995 French Open during a phase of claycourt dominance that earned him the title ‘King of Clay’.
When these two legends face off in the CTL tie between Mumbai and Raipur, sparks are bound to fly. It will be a grasscourt specialist versus a claycourt specialist playing a match on a hardcourt, and there will be plenty of cat-and-mouse points on display.
Muster and Krajicek had a 2-2 head-to-head record against each other on the ATP tour, so there’s nothing to separate them based on that either.
#2 Ivo Karlovic/Martina Hingis versus Feliciano Lopez/Jelena Jankovic
The big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic towers over most of his opponents at an astounding 6 feet 10 inches. Although he is 36 now, his serve has lost none of his sting, and he is one of the few players to have defeated Novak Djokovic this year. His partner in crime Martina Hingis has remarkable doubles skills, her deft touch and drop volleys helping her outfox many an opposition team.
On the other side of the net would be the big-serving lefty Feliciano Lopez, who knows a thing or two about doubles himself. With him would be the crafty veteran Jelena Jankovic, whose backhand would possibly be the single best groundstroke on show during this star-studded matchup.
With Karlovic’s big serve, Hingis’ touch play, Lopez’ aggressive volleying and Jankovic’s tireless retrieving, this is one contest to watch out for when the Hyderabad Aces take on the Nagpur Orangers.
#3 Fernando Verdasco versus Feliciano Lopez
Two Spaniards facing off against each other – that’s become quite a regular occurrence on the men’s tour these days, hasn’t it? But Verdasco vs Lopez is always an intriguing match-up, because of the unique weapons each player brings to the court.
Lopez is not your typical Spanish player; in fact, his most successful Slam has been Wimbledon, a place where Spaniards have traditionally struggled. Lopez is a big server and likes to rush the net, and he has some very deft volleying skills too. While his topspin backhand may be a liability on occasion, he uses the slice very effectively to set up his attacking game.
Verdasco, on the other hand, is a topspin monster. Taking huge cuts at the ball, he manages to generate extraordinary momentum with his shots, which take his opponent out and away from the court. His semifinal slugfest against countryman Rafael Nadal at the 2009 Australian Open is still regarded as one of the finest matches in modern tennis.
When Lopez and Verdasco take each other on, it will not only be a battle for the country’s pride, but also a battle of wills and of contrasting styles. Verdasco’s forehand versus Lopez’s volley; Lopez’s serve vs Verdasco’s return – there’s a lot to like in this matchup. Their head-to-head on the ATP tour is 4-4, so you can bet we’ll in for an electrifying contest when these two take the court during the CTL.
#4 Martina Hingis versus Jelena Jankovic
The Swiss ace, former World No. 1 and winner of five singles Slams, has had a stellar run in doubles this year with Sania Mirza, and that should give her plenty of confidence. Last year Hingis did a fantastic job for Hyderabad Aces in singles, winning several matches against younger, more fancied opponents, and she’ll be looking to do the same in 2015.
Jankovic herself is a former World No. 1 and is still among the top players in the world. Like Hingis, Jankovic also possesses a brilliant backhand, and her down-the-line version is a particularly deadly weapon.
Both women move exceptionally well, and defend expertly. While Hingis has slightly better ‘court sense’, Jankovic has a little more firepower. On the two occasions that they met during the WTA tour, Jankovic came away the winner each time, although both the matches were hard-fought.
This will be a fantastic battle to watch for Indian fans, and it’s hard to predict who will have the edge when these two ladies take to the court.
#5 Roberto Bautista Agut/Ramkumar Ramanathan versus Marcos Baghdatis/Saketh Myneni
There’s plenty of Indian talent in the CTL, and Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni are perhaps the best representatives of it.
Playing for Raipur Rangers, Ramanathan is still only 20 years old, and continues to be Indian tennis’ best hope for future success. With a big forehand and an aggressive mindset, Ramanathan stunned everyone when he defeated Somdev Devvarman in Chennai a couple of years ago, and he hasn’t looked back since. He’s ranked No. 251 in the world right now, and seems set to rise much higher.
Myneni was part of the winning Pune Marathas team in the CTL last year, so he knows a thing or two about what it means to be a champion. With the Punjab Marshalls this year, Myneni has a terrific serve and some nifty volleying skills, and he will look to make his mark as the best Indian player in the tournament. He is currently ranked No. 168 in the world, which seemingly gives him the edge over his younger counterpart.
When Ramanathan and Myneni face off in the doubles along with their partners Bautista Agut and Baghdatis respectively, the contest will pit two promising Indian players against each other, and the fans will be served a treat of a tennis match in the process.
This article was originally published on the Champions Tennis League website here.
