Philippine Mavericks vs UAE Royals: Can the Mavericks rise to the challenge at home?

Serena vs Ivanovic, if it happens, will be one of the most exciting contests of the day

Having started the 2015 International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) with a bang in the Japan leg, table-toppers UAE Royals will be keen to extend their dominant run when they lock horns with the third-placed Philippine Mavericks at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila on Sunday.

(For tickets to the UAE Royals matches, click here).

The home team will have the vociferous crowd support in their favour and they are also armed with the devastating serves of Mark Philippoussis, Milos Raonic and Serena Williams. Will Tomas Berdych and Ana Ivanovic of the Royals be able to counter it?

We try to find out:

Women’s singles: Serena Williams vs Ana Ivanovic (probable)

The 21-time Major champion and World No. 1 Serena Williams should be considered an asset for whichever team she turns up for. However, the legendary American has failed to fire in the two singles sets she has played so far for the Mavericks.

In contrast, her opponent, former World No. 1 and 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic always gets a new lease of life playing in this vibrant IPTL atmosphere. The constant team support helps to ease a lot of the Serb’s nervousness, otherwise visible on the Tour.

Based on their recent form, the advantage lies with Ivanovic. She has been an integral part of the Indian Aces’ winning campaign in 2014 and knows how to steer a team to victory in this league. However, if Serena can get her formidable serve and powerful groundstrokes going in front of the home fans, it surely won’t be a welcome prospect for the World No. 16.

Men’s singles: Milos Raonic vs Tomas Berdych (probable)

Dazzling serves and blazing forehands will be the order of the day as both these men – Royals’ Tomas Berdych and Mavericks’ Milos Raonic – will try to bring their full arsenal onto the Mall of Asia Arena.

Berdych will have his hands full though as his last encounter with a fellow big-server did not go his way when he slumped to a 2-6 defeat to Singapore Slammers’ Nick Kyrgios.IPTL debutant Raonic will be a huge threat for the Czech, given he holds a slender lead of 3-2 in their career head-to-head meetings. With 230kmph speed aces, he lit up the court at Kobe as he emerged victorious against the World No. 8 Kei Nishikori in his very last IPTL match.

This has the ingredients to be a tightly-contested set. If the Canadian can replicate his Japan leg form, he surely holds an edge over the sixth-ranked Czech.

Legends’ singles: Mark Philippoussis vs Goran Ivanisevic (probable)

In the battle of two former top-10 players with ruthless serves, it has been the younger Mark Philippoussis whose serve has caught fire early. With 12 aces, the former US Open and Wimbledon runner-up sits atop the Aces Leaderboard, making him an intimidating prospect for any of the rival teams.

His opponent, Goran Ivanisevic – the 2001 Wimbledon winner – is taking his own sweet time to settle down, having blasted only 3 aces so far. But that hasn’t stopped him from compensating with other parts of his game and winning both his sets in the Japan leg of the 2015 IPTL. The Croat also has an upper hand in his rivalry with the Aussie as he leads 3-1 in their head-to-head meetings.

However, Philippoussis is in much better shape now and is more in touch with the game as a player. The Aussie who shed 8kg is religiously travelling round the world to play 20 weeks of exhibitions and team tennis. Perhaps that would stand in good stead when he meets Ivanisevic on Sunday.

Men’s doubles: Gasquet/Roger-Vasselin vs Nestor/Berdych (probable)

Both the sides consist of teams comprising an expert doubles exponent and a player who is more adept in the singles format. This is thus a toss-up between two pairs who will be able to produce their very best on the given day.

It is interesting to note that Roger-Vasselin and Nestor know each other’s games inside out as they paired up for the title glory at the 2015 Cincinnati Masters. They will surely know very well which components to attack in each other’s games.

Suffice to say, a lot will depend on how Berdych and Gasquet are able to perform in order to support their respective partners. The Czech and the Frenchman have two career doubles titles each and will need to exhibit quick reflexes and smart movement to keep their teams in contention.

Mixed doubles: Williams/Huey vs Mladenovic/Nestor (probable)

Daniel Nestor and Kristina Mladenovic would be considered outright favourites whenever they take the court. The left-handed Canadian’s serve and deft touches at the net coupled with the Frenchwoman’s powerful shots off the ground, make them a potent team who is capable of tackling any kind of opposition. Which is why, this combination has two Slam titles and a Major final to their name.

UAE Royals would certainly be looking up to their reliable mixed doubles pair to deliver them the coveted victory. However, they still need to be wary of Serena Williams whose illustrious resume does have a whopping 15 Major doubles titles. When Serena comes to the party, she can make it an ordeal for anybody on the other side!

Note: The singles and doubles match-ups are as per our assumptions for the most obvious player combinations. They are subject to change if one or more of the players are unavailable from either team,or if the team managements decide to change the combinations based on current form.