Coca-Cola IPTL: Indian Aces beat Manila Mavericks 28-23

Gael Monfils essays a backhand in his win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

The Indian Aces took on Manila Mavericks in match 21 of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) in Dubai. Here is how the match panned out.

Legends Singles

Mark Philippoussis faced Fabrice Santoro in the first set. Both players held their opening service games with ease. Santoro took a medical timeout after the second game. The Australian was in trouble in the fifth game serving at 15-40, but dug his way out of it by powerful backhand and forehand winners. The Frenchman held his serve without any difficulty to even things up at 3-3.

Philippoussis was eventually broken in the seventh game as he netted a forehand. It was Santoro who served his way out of trouble from 15-40 to lead 5-3. The Australian had not a single set in the tournament so far and was serving to stay in the set at 3-5. The Indian Aces took the Happiness Power Point at 30-40 down in the ninth game and Philippoussis missed a backhand down the line winner to hand the Aces the victory.

Santoro beat Philippoussis 6-3.

Men’s Singles

Compatriots Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils faced each other in the second set of the day. Monfils’ serve was broken in the first game thanks to some attacking tennis from Tsonga. Monfils broke back immediately and held his serve to lead 2-1 in the early goings of the set. It was Tsonga who made several unforced errors in the latter stages of the set to trail 2-5.

Monfils finished things off with an overhead smash to extend the overall lead to 12-5.

Monfils beat Tsonga 6-2.

Mixed Doubles

Kirsten Flipkens and Daniel Nestor took on the Indian duo of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna. All four players held their first service games. The Indian pair created chances with fine volleying near the net and lead the Mavericks team by 5-2. However, Mirza’s serve was broken in the eighth game and the experienced Nestor held his serve with ease to put pressure on Bopanna.

The Mavericks had break point chances, but could not convert them.

Mirza/Bopanna beat Flipkens/Nestor 6-4.

Women’s Singles

Ana Ivanovic looked to extend the lead for the Aces as she took on Flipkens in the fourth set. However, it was Flipkens who struck first breaking the Serb in the first game. Ivanovic did not let it affect her as she levelled things at 1-1 with fine returns. It was a set of unforced errors as both players erred at crucial points. Flipkens was serving 30-40 when the Mavericks took a timeout. It was Ivanovic who broke Flipkens’ serve for the third time to lead 5-3. The Serb then did not face any hurdle in the tenth game as she served out the set.

Ivanovic beat Flipkens 6-3.

Men’s Doubles

Nestor and Tsonga had an uphill task in front of them to reduce the 12 game deficit in the fifth set. They started off with a bang against the Indian team of Bopanna and Monfils and sped to a 5-1 lead. Nestor was serving for the set, but could not get his first serves in. Monfils and Bopanna returned superbly to break the Canadian’s serve.

It was deciding point on Monfils’ serve in the ninth game, but the Mavericks could not convert their match point opportunity. Tsonga held his serve to win to take the set 6-3. The Aces led the Mavericks 27-18.

Nestor/Tsonga beat Bopanna/Monfils 6-3.

By virtue of winning the final set, the Mavericks had a chance to come back into the match. They had to win nine games on the trot to take the match into a Super Shootout. Bopanna led 40-30 when the Mavericks won the power point. The Manila team won five games on the trot and were just four games away from forcing a Super Shootout. However, the Indian duo broke Nestor’s serve at deciding point to win the match 28-23.

Indian Aces beat Manila Mavericks 28-23.