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IPTL 2014 - MANILA, SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER IP: 202.57.42.250 Posted on November 29, 2014 at 07:46:08 PM by David Barnes
IPTL 2014 - MANILA
SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER
On the face of things the UAE Royals team, at least as constituted here, Djokovic-less in Manila, is not the most exciting of line-ups, but especially in Kristina Mladenovic (who replaced Genie Bouchard at the last minute due to the latter's injury) and Goran Ivanisevic, who has been 'in' from the start, it possesses, variously, growing glamour, talent, charisma and a free-wheeling playing style that suits the event.
Ivanisevic, with his on-court antics, is fast becoming a showman, and a favourite of the IPTL crowd; he was in typically genial form at last night's press conference, where he appeared alongside Marin Cilic after both they and the UAE Royals team had won against their Manila Mavericks opponents (28 to 24 overall, for the day). "This is a great format, and good that we win. To play in front of such a great crowd, and hungry for tennis . . . ". He was adamant that the level of play was on a par with that of the ATP tour (but then he did retire more than a decade ago); asked why his team won, he replied disarmingly, "That's why they put me first" - to inspire the others.
Goran has been doing his best to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Mansour Bahrami while on court here - yesterday he performed a short dance routine alongside one of the blonde babes who regularly fulfill that role at changeovers, today he offered his racket to an especially attractive Filipino lady in the VIP seating area, and in all his appearances he regularly hits balls towards spectators who have caught his eye (or ear) for one reason or another. Wonderful stuff, and manna from heaven for those hungry Filipinos to whom he referred in his press conference.
He played a stormer of a 5-minute shoot-out against Pat Rafter today in their singles match, in which Rafter lost a serve 'on the clock' (20 seconds are allowed for a first serve to be completed once the ball is with the server) to go 5-1 down, the first such incident of the tournament. With two minutes to go the Croat was 6-1 up, 7-2 up with one minute to go, so that, fast as Pat Rafter tried to serve, the die was cast. 9-3 to the UAE Royals, 28 - 22 overall for the day.
As if to demonstrate the recurring problem of inequality and incapacity on the WTA Tour, Kristina Mladenovic swatted aside Daniela Hantuchova, 6-1, in their set, sandwiched as it was - like a book on soft pornography set amongst a collection of tomes on Renaissance art - between two splendid doubles matches, both involving the 5-minute shoot-out.
The evening session was between the Manila Mavericks and the Micromax Indian Aces (ah, the power of sponsorship, to have your [mobile telephony] company as part of a team's name). Fabrice Santoro, now 42, easily beat Carlos Moya (still only 38) and Daniel Nestor (also 42). This may read oddly, but there is no misprint, since the Spaniard strained a groin towards the end of the set and was replaced (as IPTL rules allow) by the Canadian. It's all about 'the team', after all . . .
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Treat Huey smashed Rohan Bopanna and Gael Monfils 6-0; the sight of Tsonga and teammate Murray doing a Bryan brothers 'high-five' chest bump after one especially memorable shot brought tears to the eyes, and a sense of slight incredulity to the brain.
Monfils showed no ill-effects from his doubles pasting when he took on Andy Murray in the singles immediately afterwards; this was a set of dramatic tension alongside amateur dramatics. The Manila Mavericks threw the red towel on court (signifying that they were requesting a 'happiness power point') early in the encounter, and Murray duly took a 3-2 lead. Monfils served underarm, did a silly jive dance when he went 5-4 up, and the Indian Aces team then played the 'happiness power point' gambit with Murray leading 40-30 on serve. This astute tactic seemed to pressurise the Scot, who missed his first serve and then put a backhand into the net, to concede the set.
The Scot was back on court immediately afterwards in the doubles, where he and the lovely Maria Sharapova took on Rohan Bopanna and the equally, but possibly more demurely, lovely Sania Mirza. It was not a successful attempt; the Indian pair took full advantage of Murray's lackadaisical and probably jet-lagged state, and the Russian's still uncontrolled penchant for double faults, to win 6-1. Murray is listed to face Tomas Berdych in tomorrow's singles, immediately before Kirsten Flipkens takes on Serena Williams. Having been on the losing side two days in a row (Maria Sharapova was beaten by Ana Ivanovic in the last set of the evening) Murray and his Manila Mavericks teammates will hope for better luck - and better performances - tomorrow, the last day of competition here in Manila.
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