IPTL Update: Home Sweet Home For The Aces

Hyderabad, December 9th 2016.

MATCH 1: UAE ROYALS 20-25 JAPAN WARRIORS

They know each other so well that the margins are narrower. And that makes the Coca-Cola
International Premier Tennis League more exciting. Because in close matches, you never know
which will be the outcome. Who will be the star of the match.

The UAE Royals and the Japan Warriors faced yesterday in Singapore and today, already in busy
Hyderabad, the two bottom teams had a second encounter in just over 24 hours. And once
again, it was a victory for the Japan Warriors (25-20), who keep faith on making the final on
Sunday. Will they be there? There is one thing sure: they are on the fight. And going up in the
standings.

MATCH 1 HIGHLIGHTS

Marat Safin had enough knowledge yesterday in his defeat against Goran Ivanisevic and today
had the perfect revenge taking the first set for the Warriors.

Same situation, but this time for the Royals’ benefit, was the reaction from Ana Ivanovic. After
tough losses in her first matches, the 2008 Roland Garros champion redeemed herself and beat
Kurumi Nara with a strong 6-1.

Alongside Daniel Nestor, Ivanovic also played the Mixed Doubles set but this time was another
Serb-woman, Jelena Jankovic, who came out as victorious in a Shoot-out with Rojer. That was the
perfect reaction for the Warriors.

After taking the Mixed Doubles set, the Men’s doubles was a superb 6-0 for Rojer and Verdasco
against Tomas Berdych and Pablo Cuevas. The turning point.

Both Berdych and Verdasco played the definitive set and the Spaniard lifted even more the
momentum even though the Czech took the match to overtime. A great win to start the last leg
of this 2016 IPTL.

MATCH 2: INDIAN ACES 24-18 OUE SINGAPORE SLAMMERS

There's no place like home, and the Indian Aces took advantage of that fact. The local team
landed in Hyderabad already as the leaders of the Coca-Cola International Premier League. But
that was not enough; they wanted more. They wanted to start the last leg, at home, with a win
and the Aces were simply unstoppable.

The Indian side beat the reigning champions OUE Singapore Slammers with a sensational 24-19
the same day that Sania Mirza got to enjoy a sweet homecoming, playing in front of her
hometown crowd.

MATCH 2 HIGHLIGHTS

After delivering yesterday the most spectacular set so far in the competition, Marcelo Melo/
Marcos Baghdatis and Feliciano Lopez/Ivan Dodig offered a new chapter of this special rivalry.
This time, though, Aces duo Lopez and Dodig didn’t give their opponents any chances.

It was a the same story in the Men’s singles, as López needed just 17 minutes to deny Kyrgios a
single game. After two sets, the Aces had already made a statement and were leading 12-2.

Kiki Bertens gave the Slammers a boost when she beat Kirsten Flipkens 6-2 before Spaniard
Carlos Moya carried over her momentum to beat Aces coach/player Thomas Enqvist.

Just as the Slammers were closing in, home hero Mirza and her fellow Indian partner Rohan
Bopanna beat Melo/Bertens in style to wrap up a memorable win for the Aces.