Of all the new features introduced by the IPTL, seeing the best players in the world spend so much time together on and off the court has arguably been the most fascinating aspect for the fans.
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Over the past three weeks, since the start of the league, the Internet has been flooded by images of team dinners, group dances, and shameless selfies, bringing together some of the ATP and WTA’s biggest names and portraying a form of friendship amongst them that fans have often fantasised about.
On tour, the players typically stick to themselves and rarely do they grab a meal with a rival or spend some leisure time with another player.
Long gone are the times when players like Bjorn Borg and Vitas Gerulaitis would share a house for the summer yet still tear each other apart on court.
Hanging out with another player on tour these days is equivalent to fraternising with the enemy and it is simply avoided more often than not. Players travel with huge teams surrounding them with making friends on tour a bonus they don’t necessarily seek.
But it seems the IPTL has given the players some insight into what it would be like to have friends on tour – even if it is just for three weeks – and according to world No1 Novak Djokovic, it’s been a welcome new experience.
“This is a good opportunity for us, in the off-season, to get to know each other better. To hang out, spend some time, to have fun, but still practice and play some good tennis,” Djokovic said on the sidelines of the IPTL at the Hamdan Sports Complex.
“We all have our teams and when we are at big events we do have our certain routines. Most of the players like to keep the same daily routine as they improve in the tournament.
"You have certain best friends that you occasionally go for dinner with or you practice with but there isn’t much social life on the tour aside from being there for a reason and that’s to play tennis. It’s not because we don’t like each other. It’s just the way it is.”
Two players have bucked the solitary trend this season though, world No1 Serena Williams and world No8 Caroline Wozniacki. The pair have developed a strong friendship which was aided by Williams’ support during Wozniacki’s break-up with ex-fiancee Rory McIlroy earlier this year.
They’ve gone on holiday together and even shared a night out after Williams beat Wozniacki in the US Open final in September.
Djokovic says it has been inspiring seeing those two superstars get so close.
“Caroline’s friendship with Serena gives a very good message and example of two big role models,” he said.
“It’s great to see that. They are big rivals. They played a week or two before that in the semi-finals of the last tournament of the year (in Singapore) but then they’re going on holiday together.
“Obviously not everybody is the same. It’s an individual sport so everybody has a different approach and different philosophy on life but we’re all humans, we should hang out. Why not?”
Wozniacki insists there can be real friendships that can thrive on tour.
“At the end of the day this is what we love to do. It’s a privilege to be in our position and we only get to do this once. The career is short, it’s all about enjoying it,” said Wozniacki.
Djokovic added: “You see your rivals more than your own family. I don’t see my mum as much as I see Rafa (Nadal) or Roger (Federer). It’s true, why not make the most of it? It’s a short life.”
