International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) boss Mahesh Bhupathi declared its launch in the Philippines a success, as the format ushered in a fast-paced, television-friendly version of one of the world’s most popular sports.
Critics who have dismissed the four-city tournament as a meaningless event had been proven wrong by huge crowds turning up to cheer some of the sport’s biggest names since its debut on Friday, he said.
“With the kind of high we started off here in Manila we can safely say that we’re off to a good start,” IPTL managing director Bhupathi said.
Departing from the staid, traditional image of the sport, the IPTL features a DJ and skimpily-attired women dancing in between rests to work up the crowd. The game is played in a team format, with ties consisting of five one-set matches.
It also employs innovations such as a five-minute shootout to break 5-5 ties and a shot clock that forfeits the point in favour of the receiver if a serve is not made 20 seconds after the end of the previous point.
Drawn by the $1 million pot and appearance bonuses, many of the game’s biggest names showed up in Manila, led by the women’s top two Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Three top-10 men’s players – Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic – also took part while the top two, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, are to play in the other legs. Rafael Nadal was only kept out through injury.
The IPTL tour moves to Singapore on Tuesday before heading to New Delhi and winding up the year in Dubai.
“The format has been accepted, which was our biggest risk,” said Bhupathi. “We just have to make sure we sustain this momentum going into the next three legs.”
Bhupathi revealed there are plans for the league to add to its four teams – Manila Mavericks, Singapore Slammers, Indian Aces and UAE Royals.
He said: “We’re going to make sure that it’s planned well because obviously, we want to sustain this to 25 years, 30 years, and we want to make it something that both the fans and the players enjoy.”
