Manila Mavericks win 2nd straight sans Murray, Sharapova

MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Mavericks are finally heating up.  

After a slow start in the inaugural International Premier Tennis League where they lost their first two matches, the Mavericks have racked up two straight wins bridging the Manila and Singapore legs.

Even without their top stars Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray, the Mavericks kept the Singapore Slammers winless in the tournament with big plays coming from Carlos Moya replacement Mark Philippoussis, Fil-Am doubles specialist Treat Huey and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Philippousis kept his impressive run in the tournament beating former world no.1 and tennis great Andre Agassi, 6-3, in the legends game. It was his second straight win since replacing former world no.1 Carlos Moya in the final day of Manila leg.  

In the men’s doubles, Huey and Tsonga entertained the 8,000-strong crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium when they overcame Thomas Berdych and Lleyton Hewitt in a nail-biting finish, 6-4.

With the Slammers threatening to pile up the points and steal the lead, Tsonga stepped up his game and staged his own comeback from 2-5 down to beat Berdych in the men’s singles. The power-hitting Tsonga won the thriller, 6-5, giving the Mavericks a six-point cushion, 18-12, heading into the final two sets where women’s world no.1 Serena Williams tried to carry the Slammers on her broad shoulders.  

“It’s great to be together. We don’t have the opportunity to spend time together on the tour because we alternate and now we have to play for the team – for the Mavericks – and it’s a really good atmosphere and I hope we can continue like this,”  Tsonga later said in the post-match news conference. “It’s a success and I’m really happy to be part of it,”

The Mavericks are now starting to come together as a team as opposed to their two-match losing streak at the start of the Manila leg over the weekend.

Daniel Nestor finally regained his form and teamed up with Kirsten Flipkens as they stunned Williams and Nick Kyrgios in the mixed doubles, 6-5.

“We’re all not very happy and we really are trying and that’s all we can do, Tomas played a great match, me and Nick tried really hard in the doubles. We are trying and giving it out all, honestly I think we need to relax a bit, take it a bit easier and have more fun, we’re like pumping our fist, you know we’re like the most intense team,” Williams later said.

She came back to win a thriller of a set in the women’s singles overcoming the gallant stand put up by Flipkens in a 6-5 win that averted a shutout for the home team.

Despite the Slammers’ struggles in the tournament, the best female player in the world is enjoying the format that puts premium on team spirit and quicker pace.

“I came into this thinking it was going to be like fun and a blast, and I’m having a fun time, having a blast. I didn’t think it was going to be a good preparation like it is but it turns out to be an amazing preparation, it’s really perfect. After I played in Manila, I was like this is a great way to prepare for the season. I think it’s going to grow naturally because a lot of players are supporting it and a lot of players are involved in it. I think it’s definitely going to grow.”

 The Slammers are mired at the cellar with their fourth straight loss in this tournament that offers $1 million cash prize to the top team at the end of four legs.

The Mavericks caught UAE Royals at second spot with 11 points on 2-2 win-loss card behind the unbeaten Indian Aces.