Japan joins IPTL, more teams in wait list

MANILA, Philippines - Only on its second year, the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) has teams from two more countries knocking and hoping to be part of the show.

From four teams during its inaugural season in 2014, the IPTL, a home-and-away event featuring the sport’s great names, now involves five teams.

The Japan Warriors have come on board to join the Philippine Mavericks, UAE Royals, Indian Aces and Singapore Slammers. The new season runs from Dec. 2 to 20.

The IPTL will only grow in number in the years to come.

“There’s a lot more wanting to join,” said IPTL founder Mahesh Bhupathi, the former Grand Slam doubles champion from India.

Fielding a question from The STAR, he identified countries like China, Vietnam and Hong Kong as among those wanting to field teams in the IPTL.

But they may have to wait a while.

“They’ve shown interest but we’re not about to add teams next year because it’s an Olympic year. The year we will add new teams will be in 2017,” said Bhupathi.

“In 2017 we will figure out how much we’re going to expand,” he said.

Maria Sharapova will lead the Japan Warriors in its bid for the title and the $1 million top prize, together with Daniela Hantuchova and Marat Safin.

Serena Williams, on the other hand, will banner the Philippine Mavericks that include Treat Huey, Mark Philippoussis, Richard Gasquet, Jarmila Gajdosova, Borna Coric, Sabine Lisicki and Milos Raonic.

From Dec. 6 to 8, Williams will be at the Mall of Asia Arena to play for the Mavericks, a team co-owned by Hans Sy, Jean Henry Lhuillier, Haresh Hiranand, Bala Swaminathan and Philstar.com president and CEO Kevin Belmonte.

Nadal, winner of 14 Grand Slam singles titles, will head the Indian Aces, last year’s champions, alongside Gael Monfils, Agnieszka Radwanska, Fabrice Santoro, Ivan Dodig, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna and will be in Manila, too.

The UAE Royals will have Roger Federer, Ana Ivanovic and Goran Ivanisevic in its core while the Singapore Slammers will be bannered by Novak Djokovic, Nick Kyrgios, Belinda Bencic and Carlos Moya.

Playing in Manila for the Japan Warriors are Vasek Pospisil, Leander Paes, Lucas Poille, Kurumi Nara, Hantuchova and Safin; for the Indian Aces Nadal and company; the UAE Royals Tomas Berdych, Kristina Mladenovic, Daniel Nestor, Ivanisevic and Ivanovic; and the Singapore Slammers Karolina Pliskova, Marcelo Melo, Dustin Brown, Bencic, Kyrgios and Moya.

From Japan and Manila, this year’s IPTL will make stops in New Delhi, Dubai and Singapore.