Sharapova, Murray get going as IPTL starts

ANDY Murray takes on Marin Cilic and Maria Sharapova battles Kristina Mladenovic as the Manila Mavericks tangle with the UAE Royals in the International Premier Tennis League kicking off today at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

The two grand-slam champions were scheduled to arrive late yesterday and banner the Philippine franchise that will have Filipino doubles specialist Treat Huey as its playing coach.

Huey will play in the men’s doubles with Daniel Nestor against Cilic and Nenad Zimonjic. The 29-year-old Huey will then pair with Kirsten Flipkens in the mixed doubles against Zimonjic and Mladenovic.

Carlos Moya of the Mavericks collides with Goran Ivanisevic in the legends singles.

The Mavericks-Royals match fires off at 7:30 p.m. after the Singapore Slammers-Indian Aces battle at 4 p.m. which will feature world No. 1 Serena Williams and grand slam titlist Ana Ivanovic.

President Aquino has been invited to the matches but organizers said they have yet to get a reply from Malacañang.

The rest of the Mavericks arrived yesterday with Flipkens having already worked out with national player Patrick John Tierro at a court at Edsa Shangri-La, where the players are billeted.

The innovative format includes, among others, a shot clock regulating the service to 20 seconds, a five-minute shootout during a 5-5 all tie, and an option to call the match.

“I have talked to my teammates and they are really excited to be here in Manila,” said Huey of his teammates in the league, which hops into three other countries and dangles $1 million for the winning team.

IPTL COO Eric Gottchalk said their objective is to make the sport more TV-friendly without “disrespecting the rules of the game.”