THE Manila Mavericks’ opening game in the Dubai leg of the IPTL ended in a heartbreaking loss against home team Musafir.com UAE Royals, 25-26, late Thursday as Jo-Wilfred Tsonga continued his domination in the tour by bringing down world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, 6-5.
It was the eighth straight win by Tsonga in the event as he kept carrying the team’s campaign heading into the final two days of the tour.
Mark Philippoussis continued to roll, but not after surviving Goran Ivanisevic, 6-5, in the men’s singles battle of past champions.
The pair of Daniel Nestor and Kirsten Flipkens also nipped Nenad Zimonjic and Kristina Mladenovic, 6-5, while Tsonga and Nestor also won, 6-5, over Zimonjic and Marin Cilic.
“That could have been a won game for us but I remain upbeat on the team’s chances,” said Manila Mavericks team manager Jean Henri Lhuillier.
The biggest setback for the team came in the women’s singles where Flipkens was beaten soundly by Caroline Wozniacki, 2-6.