Serena, Rafa due Saturday for IPTL tilt

Serena Williams. AP

Tennis megastars Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams will lead at least 30 of the top current and past players seeing action in the Manila leg of the International Premier Tennis League which kicks off Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

All of them are set to arrive in the country Saturday, according to organizers, most of them via Japan where the 2015 IPTL opening leg was being held.

The 29-year-old Nadal will provide major star power in the Manila leg as he sees action for the Indian Aces. The 14-time singles Grand Slam champion is set to play in at least two of the three-day leg here.

But the home team Philippine Mavericks will have another big star to cheer for, World No. 1 Williams who suits up for the hosts.

The 34-year-old American, acclaimed as the greatest ever having won a record 21 singles Grand Slams, played here last year but for another franchise.

Williams will be backed up in the Mavericks fold by Canadian star Milos Raonic, rising star Jarmilla Gajdosova, legend Mark Philippoussis, Edoard Roger-Vasellin, Richard Gasquet and Filipino doubles specialist Treat Huey.

Also planing in is reigning WTA Tour champ Agnieszka Radwanska who will play for the Aces along with Nadal, Ivan Dodig, Rohan Bopanna, Sania Mirza, Fabrice Santoro and crowd-favorite Gael Monfils.

For the Singapore Slammers, Carlos Moya, Dustin Brown, Karolina Pliskova, Marcelo Melo, Nick Kyrgios and Belinda Bencic will banner for the Manila leg.

United Arab Emirates Royals will parade Goran Ivanicevic Tomas Berdych, Marin Cilic, Ana Ivanovic, Kristina Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor, while Japan Warriors will have Daniela Hantuchova, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Marat Safin, Leander Paes, Vasek Pospisil and Kurumi Nara.