PHILIPPINE Mavericks manager Jean Henri Lhuillier felt the team peaked during the Manila leg of this season’s International Premier Tennis League.
One of the franchise owners and long-time tennis patron, Lhuillier said the three-game sweep when the IPTL swung by the country on Dec. 6 to 8 was the “best of the Mavericks,” culminating with the match between Rafael Nadal of Indian Aces and Milos Raonic of the host squad.
But by the New Delhi leg, Raonic, who won the thrilling singles encounter with Nadal at the Mall of Asia Arena, got injured and was replaced by Ivo Karlovic. Legends’ bet Mark Philippoussis also tapped out due to injury and was substituted by James Blake.
“Injuries to key players hurt us at Delhi and the losses of games piled up, and affected the team and it was an upward battle from that point on,” Lhuillier told the Inquirer.
But the chair of the Philippine Tennis Association still heaped praise on the Mavericks who closed the 2015 IPTL season with a win over the United Arab Emirates Royals on the the last day in Singapore.
The Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka-led Singapore Slammers eventually won the season and the $1 million prize, beating the Nadal-powered Indian Aces who bagged $500,000.
Lhuillier exhorted young Filipino tennis players to raise their game and get inspired with the presence of global superstars like Nadal and Serena Williams who played here in the Manila leg.
He also hoped the “former or older tennis players” pick up their rackets and go back to the courts.
Already there are plans to stage IPTL-inspired tournaments to infuse new energy to Philippine tennis.
Lhuillier is also manager of the Cebuana Lhuillier-Philippine Davis Cup team.