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IPTL: Indian Aces master Mavericks in Dubai, consolidate position at the top

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna continued their good form as Indian Aces dished out yet another dominating performance.

Indian Aces’ Ana Ivanovic hits a return to Manila Mavericks’ Kirsten Flipkens during their match in Dubai on Friday. (Source: Reuters)

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna continued their good form as Indian Aces dished out yet another dominating performance, beating Manila Mavericks 28-23 in the UAE leg of the International Premier Tennis League.

This was the second successive win for Indian Aces, who now have consolidated their position at the top of the table with 38 points from 11 matches. The Aces have so far won eight and lost three matches.

For the Mavericks, it is their sixth defeat in the tournament. They are now at the third position with 31 points from 11 games. The Aces were given a positive start by Fabrice Santoro, who battled a niggling injury, to see off Mark Philippoussis 6-3 in the Legend’s Match.

Gael Monfils brushed off the disappointment of losing in the last match by beating compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2 in the men’s singles contest to give the Indian Aces a healthy 12-5 lead.

In the mixed doubles, Bopanna and Sania then swelled Indian Aces’ lead further to 18-9 when they prevailed over Daniel Nestor and Kirsten Flipkens 6-4 .

World number five Ana Ivanovic of Serbia then took the match further away from the Mavericks when she continued her winning run with a 6-3 victory over Kristen Flipkens of Belgium.

Tsonga and Nestor finally posted Manila’s only win in the day with a 11-4 victory over Bopanna and Monfils in the men’s doubles contest, the fifth and the last but it was too late to have any impact on the tie.