International Premier Tennis League: Indian Aces slam Singapore for second-straight victory

Kobe (Japan): Defending champions Indian Aces bounced back in style to beat Singapore Slammers 27-20 and record their second successive win in the Japan leg of the International Premier Tennis League season two here on Friday.

In an evenly contested match, both teams were tied at two sets apiece with the decisive mens singles to follow. Aces’ ace singles player Gael Monfils had to sit out with a hamstring injury and he was replaced by Ivan Dodig to face Nick Kyrgios. Dodig proved too hot for the Australian, securing the set 6-3. The fifth set saw plenty of lobs and leaps with Kyrgios determined not to let any shot pass him through. Monfils was supporting his team from the bench. Earlier, the match started with a classic encounter with legends of the game in action Fabrice Santoro of Aces taking on former world number one Carlos Moya. In a thrilling encounter that reached 5 games all and after 6-6 in the tie-break, it was Moya’s winning stroke that gave Slammers the lead.

Slammers extended their advantage in the women’s singles with Karolina Pliskova defeating Samantha Stosur 6-4.

Aces fought back through Rohan Bopanna and Dodig, who got the better of Marcelo Melo and Dustin Brown in the men’s doubles.

Staying on the court with Sania Mirza, Bopanna won it yet again for the Aces by brushing aside Belinda Bencic and Melo 6-3 in the mixed doubles.