Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 18 : The World Tennis League (WTL) made a show-stopping India debut on Wednesday as some of the big names in the sport brought high-quality entertainment to the court. Bengaluru had a courtside view to Gael Monfils' athleticism and Nick Kyrgios' 'tweener trickery, to Denis Shapovalov's explosive talent and Elina Svitolina's tenacity, as per a release from the World Tennis League.
Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who was a finalist at the 2017 Chennai Open, marked his return to India with a win in men's doubles, along with Indian stalwart Rohan Bopanna.
Rubbing shoulders with them was India's Next Gen, Maaya Rajeswaran Revathi and Dhakshineswar Suresh, who seemed to thrive in the spotlight.
After VB Realty Hawks opened the 2025 edition with a narrow 25-21 victory over Aussie Mavericks Kites, AOS Eagles rounded off the day's action with a 18-16 win over Game Changers Falcons. At the end of Day 1, the Hawks lead the standings with 25 points.
Playing the opening set of the day, Svitolina showcased her signature resolve as she fought back from 2-5 down to beat Marta Kostyuk 7-5 and give the Hawks a winning start. The Ukrainian then combined with 16-year-old Maaya to beat Kostyuk and Ankita Raina by the same scoreline.
The Kites put up resistance in the men's doubles as Nick Kyrgios and Suresh put on a serving masterclass for a 6-4 win over Shapovalov and Bhambri. Kyrgios gave a glimpse of why he is such a crowd-puller around the world, as he mixed in some deft touches with showboating 'tweeners to send a ripple through the crowd. However, Shapovalov stole the win in the singles, edging Suresh 7-5 to keep his team ahead.
"I have played this event a couple of times and it is always amazing to go around the world and play in front of these fans. It is always fun," said Kyrgios, who was also full of praise for his 25-year-old doubles partner Suresh.
"I was super impressed, so young and serving so big and having such a bright future. He reminds me of me a little bit. Big serve. He is not new to a team event, team atmosphere. He has played college tennis (for Georgia Gwinnett) and has been successful. It's a different level when you play someone like Shapovalov, but I'll just try and help as much as I can."
The Rohan Bopanna vs Sumit Nagal showdown was the highlight of the second match of the day between the AOS Eagles and Game Changer Falcons. While Nagal and Paula Badosa won the mixed doubles set 6-1, Bopanna responded with a 6-2 win in an exciting doubles clash, where he teamed up with Medvedev to take on Nagal-Monfils. The flash point came in the mixed doubles contest, when during a net exchange Nagal hit Bopanna square in the chest. All in good spirits, the Indian stars shook hands and got back to the game.
Magda Linette had grabbed the lead for the Falcons as she beat Paula Badosa 6-4 in the opening set. After the team traded blows in the doubles encounters, Monfils turned on the heat on Medevdev to win the marquee singles 6-3. After putting in a vintage performance, the 39-year-old dazzled the crowd with his victory dance.
The WTL is a mixed-team event that takes place just ahead of the new season, giving players an opportunity to fine-up their game without the pressure of tour events. Four franchises are competing this year and will play each other once in a round-robin format before the top two qualify for the final.
Each tie consists four sets - men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's/mixed doubles. Victory is decided by the number of games won, with each game won counting for one point. Played at a quicker tempo, with a match lasting one set, which makes every game won count, and a golden point on deuce, WTL makes for exciting viewing.
Final Score:
- VB Realty Hawks v/s Aussie Mavericks Kites: 25 - 21
- AOS Eagles v/s Game Changer Falcon: 18 -16.
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