Roger Federer's absence from the International Premier Tennis League's (IPTL) last leg at the Gachibowli Stadium, here from Friday evening will be conspicuous. The Indian Aces, he was to be a part of, will head for the over 400-year-old city with a twin advantage.
Perched atop with 11 points (with one more game to go at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Thursday evening), the Aces will enter the business end of the tournament on home turf. Apart from local lass Sania Mirza, Mark Philippoussis, Feliciano Lopez, Thomas Enqvist and Rohan Bopanna of the Aces are not strangers to the city, having played in the Champions Tennis League (CTL) and other tournaments, although at different venues.
It will not exactly be a smooth ride for the host though with the Singapore Slammers breathing down its neck with 10 points. The island nation made the most of playing before its own fans, winning two of three fixtures with the last slated for Thursday evening.
The virtually back-to-back matches at the three venues leaves little time between the Singapore and Hyderabad legs. With Thursday's last match slated to begin at 2030 hours local time and likely to last about two hours, it could stretch the endurance of the players who will then have to take the three-hour hop to Hyderabad.
On Friday, the Japan Warriors will take on the UAE Royals at 1600 hours, Indian Standard Time (IST) and the Indian Aces, the Singapore Slammers at 1930 hours.
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