Singapore: Micromax Indian Aces produced their fourth consecutive victory in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), thrashing UAE Royals 30-11 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Tuesday.
Aces, led by player-cum-coach Fabrice Santoro, won all five sets in convincing manner as Ana Ivanovic set the ball rolling with a 6-2 triumph over Kristina Mladenovic in the first set.
In the mixed doubles match, the experienced Indian pairing of Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza triumphed 6-5 over Kristina Mladenovic and Nenad Zimonjic following a five-minute shootout.
Up next, flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils outplayed reigning US Open Champion Marin Cilic 6-1 in the third and men's singles set to make it 18-8 lead for the Aces.
Santoro won the past champions' set 6-2 against a struggling Goran Ivanisevic, who was nursing a hamstring strain before being substituted mid-match by Nenad Zimonjic. But Zimonjic failed to stop a rampaging Santoro.
The final set of the match was the men's doubles contest, which saw Bopanna and Monfils return to the fray to defeat a dispirited Cilic and Zimonjic 6-1.
On the other hand, Serena Williams returned to the scene of her WTA Finals win but could not prevent her Singapore Slammers team slumping to a fourth straight defeat on Tuesday.
Playing in front of a packed arena in the night session, Williams won her match against Belgian Kirsten Flipkens but lost the mixed doubles, partnering Australia's Nick Kyrgios, as her team fell 29-21 to the Manila Mavericks.
Ridiculed by some observers as little more than an extravagant series of exhibition matches, Williams jumped to the defence of the tournament, saying it was an ideal mix of fun and competition.
"I came into this thinking it was going to be fun and a blast but not good preparation (for the new season). However, after I played in Manila I realised this is a great way to prepare for the pre-season," Williams told reporters.
"I can only see it growing as it's such a great fun opportunity and all the players are supporting it. We are not happy to keep losing but we did the best we could.
"Maybe we need to relax a little bit as we are trying too hard because we want to win so bad," said Williams who won the WTA Finals here in October.
After four rounds of matches the Indian Aces lead on 16 points, ahead of the Manila Mavericks and UAE Royals on 11 points with Singapore propping up the table on six points.
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