IPTL helps 'lonely' tennis players make friends on tour: Sania Mirza

 
NEW DELHI: Ace Indian tennis player Sania Mirza gave full credit to the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) for helping tennis players make friends while combating the loneliness that normally becomes an intrinsic part of players due to their hectic schedule throughout the year.

"The IPTL has definitely helped in making friends on the tour. When I meet Indian Aces coach-cum-player Fabrice Santoro on tours now, I can talk to him more and I can say that I have a great new friend in Fabrice. I've also met some players for the first time here at the IPTL, which is great," said Sania.

Talking about her relationship with the Indian Aces players which has a great mix talent, Sania said: "We are a great team, we get along really well and it's great to keep the winning form going. Tennis players tend to feel lonely, in the sense we travel alone on tours. But the IPTL has been different. We are all enjoying the team bonding. We look out for each other during matches."

When asked about not having Roger Federer in the Aces team this year, Sania said that even though the Swiss may no longer be a part of her team, she is excited to have Rafael Nadal on board. "It's great to have had Roger Federer in our team last year but this year we have an equally good replacement for him," Sania said. "And it's great to have Rafael Nadal in our team. We are looking forward to seeing the great Roger-Rafa clash on Saturday!"
On her mixed doubles partnership with Rohan Bopanna, Sania said: "Rohan is the first person I played mixed doubles with, when I was 14 years old. Over the years, we've got to know each other so well, and are able to anticipate each other's games well too, which is the success to our partnership. The beauty about our relationship is that it doesn't only revolve around tennis. He is my best friend off the court too, so it doesn't mean that I have to play with him all the time."


Bopanna also shared his experience on IPTL saying: "The team is playing really well, we're enjoying a great run of form, all of us together, and it's great to be winning here on home turf."
On playing against Leander Paes in the doubles encounter at IPTL, Bopanna said: "I have played against Paes many times. In fact, we have played more against each other than as a team."


When asked about him partnering Paes in the coming season keeping the 2016 Rio Olympics in mind, Bopanna said, for the time being he would not break his partnership with Florin Mergea with whom he has lifted four titles in this year.

"I am not going to break that partnership. For me and Paes to play together at the Olympics, we have to have the rankings. As per the current rankings we wouldn't even make to the Masters Series," Bopanna added.