When the IPTL opened last Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena, there were several questions and criticism about Bhupathi's brainchild, which aimed to not only shorten the matches but add a more festive atmosphere to the sport.
Three days later, the ex-doubles specialist pronounced the event a success, saying: "With the kind of high we started off in Manila, I can safely say we are off to a good start."
Attendance at the MOA Arena grew each day, and Filipino fans gave the rock star treatment to Grand Slam winners like Andy Murray, Marin Cilic, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, and Serena Williams, legends like Goran Ivanisevic and Pat Rafter, and of course to local star Treat Huey.
Yet even lesser known stars like Gael Monfils and Nick Kyrgios became darlings of the crowd thanks to their entertaining performances. The Frenchman Monfils quickly became a fan favorite not only because of his style of play on the court but also due to his superb dance moves off it.
"The fans here really took to the format," said Bhupathi.
Indeed, fans clearly enjoyed the cheerful atmosphere of the event, with a DJ blasting music in between sets and even after a particularly stirring point. There were also t-shirt giveaways, and dancers performing at regular intervals.
But Bhupathi is happiest to see how the players themselves accepted and enjoyed the format of the league and its new quirks, among them a 20-second shot clock and a "Happiness Power Point."
"I think for us, the most important part was the players enjoyed the format immensely," he said Sunday at the conclusion of the Manila leg. "They got into the team spirit. If you see the pictures that are coming out of the matches daily, of them celebrating or pushing each other, the format has been accepted, which was our biggest risk."
"So now, with the entertainment part of it, with the DJ and the music, and the song and the dance, and great tennis on top of that, I think we just have to make sure that we sustain this momentum going into the next three legs," he added.
Bhupathi, however, made it clear that he is not aiming for the IPTL format to "supplant" the current format of the sport.
"No, we have time and space for all formats," he said. "The Grand Slams will still be the pillars of our sport, because they are institutions of their own, but I think, after what we've seen over the last three days, there is a place for out format."
"It's going to be a special event especially as long as we can make sure these top stars enjoy it like they did these three days," he added.
Bhupathi believes the success of the IPTL in Manila has answered the questions about the league and silenced the skeptics.
"Yesterday, when I was at lunch, somebody told me that they have been talking about the IPTL for a long time, but nobody really believed that these stars would actually show up in Manila," he said. "So I think that myth is out of the window now."
"So when we announce the players for 2015, hopefully at the end of February, then hopefully people will start getting excited a lot earlier for the next season," he added.
The IPTL moves to Singapore from December 2-4, and to New Delhi from December 6-8, before making its final stop in Dubai from December 11-13.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
