"It's my first time in India playing tennis, so it's a big deal for me," said world No. 2 Federer. "I thought it's a great innovation, people seem happy to see me. I was excited when I saw the lights flashing while introducing me."
"It was a goose-bump atmosphere," he added. "It was definitely a very cool moment for me in my career."
Federer was not the only tennis superstar to make his IPTL debut; 14-time Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras also suited up for the Aces for the first time but lost in the first set to Patrick Rafter of the Singapore Slammers.
After losing the first set, however, the Aces never looked back as they dominated the Slammers the rest of the way.
The electrifying second set saw Federer team up with Sania Mirza in the mixed doubles as they turned back Singapore's Nick Kyrgios and Daniela Hantuchova, 6-0, to delight the crowd.
Federer returned to the court in the men's doubles, where he paired up with Rohan Bopanna. The duo played an adrenaline-pumping set that saw them defeat the all-Australian pair of Kyrgios and Lleyton Hewitt, 6-1.
Tomas Berdych then tested Federer in the men's singles set, as fans witnessed a display worthy of two top ten players. Berdych put up a brave show of talent, winning four sets, but could not keep up with Federer's brilliance in the end.
"I'm happy to have done well for my team today," Federer said after the match. "It's been a while since I played mixed doubles. In the past, I've played with Martina Navratilova, Martina Hingis, and my wife. Playing with Sania today was fun."
The final set saw Ana Ivanovic and Daniela Hantuchova engage in a thrilling encounter that went to a 5-5 tie, but it was Ivanovic who won the five-minute shootout to cap a sterling night for the Indian Aces.
The Aces won the match 26-16 and remain on top of the league table with 28 overall points.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
