Coca-Cola IPTL : A league of extraordinary gentlemen (and women)

 The league of happiness

The Coca-Cola International Premier Tennis League adds another dimension to the burgeoning interest in top flight tennis in Asia. The novel format brings together elements of competition, fun and glamor to the game that is typified by the staid whites of the Wimbledon lawns to the boisterous yet appreciative crowds of the Flushing Meadows. The juxtaposition of entertainment with sport is something that leagues around the world have exploited but what makes the Coca-Cola IPTL stand apart is its endorsement in a geography that has traditionally not been a power house in tennis. Lets look at a few factors that make this tourney fit the tag of the "Happiness Open" to the T.

Tennis magic, new and old.

A gathering of 21 grand slam champions and 14 current and former world numbers ones is an event that should chart its own course in tennis history. With names like Federer, Djokovic, Murray on the men's side and Serena Williams, Sharapova and Ivanovic on the women's, the league is bound to catch the fancy of any tennis connoisseur. Add to that the element of nostalgia that the legends will bring in. Sampras, Ivanisevic, Agassi, Rafter, Moya and the magician Santoro will be trading a few shots against each other and an era gone by should flash in front of our eyes once more. And then there are the dream pairings that one only fantasized about till now. Where else would you expect to see Andy Murray partner Maria Sharapova in a mixed doubles match or the two claimants to the all time great spot, Federer and Sampras taking the court together on the same side. If that does not "open happiness", not much else would. The legends would want to make sure, they live true to their names and with professional rivals on the tour egging each other on in a novel team play format, new partnerships should be forged. All in all, a recipe for a wonderful fortnight of tennis mixing the old with the new in front of mammoth and discerning crowds that rarely get to see a field as rarefied as this.

 New rules, to get you hooked and stay that way

The Coca-Cola IPTL will see far reaching changes to the way traditional tennis is played. The aim to make it viewer friendly both for television and live audience has driven novelties that should bring in an adrenaline rush reserved for the grand slam humdingers.  The advent of the shot timer for serves should keep the pace of the game brisk and with every game counting in the final evaluation,  any let ups in the intensity are ruled out. What marks the most interesting innovation for me is the "power point" that would let the receiver break at 30-40 with just one point. With no advantage play and a 15 second running counter, the margin of error should be minimal and serves would count for less making breaks a regular occurrence during the matches. With a 5 minute shoot out to decide a set at 5-all and a 7 minute super shooter to decide a tied match at the end of 5 sets, there ought to be less towels and more play. Drop shots should be in vogue to keep the points short and the players  forgiven for the number of double faults that would be considered sacrilege on the professional tour. With just one set to play for most players in a match and the tempo at break neck speed, mental agility would count for as much as tennis skill. Akin to a game of blitz chess when compared to the classical format. The one who keeps her wits around wins.

See these legends fly your flag high

 One does not see a blunting of the competitive edge in spite of the novel format given the teams would play for 4 separate nationalities and it won't be surprising to see a few current and former rivalries take center stage. Not often to Asian countries get to call icons as these their own. With 4 legs planned in each of the four countries of Philippines, Singapore, India and the UAE in that order, the round robin league should see all the players ply their trade fairly often. In a match of five sets comprising of men's singles, men's legends singles, women's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles, a variety of combinations would be tried by the teams giving the audience a chance to watch as many as 20 champions, former and current in an afternoon's outing. In times of short attention spans and shorter leisure allocations, this is certain to entice not just the loyal followers but also fringe spectators into the tennis fold.

An enchanting schedule

One of the key factors to make the Coca-Cola IPTL successful is the scheduling. The last grand slam of the year finishes in August and with a 4 month void till the new year's Australian open, a league like this fits in perfectly. With exhilarating tennis compacted on one court and running for the same time as a grand slam, the tournament has the distinct air of watching a happiness slam. High octane sets in a jovial atmosphere serve as the perfect compliment to the grinds of the ATP and WTA tours that we see all year round. At a time when tennis lovers get ready for the year end celebrations, what could be a better Christmas present. If nothing else, joy should be the primary outcome of this cracker of an idea. Love all and lets get ready for a scorcher.