Reigning US Open Champ Marin Cilic adds Croat muscle to U.A.E. Royals IPTL campaign

Dubai (WAM): Grand Slam champion and World no. 9 player, Marin Cilic, will represent the U.A.E. Royals, the Dubai based International Premier Tennis League, IPTL, franchise, in its inaugural edition. Together with world no. 1 Novak Djokovic, current US Open champion, Cilic will lead the imposing team of the U.A.E. Royals, thrilling tennis lovers in matches featuring several of the world’s finest players from the ATP and WTA rankings. Cilic will travel to the IPTL’s match destinations in the Philippines, Singapore and India before finally playing out to a packed stadium at Dubai’s magnificent Hamdan Sports Complex from December 11th to 13th, 2014. As of now, the U.A.E. Royals comprise World no. 1 Novak Djokovic, Marin Cilic, Canadian tennis sensation and current World no. 6, Eugenie Bouchard, former World no. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, the legendary Goran Ivanisevic, who is also Cilic’s coach, doubles specialist Nenad Zimonjic, and the no. 1 Arab player in the world, Malek Jaziri. Commenting on his entry into the U.A.E. Royals squad, Marin Cilic said, "The International Premier Tennis League presents an exciting platform for tennis players to enjoy the sport in a brand new way and I am thrilled to be part of the inaugural edition. The U.A.E. Royals are a power-packed squad and I look forward to playing for the team in front of fans in Dubai and other cities." Sawan Ravani, co-owner of U.A.E. Royals, said, "We are honoured and thrilled to have Marin Cilic, who is currently storming the Kremlin Cup in Russia, join the U.A.E. Royals team. A super energetic player who has climbed the ATP rankings steadily, Cilic will add his own brilliance to a team that already boasts legends such as World No 1 Novak Djokovic and Goran Ivanisevic among its male players. Ivanisevic, incidentally, discovered and mentored Cilic, so their relationship brings a special chemistry into our team." "We can’t wait to see Cilic play at the Sheikh Hamdan Sports Complex, Dubai, this December. We know he will delight and thrill his fans here. Young tennis players will be particularly inspired by this player famous for his powerful aces," Ravani added. Sachin Gadoya, co-owner of the U.A.E. Royals, said: "Cilic has shown remarkable resilience and fortitude as a player. We all admire him for his ability to bounce back from difficult situations. We know he has a strong fan base in the U.A.E. and we are very happy we can bring this ace to play for Dubai. As you can see, U.A.E. Royals is a formidable team and we are sure all our players will fulfil their fans’ expectations. This will be one tennis weekend Dubai will always remember." At a career-high No. 9, Marin Cilic captured his first Grand Slam title at the US Open this year, also becoming the first Croatian to claim a major crown since Ivanisevic at Wimbledon in 2001. This has been a landmark year for the Croat, who has taken the tennis world by storm and is hoping to maintain his top form in the coming months. Tickets for the U.A.E. leg of the tournament will be available in two format options – day passes or season passes – and in three sections – Regular, Corner Prime and VVIP. Customers who opt to purchase season passes can enjoy a special 10 percent discount. The IPTL is a unique team-based tennis league founded by multiple Grand Slam winner, India’s Mahesh Bhupathi, and played across four countries in Asia. The league will feature 21 Grand Slam champions and 14 current and former World Number Ones, with the winning team walking away with prize money of US$ 1 million. The inaugural edition will be held in the cities of Manila, Singapore, New Delhi and Dubai between 28th November and 13th December 2014. The IPTL promises to ‘Break the Code’ of the game’s traditional format in order to attract a new audience to the sport. Modelled after successful international sports franchise concepts and being recognised as tennis’ newest spectacle, the IPTL combines world-class sport and entertainment in a format that keeps both on-ground spectators and global TV viewers thoroughly engaged. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/sports/1395271063579.html