World No.1 Novak Djokovic and No.2 Roger Federer produced some of their best tennis to enthrall their Delhi fans on Monday as UAE Royals defeated Indian Aces 29-22 in the final match of the Indian leg of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL).
In a match worthy of a Grand Slam final, Djokovic and Federer gave nothing away despite playing in a carnival-like atmosphere.
In a fitting finale to a classic contest, Djokovic won the last game of the contest to square the men's singles match score 6-6 after Federer won the shootout 6-5.
Royals went ahead in the contest when Kristina Mladenovic edged out Ana Ivanovic 6-5 in the women's singles. Their ascendancy was maintained by Goran Ivanisevic in the legends contest.
Ivanisevic, in no mood to give his great rival Pete Sampras any easy points, was in vintage form and worked up a 4-1 lead against a rusty Sampras, who then retired with a hamstring problem.
Substitute Fabrice Santoro was unable to stem the tide as Ivanisevic secured the match easily.
Royals continued to dominate, with Nenad Zimonjic and Mladenovic coasting to a 6-2 win in mixed doubles.
The Aces changed their playing line-up again substituting Rohan Bopanna with Roger Federer after trailing 2-4 but ultimately went down 6-2.
The men's doubles match extended into a thrilling shootout with Federer-Gael Monfils eking out a 6-5 win against Djokovic and Zimonjic.
Earlier in the day, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga played a starring role as Manila Mavericks got the better of Singapore Slammers 23-17.
Tsonga won his singles and men's doubles matches, while Mark Philippoussis maintained his unbeaten record in the icons clash.
Manila moved into second in the table with the win while Singapore remained at the bottom.
Tsonga comfortably beat Nick Kyrgios 6-2 in the opening singles. But Kyrgios won the mixed doubles contest, successfully teaming up with Daniela Hantuchova for a 6-3 win.
Singapore appeared to have seized control of the tie after Hantuchova registered a 6-2 victory over Kirsten Flipkens in the women's singles.
But Tsonga and Daniel Nestor demolished Kyrgios and Lleyton Hewitt 6-0 in the doubles to hand back the advantage to Mavericks.
Phillippoussis then secured the tie, completing a 6-3 win over Patrick Rafter.
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