When local team ‘Hyderabad Aces’ took on Bangalore Raptors in the Champions Tennis League at the L.B. Stadium here on Monday night, it was after a delay of half-an-hour: the inaugural match in New Delhi had gone beyond schedule.
This, however, did little to dampen the mood of the die-hard tennis fans here.
High profile tennis returned to the venue that lay locked for most of the last seven years for want of big events being hosted here.
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No doubt, the big names – seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams and Swiss star Martina Hingis – were the biggest attractions, even as there were many empty seats inside the stadium.
The format perhaps suited the mood of those who trooped into the venue – it is an abridged version, with the winner in all categories being the one who scores six points in the only set they fight for.
Of course, the most eagerly awaited clash of titans between the old rivals Hingis and Williams, the elder of the sisters – was lustily cheered. The fans clearly got glimpses of how good they were in their vintage days.
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Incidentally, the last time a big tennis star, a Grand Slam winner at that, played in the capital was when legendary Martina Navratilova was in action.
The fans had a glimpse of the movie stars and brand ambassadors – Rana Daggubati and Kajal Agarwal – as also actor Manchu Laxmi. Former All England champion Pullela Gopichand was also in attendance.