Reigning US Open Champ Marin Cilic to add Croat muscle to UAE Royals’ IPTL campaign

19102014

World No. 9 to tour all cities during the inaugural League

UAE, 19^th October 2014: Grand Slam champion and World no. 9 Marin Cilic will represent the UAE Royals, the Dubai based IPTL franchise, in the inaugural edition of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL). Together with world no. 1 Novak Djokovic, current US Open champion Cilic will lead the imposing team of the UAE 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 11 to 13, 2014.

As of now, the UAE 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 UAE 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 UAE 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 UAE Royals, said: “We are honoured and thrilled to have Marin Cilic, who is currently storming the Kremlin Cup in Russia, join the UAE 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 UAE 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 UAE and we are very happy we can bring this ace to play for Dubai. As you can see, UAE Royals is a formidable team and we are sure all our players will fulfill 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 the 2001 Wimbledon. 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 much anticipated League have gone on sale in the United Arab Emirates since September 15. Tickets for the UAE 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 per cent discount.