Reigning US Open champion Marin Cilic said Thursday he believes Andy Murray will be back to peak form soon after a difficult year in which the Scot also named a woman head coach.
World number-nine Cilic of Croatia faces his fellow Grand Slam winner in the Philippine capital in the marque men’s singles match-up when the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) debuts on Friday.
“I believe Andy’s going to show next year the good form that he’s been showing for the last few years,” the Croat said of Murray, currently ranked sixth.
Murray, who flies to Manila later Thursday to headline the first major tennis tournament using a fast-paced, television-friendly format, ended a difficult tour year this month with a thrashing from Roger Federer as he bowed out from the ATP World Tour Finals.
The former world number two and Wimbledon winner has also been criticised by friend and British great Tim Henman for hiring former female world number-one Amelie Mauresmo in a ground-breaking partnership in place of former coach Ivan Lendl.
“Concerning his coaching team, I believe he knows the best. And I mean with having a woman coach, I don’t see any problem there,” said Cilic, the reigning US Open champion.
“Tennis is tennis and he’s played the same,” the Croat said of Murray, currently ranked sixth in the world.
He said the difficulties were mostly down to Murray’s back injury at the end of last year, which he ended with surgery.
The Croat said the IPTL, which will also have stops in Singapore, New Delhi and Dubai next month, “is going to make our sport very interesting”.
Team ties consist of five one-set matches, with no advantages and the first to six games wins.
A 20-second shot-clock between points guarantees quick play, and at 5-5, players go into a timed shoot-out in which they must accumulate the most points before time is up.
Players can also call a “power point” once per set, meaning the next point will count double.
“Everything is going to be quicker and I believe the preparations are going to be much sharper off the court, in the locker room and in the gym before the matches,” said Cilic, part of the UAE Royals team of world number-one Novak Djokovic.
“I believe it’s going to be taken seriously. Everyone of course wants to do it.”
Murray headlines the Manila Mavericks team alongside Maria Sharapova, who will play Cilic’s teammate Kristina Mladenovic on Friday.
Frenchwoman Mladenovic was a late replacement for current world number-seven Eugenie Bouchard, who withdrew through injury sustained in training on Monday.
On Saturday, Sharapova plays world number-five Ana Ivanovic of the Federer-led Micromax Indian Aces, while Murray takes on Gael Monfils.
On Sunday, Murray faces Tomas Berdych of the Singapore Slammers, who also include world number one Serena Williams.
Williams plays Sharapova’s and Murray’s teammate Kirsten Flipkens on Sunday.