Federer lukewarm on IPTL rules after making debut

Swiss great Roger Federer gave a lukewarm response to the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) after making his debut for the Indian Aces .

"My mind was definitely scrambling trying to remember all the rules," a smiling Federer, a late replacement for the injured Rafael Nadal in the Indian team, told reporters in New Delhi.

With its emphasis on speed, fun and noise, an IPTL tie comprises five one-set shootouts in men's and women's singles, men's and mixed doubles and a past champions match with the team that wins the most games, not sets, declared the winner.

Additional features include a 20-second serve clock, a 'Happiness Power Point' in which a point is worth double once per set, no advantages, no lets, coaching timeouts and a five-minute shootout if a match is tied at 5-5.

Federer won his men's singles, doubles and mixed doubles against Singapore Slammers at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium but the 17-times Grand Slam champion said he found some of the rules "strange" and others unnecessary.

"The one I think is most unnecessary here is like when you start the motion and let's say you miss the ball toss, that counts as mistake," he said.