“Team tennis” would seem to be an oxymoron but not these days. Witness the new International Premier Tennis League, which features former and current stars in four cities – Dubai, Manila, New Delhi and Singapore. The league, founded by Indian doubles champ Mahesh Bhupathi and modeled after cricket’s Indian Premier League, just finished the third leg of its tour, in Delhi. The season concludes Sunday, Dec. 14 in Dubai.

Already there’s been a lot of criticism – players are always complaining about the length of the season so why would they want to play in early December; tennis is an individual sport so what’s the point of a team approach; the scoring makes no sense (whoever wins the most games, wins) and you need a scorecard to tell the players.

Is that Novak Djokovic in for Marin Cilic? What team is Andre Agassi on again?

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic just can’t quit each other.

There’s been some speculation in the blogosphere that the two are not as tight as they once were. But you’d never know it from their schedules. The pair are slated to play an exhibition as part of Arthur Ashe’s Kids’ Day at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. on Aug. 23 – two days before the start of the US Open, where they could meet up in the final.

In December, Rafanole – as the rivalry is affectionately known – sparks the exhibition season with team tennis on the 8th in Delhi. Rafa heads up the India Aces with Pete Sampras, Gael Monfils and Ana Ivanovic, among others, while Nole leads the UAE Falcons with Caroline Wozniacki, Goran Ivanisevic and Richard Gasquet. The other teams in the inaugural season of the International Premier Tennis League – which begins Nov. 28 in Manila and concludes in Dubai Dec. 15 – are the Serena Williams-led Singapore Slammers and the Maria Sharapova-starring Manila Mavericks. Clearly, tennis is trying to enhance its already international audience.

If you’ve never seen team tennis, it’s a lot of fun...

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Rafanole rolls on