WTT Washington Kastles

Don't Miss 7 Sensational Summer Nights: Kastles Tickets on Sale

Published on May 11, 2012 under World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


Few fans will ever forget how Bobby Reynolds and Leander Paes stunned the Sportimes in 2011.

Individual match tickets to the much-anticipated fifth season of Washington Kastles tennis are now on sale through Ticketmaster.com!

Coming off a second World TeamTennis title in three seasons and a historic 16-0 season, the Kastles offer an interactive and entertaining sports experience unlike any other.

This July, each of the Kastles' seven home matches will present an intriguing storyline as Washington seeks to repeat its unprecedented success of 2011.

THURS. JULY 12 vs. NEW YORK SPORTIMES TICKETS: $30-$50

No rivalry in World TeamTennis comes close to the drama and intensity between Washington and New York. In three of the four prior regular-season meetings between the Kastles and Sportimes in DC, the teams were tied through five sets and a winner-take-all Supertiebreaker was needed to decide the winner.

Last season, Leander Paes and Bobby Reynolds saved five match points to bring the fans to their feet and protect the Kastles' perfect season. Paes and the Sportimes' Robert Kendrick, who nailed each other with shots during a heated 2009 match, are both back in 2012. Throw in former world No. 1 Martina Hingis and ex-Playboy cover girl Ashley Harkleroad (representing the Sportimes), and this year's home opener promises to be a night to remember.

SUN. JULY 15 vs. PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS TICKETS: $15-$30

It's USTA/Family Night at Kastles Stadium at The Wharf, when the pre-match activities will feature interactive games, clinics and fun for the entire family. On court, it will be a family feud when the Kastles and Freedoms meet in an Eastern Conference showdown.

Washington's Arina Rodionova is joined this season by her older sister Anastasia, currently ranked No. 19 in doubles and No. 92 in singles. The Freedoms feature 20-year-old twin sisters Karolina and Kristyna Pliskova, who were both Junior Grand Slam champions. An all-sisters women's doubles set will be a sight to see. In men's play, the experience of Paes and Bobby Reynolds will be daunting for WTT rookies Luka Gregorc and Jordan Kerr to overcome.

MON. JULY 16 vs. BOSTON LOBSTERS TICKETS: $15-$30

In 2010, the Lobsters routed the Kastles in the regular season finale to prevent Washington from clinching a playoff berth. The Kastles returned the favor with a vengeance last season, beating Boston by a combined 30 games in their three meetings, capped by a 23-15 win in the Eastern Conference Championship.

Three members of that Lobsters team are back on the Boston roster, including rising young American Irina Falconi, who reached the third round of the 2011 US Open and won the gold medal at the Pan-American Games. Falconi was the lone bright spot for the Lobsters against Washington last July, defeating Arina Rodionova twice in tiebreakers. She's a natural team player, finishing 2010 as the No. 1 college player in the nation while representing Georgia Tech.

WED. JULY 18 vs. SACRAMENTO CAPITALS TICKETS: $30-$50

Two perennial playoff powerhouses will square off when the Kastles and Capitals meet. In 2011, Coach Wayne Bryan's Caps took a one-game lead into the final set of the Western Conference Championship before falling 20-19 to the St. Louis Aces.

Making a cross-country road trip is difficult for any sports team, and it showed when Washington and Sacramento played in DC last season. The Kastles swept all five sets, highlighted by Arina Rodionova's 5-0 women's singles win over former Capital Vania King. This year's Capitals team is led by former world No. 1 doubles player Mark Knowles and fellow doubles standout Jean-Julien Rojer, who won the Estoril ATP title and picked up a win over Bob and Mike Bryan in the last week.

Arina Rodionova enjoyed her breakthrough performance of 2011 against the Sacramento Capitals.

FRI. JULY 20 vs. ORANGE COUNTY BREAKERS TICKETS: $15-$30

Hall-of-Famer and 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Chris Evert will host a fan reception open to all ticketholders before the Kastles host the Breakers. For as little as $15, Mid-Atlantic tennis fans can meet one of tennis' living legends and enjoy a Friday night under the lights of Kastles Stadium at The Wharf.

The Kastles and Breakers have only played once before in DC, and this year's Orange County squad is entirely different than the one that lost to Washington 22-12 in 2009. Anna Lena-Groenefeld, a former Wimbledon mixed doubles champion, leads the Breakers alongside former New York Sportime Travis Parrott and four-year University of Tennessee All-American John-Patrick Smith.

SUN. JULY 22 vs. KANSAS CITY EXPLORERS TICKETS: $45-$85

Serena Williams returns to the Kastles for one night only this season before she goes for gold at the Olympic Games in London. Washington has won nine consecutive matches with Serena in the lineup dating back to the Kastles' inaugural season in 2008. With Serena currently playing some of the best tennis of her career, Kansas City will face a difficult task in front of what's expected to be a capacity crowd.

While the Kastles captured the King Trophy in 2009 and 2011, it was the Explorers who won the WTT title in between. Through four seasons, Kansas City is the only WTT franchise to post a winning record against Washington, claiming three of four prior meetings. Kansas City is led by talented doubles player Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan and rising South African Chanel Simmonds, who is likely to be Serena's singles opponent.

TUES. JULY 24 vs. PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS TICKETS: $45-$85

Venus Williams will represent the Kastles against her former team in Washington's home finale. With a potential playoff berth on the line late in the season, Venus will be playing for high stakes in DC just four days before the start of the Olympics.

The elder Williams sister represented the Kastles in Philadelphia last season during one of the closest calls of the Kastles' perfect season. The Freedoms led 17-14 going into the final set of mixed doubles. But Venus and Paes pulled off a stirring comeback, blasting passing shots and putting away volleys to clinch the set 5-1 and the match 19-18. There's nothing like seeing the reigning Australian Open champion Paes play doubles with a Williams sister, and Kastles fans could have that opportunity twice in a three-night span!

Season tickets remain the best option for fans to secure the closest seats to the court at Kastles Stadium at The Wharf.

For as little as $150, you can enjoy a package of perks exclusive for season-ticket holders. Among those benefits are a season-ticket holder clinic with Coach Murphy Jensen at Kastles Stadium at The Wharf and invitations to Kastles' parties and social events.

A very small supply of our four-seat Premier Courtside Boxes and water-view Kastles' Boxes are also on sale, providing fans with access to the VIP hospitality lounge. The Kastles' immensely popular VIP dinner tables are all reserved, though interested fans can have their name added to a waiting list.

Most matches sell out and season-ticket holders get the best available seats, so join the nearly 20,000 fans who witnessed the Kastles' historic 2011 season and secure your tickets today . Visit WashingtonKastles.com for more information or call the Kastles' office at 202-4-TENNIS to place your season-ticket order!

Venus Williams and Leander Paes are an imposing mixed doubles team.

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World TeamTennis Stories from May 11, 2012


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