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Washington Kastles

Kastles Fall for First Time Ever at The Wharf

July 12, 2013 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


After winning 34 consecutive matches, the Washington Kastles are in the midst of another streak. Only this one, they would like to end in a hurry.

Washington (2-2) lost its second consecutive match on Thursday, falling 22-15 to Andy Roddick and the Springfield Lasers (3-1) in front of the team's third straight capacity crowd at Kastles Stadium at The Wharf

Washington entered 16-0 all-time since moving to their Southwest Waterfront venue in 2011. But as the Kastles have learned a lot lately, no undefeated streak lasts forever.

For the second straight night, Washington won the first set, with Kevin Anderson beating Roddick in a battle of big servers 5-2. But as was the case against the Texas Wild on Wednesday, Washington lost the final four sets to concede the match.

The Kastles will embark upon a three-match road trip beginning Saturday at Sacramento before returning home on Wednesday for a rematch with the Lasers. Roddick will be out of Springfield lineup, and Martina Hingis will be back in for the Kastles.

Tickets to all four remaining Kastles home matches are on sale starting at $15 on Ticketmaster.com.

MS - K. Anderson (WAS) def. A. Roddick (SPR) 5-2

The most anticipated set of the night led off the evening as Anderson and Roddick engaged in a server's dual.

On the very first point of the set, Anderson crushed an ace out wide. Roddick worked his way back into the game, earning a 3-all decisive point. But again Anderson dug deep and unloaded on an ace wide to hold for 1-0.

Anderson appeared poised to take a 2-0 lead when he earned three break points in Roddick's first service game. But the American responded with three straight service winners to even things at 1-1.

For two big servers, Anderson and Roddick sure struggled to hold early in the set. The Kastle faced another 3-all point at 1-1, holding when he followed his first serve out wide with a crosscourt forehand approach that Roddick couldn't handle.

Roddick restored order with a love hold for 2-2, but as the set progressed, it became clear that once a rally started, he was defending and Anderson was dictating.

Leading 3-2, the 6-foot-8 South African hit a pair of inside-out forehand winners to earn break point, which he converted when Roddick double-faulted.

Never one to hide his emotions, Roddick was visibly frustrated in the following game. One point after ducking out of the way of an Anderson service winner, Roddick missed a routine forehand and muttered loudly to himself in disapproval.

Anderson went on to serve the set out at love, giving the Kastles a 5-2 lead with a down-the-line backhand winner.

SCORE: Washington 5, Springfield 2

WS - V. King (SPR) def. A. Rodionova (WAS) 5-3

In women's singles, 23-year-old Vania King mixed offense and defense to open up a quick lead over Anastasia Rodionova of the Kastles.

Equally comfortable exchanging groundstrokes from the baseline or sneaking into the net, King held for 2-1 with a volley into the open court, then broke for 3-1 by retrieving five flat Rodionova backhands before the Kastle pushed one long.

Following a King service hold, Rodionova faced a 3-all point on her serve that could have meant the end of the set.

She turned the tide on King by coming to the net herself to draw an error and cut the Lasers' lead to 4-2. Rodionova maintained her aggression in the next game, making several approaches to keep King off balance and hold for 3-4.

After showing poor body language to start the set, Rodionova started pumping up the crowd to get the fans behind her, and she won the first two points on King's serve at 3-4.

But King rallied to win the next four points -- the final two with volley winners -- to clinch the set 5-3.

So began a difficult evening for the second-year Kastle Rodionova.

SCORE: Washington 8, Springfield 7

MXD - J. Rojer/A. Kleybanova (SPR) def. L. Paes/A. Rodionova (WAS) 5-3

Anderson began mixed doubles with a love hold before being substituted out of the match by Leander Paes. It marked the last game of Anderson's season with the Kastles, which featured 15 holds in 15 service games at home.

Paes and Rodionova had two break points on Jean-Julien Rojer's serve in the second game to seize control of the set. But the World No. 13 doubles player saved the first with a service winner and the second with a volley winner.

The teams remained on serve until Rodionova stepped to the line at 3-3. Paes and Rodionova took a 3-1 lead in the game before Rojer stole back-to-back points with quick moves at the net to catch the Kastles off guard.

Then, on the deciding 3-all point, Rodionova made a first-ball unforced error off her forehand to concede the lead to Springfield.

Washington forced another 3-all point on Alisa Kleybanova's serve as the Russian tried to close out the set. With both Rojer and the ninth-ranked Paes at the net, a reflex-volley battle ensued. It was Rojer who bested the Kastles captain, sneaking a volley into his body that the Indian couldn't handle.

With another 5-3 win, Springfield took the overall lead for the first time in the match. The Lasers would never let it go.

SCORE: Springfield 12, Washington 11

WD - V. King/A, Kleybanova (SPR) def. A. Kudryavtseva/A. Rodionova (WAS) 5-0

Rodionova and Kastles substitute Alla Kudryavtseva entered tonight's match as the more experienced women's doubles team, having played 11 WTA tournaments together to just three WTT matches for King and Kleybanova.

But it was clear from the start that Kleybanova was in a zone that the Kastles could not get her out of. She held at love to open the set with a down-the-line backhand winner, then broke Rodionova for 2-0 by following a deep volley with a put-away.

At 3-all on King's serve, Kudryavtseva missed a makeable return, putting Springfield up 3-0 in the set and 15-11 in the match.

With only one set to follow, the Kastles could not afford to dig themselves any bigger of a hole.

But Kleybanova quickly gave her team a break point on Kudryavtseva's serve when she pummeled a forehand return winner. The Lasers broke when Rodionova missed a volley, then Kleybanova served out the one-sided set at love.

Going back to mixed doubles, Springfield entered the final set on an 8-0 run.

SCORE: Springfield 17, Washington 11

MD - A. Roddick/J. Rojer (SPR) def. L. Paes/B. Reynolds (WAS) 5-4

The Kastles had come back from six games down in the final set before, with Venus Williams doing the trick back on July 21, 2012.

But with the caliber of Roddick and Rojer's serves, making up six games was a near-impossible proposition for Paes and Kastles closer Bobby Reynolds.

Such was the case as neither team managed a single service break. The Lasers came closest on Paes' serve at 3-3.

Early in the game, Roddick did his best impression of Washington Capitals player Steven Oleksy (who was in attendance) by crashing into the boards along the side of the court to retrieve a sharp angle from Paes. The American's efforts were rewarded when he worked his way back between the lines and crushed a backhand between the Kastles to win the point.

Following a down-the-line backhand winner by Rojer, Paes faced a deciding 3-all point. He kept hope alive for the capacity crowd of Kastles fans with an ace past Roddick to give Washington a 4-3 lead.

Rojer quickly responded with a hold of his own to force a tiebreaker.

Paes and Reynolds earned two set points at 4-3 in the tiebreaker, hoping for a chance to force overtime. Rojer, however, had other ideas, hitting two consecutive aces to clinch the tiebreaker and the match for Springfield.

SCORE: Springfield 22, Washington 15

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