WTT Washington Kastles

Anastasia Upsets World No. 31 at US Open

Published on August 27, 2014 under World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


Third-year Kastle Anastasia Rodionova created one of the biggest upsets of the US Open on Monday, defeating Camila Giorgi 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.

The World No. 31 Giorgi reached the fourth round of the 2013 US Open and entered this year's event as the highest-ranked unseeded player.

Rodionova, meanwhile, is playing her first singles tournament since Wimbledon after focusing on doubles this summer. While she's up to a career-high No. 18 in doubles, she's down to No. 221 in singles

Rankings didn't matter much on Monday as Rodionova proved she can compete at the highest level, breaking Giorgi when the Italian served for the match at 6-1, 5-4.

After stealing the second set, Rodionova battled Giorgi for 58 minutes during a dramatic deciding set.

The players combined to go 1-for-16 on break points in the third set alone. Rodionova converted the lone break to take a 5-3 lead, then served out her biggest win since beating 27th-ranked Anabel Medina Garrigues at the 2012 Family Circle Cup.

The going gets tougher for Rodionova, who needed three qualifying wins just to get into the US Open. She meets No. 13 seed Sara Errani in the second round tonight.

Errani, the World No. 1 in doubles, has never played Rodionova in singles. But she is 8-0 against the Kastle in women's doubles matches.

Rodionova's upset of Giorgi highlighted a perfect first day for Kastles players at the US Open.

No. 21 seed Sloane Stephens swept the first nine games against Annika Beck en route to a 6-0, 6-3 victory (Highlights), while No. 19 seed Venus Williams came from behind to defeat Kimiko Date-Krumm 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Williams, 34, and Date-Krumm, 43, are the oldest players in the women's singles draw. But as with Rodionova's ranking, age is only a number once a match begins.

After committing 19 unforced errors in the opening set, Williams made just 17 in the second and third sets. She improved to 4-0 lifetime against the former World No. 4 Date-Krumm.

Williams is one of four Kastles who will be playing on a TV Court at the US Open today, including No. 18 men's singles seed Kevin Anderson . For US Open updates on all Kastles players -- featuring links to live streaming, live scoring and the tournament's TV schedule -- please visit WashingtonKastles.com.

KASTLES PLAYING AT US OPEN TODAY

KASTLE OPPONENT CT. TIME TV & LIVE STREAMING

Stephens Larsson Ashe 11 am Tennis Channel, USOpen.org

Anderson Cuevas 17 11 am USOpen.org

Rodionova Errani 5 6 pm USOpen.org

Williams Bacsinszky Ashe 7 pm ESPN2, USOpen.org

Kastles Players, Fans Answer Ice Bucket Challenge

Team Owner Mark Ein to Donate $3,100 On Behalf of Kastles

Click here to see a compilation of all of the Ice Bucket Challenges from Kastles players and fans.

Four Kastles players and 11 Kastles fans answered the Ice Bucket Challenge of team owner Mark Ein, who is making a $3,100 donation to help strike out ALS.

Last week, Ein vowed to donate $500 for every player and $100 for every fan who got iced in Kastles gear.

All four core members of the Kastles' championship team participated, including closer Bobby Reynolds and Anastasia Rodionova . Ein iced the recently-retired Reynolds, while Rodionova dunked her head in an ice bath after beating Camila Giorgi at the US Open.

Kastles captain Leander Paes and Mylan WTT Finals MVP Martina Hingis posted photos of their icings, which occurred on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Fans were asked to upload their videos to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and that they did. We'd like to extend a big thanks to groups from the Reston Association and Lake Anne Plaza, as well as Rich Kessler, Tucker Tremblay and Christopher Brown.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken the nation by storm this month, generating more than $88 million in donations to fight Lou Gehrig's Disease.

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