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Austin Aces Capture First Mylan WTT Western Conference Championship

July 31, 2015 - World TeamTennis (WTT) News Release


AUSTIN, TEXAS (July 30, 2015) - The Austin Aces topped the California Dream 25-14 to win the Mylan WTT Western Conference Championship late Thursday night in Austin and advance to their first Mylan WTT Finals on Sunday, August 2. The Aces will face the formidable Washington Kastles who are seeking a record fifth consecutive Mylan WTT title. The Kastles defeated the Philadelphia Freedoms 25-9 earlier in the evening to win the Eastern Conference title and advance to the Finals.

In only their second year in Mylan World TeamTennis, the Austin Aces have their focus set on their first championship. Although they posted a league best 12-2 regular season record, Austin will have to get past the talent-laden Washington squad.

The match got off to a late start after flight delays and weather issues caused the California Dream to land in Austin nearly 80 minutes after the scheduled start time of the match.

The first ball was hit at 9:43 p.m. (central) as the top two mixed doubles teams in the league faced off. Austin got on the board first by holding serve and never looked back. Alla Kudryavtseva's forehand winner down the line broke Anabel Medina Garrigues' serve in the fourth game to put Austin up by a 3-1 margin. Kudryavtseva and Teymuraz Gabashvili teamed up for a victory over the league's top-ranked tandem of Neal Skupski and Garrigues to give the Aces early 5-2 lead.

Kudryavtseva and Elina Svitolina traded blows with Garrigues and Jarka Gajdosova in a women's doubles slugfest before the Aces pulled away. Austin broke Garrigues' serve in the seventh game to go up 4-3 before Svitolina served out the set for the 5-3 win.

With Austin leading 10-5 after two sets, Gabashvili and Jarmere Jenkins won a critical 3-all point on a running backhand winner from Gabashvili in the sixth game to break Tennys Sandgren's serve and take control. California broke Jenkins in the next game to get back on serve. The Dream broke Gabashvili's serve to even up the set at 4-4 and force a 9-point tiebreaker. Austin closed out the set for a 5-4 win to take a 15-9 lead into halftime.

Gajdosova, who finished the regular season as the top-ranked player in women singles, faced world No. 20 Svitolina in the fourth set. Gajdosova couldn't hold serve in the fourth game and Svitolina rolled to a 5-1 set win.

In men's singles, Gabashvili was challenged in men's singles by Sandgren, who fought until the end for his team. Gabashvili asserted himself in the tiebreaker, delivering a scorching running forehand winner before sealing the Aces victory shortly after midnight with his sixth ace of the match.

"It was amazing. I didn't have a lot of pressure because my team did fantastic," says Gabashvili. "We found our energy and showed our best. I am feeling great on the court."

Austin coach Rick Leach praised the teamwork of his players for the win before a loud, supportive late night crowd. "I am happy with the way our team fought and came together when we needed to," said Leach.

(Home teams in capital letters)

Mylan WTT Western Conference Championship FINAL RESULTS:

AUSTIN ACES def. California Dream 25-14

Mixed Doubles - Teymuraz GabashviliAlla Kudryavtseva (Aces) def. Anabel Medina GarriguesNeal Skupski (Dream) 5-2

Women's Doubles - Alla KudryavtsevaElina Svitolina (Aces) def. Anabel Medina GarriguesJarka Gajdosova (Dream) 5-3

Men's Doubles - Jarmere JenkinsTeymuraz Gabashvili (Aces) def. Neal SkupskiTennys Sandgren (Dream) 5-4

Women's Singles - Elina Svitolina (Aces) def. Jarka Gajdosova (Dream) 5-1

Men's Singles - Teymuraz Gabashvili (Aces) def. Tennys Sandgren (Dream) 5-4

NEXT MATCH:

Mylan WTT Finals, Sunday, August 2 - 11:30 a.m. EDT

AUSTIN ACES @ Washington Kastles

NOTE: Austin will be the home team based on better regular season record and will set the match order of play.



World TeamTennis Stories from July 31, 2015


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