Boston Lobsters Fill 2011 Squad at Annual Roster Player Draft
March 16, 2011 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Boston Lobsters News Release
MIDDLETON, Mass. - The Boston Lobsters put the finishing touches on their 2011 squad today at the annual World TeamTennis Roster Player Draft.
The team used its first and second round selections to protect its rights to Jan-Michael Gambill and doubles specialist Eric Butorac, respectively.
Women's singles player Coco Vandeweghe was protected by the Lobsters during the Exempt Players Draft, which is held separately for players who will be participating in only half of the season. The Lobsters will announce an additional women's player for the second half of the season at a later date.
The Lobsters also added a new face with their third-round selection of Mashona Washington, who was a top-50 player in 2004, when she defeated Maria Sharapova in New Haven and was a finalist at the Japan Open.
"I'm thrilled with our draft," said Lobsters coach Bud Schultz, who guided Boston to an Eastern Conference championship appearance last season. "We had a cohesive group last year that came through in crunch time, and I see a very similar team this year, only with more experience. That bodes well for the Lobsters."
This will be Gambill's fourth season with the Lobsters. Under his leadership, the team has finished in the top three on the league leaderboard in men's singles for the last two seasons.
"We certainly expect a similar performance (from Gambill) this year," said Schultz. "He's become a fan favorite, which is fun to watch, but also helps the rest of the team by having the crowd into it."
Butorac will return with the confidence of a fantastic showing this winter. Since October, Butorac and his doubles partner, Jean-Julien Rojer, have won the Rakuten Japan Open in Tokyo and the IF Stockholm Open, reached the finals at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championship, and advanced to three semifinals, most notably at the Australian Open. Butorac is currently ranked 28th in the world in men's doubles, a career high.
Two of the highlights this season will be when Butorac and Rojer face each other as opponents. Rojer was drafted today by the St. Louis Aces, whom the Lobsters host on July 14 and 18.
"That will be fun," Butorac said of the matches. "We talk to each other every day and we're good friends, but we'll put that aside for a few hours and battle each other on the court, then we'll be friends again."
Vandeweghe, 19, has also had a productive WTT offseason, jumping more than 260 spots in the women's singles rankings to a current career-high of 92.
The players retained and selected today will join marquee players James Blake and John Isner, whom the Lobsters protected in the Marquee Player Draft on February 15. Blake will play for Boston at home on July 8 against Philadelphia; Isner will play on July 12, at home against Springfield.
Three additional marquee players will be making the trip to Ferncroft Country Club this season for opposing teams. Melanie Oudin will play for Philadelphia on July 11; Anna Kournikova will play for St. Louis on July 14; Mark Philippoussis will also play for the Aces, when they return on July 18.
The Lobsters open the 2011 season on Tuesday, July 5, when they host the New York Sportimes.
World TeamTennis Stories from March 16, 2011
- Boston Lobsters Fill 2011 Squad at Annual Roster Player Draft - Boston Lobsters
- Paes, Stubbs and Reynolds Return for 2011 and Rising Russian Rodionova Added to Roster - Washington Kastles
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