Explorers Season Preview
June 28, 2011 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Kansas City Explorers News Release
The Kansas City Explorers have taken many shapes and forms during their previous 18 seasons in World TeamTennis. Heading into the 2011 season, the Explorers are taking on the new challenge of being defending league champions.
The Explorers have climbed the WTT ranks for 17 seasons with numerous players including legends John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Monica Seles. The Explorers peaked at the mountaintop last season, making the most of home-court advantage in the finals defeating the New York Sportimes 21-18. Incredible players Kveta Peschke and Jarmila Gajdosova formed a nearly unbeatable women's doubles unit. Ricardo Mello was solid in men's singles and doubles, as well as the Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike. The duo, No. 1-ranked men's doubles team in the world, nailed down every match they played for Kansas City.
Much of that team returns as the Explorers look toward 2011.
The Bryans, still ranked No. 1 in the world, are set to return for their seventh season with the Explorers and will play in six of the team's 14 matches, two at home.
In a league where marquee-name players generally move around from team to team, the Bryan brothers and Explorers have forged a unique long-term relationship and commitment.
"I could give them up," said Explorers owner/general manager Jeff Launius, "but what would I be getting back' Is there another No. 1 team in the world I can get'
"They've told me they'll keep playing with us as long as we want them here, and I'll keep bringing them back as long as they want to be here."
The matches at Explorers Stadium at Barney Allis Plaza featuring the Bryans will take place July 14 and 16. As an added feature, the twins will play a live charity concert with their band, The Bryan Brothers Band, at 7 p.m. July 15 at Allis Plaza.
Peschke, who hails from Prague in the Czech Republic, returns for her fourth season with the Explorers after teaming with Gajdosova to lead the league in women's doubles wins in 2010. She currently is ranked No. 4 in the world in women's doubles. Ricardo Mello, a native of Campinas, Brazil, is back for his second season in WTT having finished tied for second in the league men's singles wins last season.
The Explorers are faced with having to replace Gajdosova, the fiery young Slovak who was most valuable player in the WTT finals last year. To replace her, Launius selected 21-year-old American Madison Brengle, who reached a career-high of No. 152 in the world this past April.
Rounding out the team is 24-year-old Alex Kuznetsov, a native of the Ukraine, who has lived in the Philadelphia area since he was three. He ranked as high as 158th in the world in singles and 78th in the world in doubles back in 2007. Kuznetsov and Mello will compete in men's doubles when the Bryan brothers are not with the team.
"If I'm power-ranking everybody in the Western Conference, I'd probably rank St. Louis first, us second," Launius said. The St. Louis Aces feature a powerful team this year consisting of three-time grand slam singles champion Lindsay Davenport, hard-serving Aussie Mark Philippoussis and former top-ranked doubles player Liezel Huber.
Brent Haygarth, who played on the Explorers' inaugural team back in 1993, returns for his fifth season as the team's coach.
"Ricardo last year, being a rookie, took a little while to get comfortable with the format," Haygarth said. "He'll jump back in quickly this year rather than take a lot of the season to get used to it.
"Kveta is super solid and gives it her best every match."
Haygarth said that, while Gajdosova was pretty much irreplaceable, the additions of Brengle and Kuznetsov will add their own dimensions.
"Madison will be a rookie," he said. "We'll have to work hard to work her into the system. But, she should feel comfortable playing everyone she plays. And, Kveta will be able to steer her through women's doubles.
"I'm very excited to have Alex. He brings a lot of versatility, and I'll use both he and Ricardo for singles. And, they should complement each other very well in doubles.
"We should be very strong in mixed with Alex and Kveta."
Having the Bryans swoop in mid-season is a luxury few teams in the league have as well, Haygarth said. "They bring so much intensity to our team in the middle of the season, when all the travel and playing is starting to wear," he said. "That's a huge luxury for us."
Philippoussis, a former finalist at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and host of his own TV reality show, will be the featured player when the St. Louis Aces visit Kansas City July 20, when the Explorers host "Ladies Night."
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
