WTT Washington Kastles

Kastles - News and Notes

Published on July 19, 2013 under World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


For the second straight year, Congressmen, White House administration members, national media, and local sports figures came together for an unforgettable team tennis match.

And just like in 2012, the memorable evening came down to the wire. This time it was Team Stripes that emerged victorious, claiming the final tiebreaker 10-8 to secure a 42-39 win overall.

NBC Meet the Press moderator David Gregory was named the Stripes MVP, while D.C. United head coach Ben Olsen took home the honors for Team Stars.

Kastles closer Bobby Reynolds and former Louisiana Senator John Breaux emerged as the only players to be on the winning team two years in a row.

Gregory, Olsen, Reynolds and Breaux weren't the only champions on this night.

Food & Friends, D.C. Public Education Fund and Tragedy Assistance Program shared all of the profits from ticket sales as well as extra funds from sponsors such as Comcast, Nike and T-Mobile.

Tiebreakers and Mylan World TeamTennis rules were in play throughout the Washington Kastles Charity Classic, exposing some of D.C.'s most notable names to the exciting format that Kastles fans have come to know and love.

The Stars and Stripes competed in six doubles tiebreakers up to 7 and one doubles tiebreaker up to 10, with the team that accumulated the most points over the course of the evening emerging victorious.

The surprisingly powerful Gregory got the Stripes off to a hot start, hitting three service winners in his tiebreaker alongside Jonathan Karl of ABC News. The TV personalities defeated Congressmen Jim Costa (CA) and Mike McIntyre (NC) 7-4, though McIntyre did win the point of the set when he put a volley away after losing one of his shoes.

In the second set, two more political correspondents backed up their big talk with big games. This time it was the Stars' Bret Baier and Ed Henry of Fox News getting the better of Congressman Mel Watt (NC) and Congresswoman Donna Edwards (MD) 7-2.

That gave the Stars an 11-9 lead after two sets, but it wouldn't last long.

In a rematch of 2012, Bloomberg's Peter Cook and Hans Nichols defeated the men they cover for a living, lead White House economists Gene Sperling and Alan Krueger, 7-4.

One year earlier, it was Sperling and Krueger who came away with a 7-4 win, but Nichols negated any chance of a repeat by winning all four points on his serve with an ace, two service winners and a volley winner.

The Stripes had regained a 16-15 lead when Washington Kastles owner Mark Ein, coach Murphy Jensen, and players Reynolds and Martina Hingis took to the court.

Reynolds and Ein (Stripes) were matched up against Jensen and Hingis (Stars) in a tiebreaker that went the distance.

Before the start of the set, Stripes coach Leander Paes joked with Jensen when he grabbed a microphone and said: "Murphy, I hope you know your job depends on this."

Playing against his boss Ein, Jensen seemed nervous at times, but that didn't stop him from pulling out all the stops for the Stars.

Over the course of the tiebreaker, Jensen tossed a ball at Reynolds in the middle of a rally, held the net strap down to give Hingis a service advantage, and gave his racquet to ballgirl Ravyn Bias when he appeared too tired to continue.

In the end, it all came down to a winner-take-all 6-6 point. After delighting the crowd for 12 points, Jensen double-faulted, but was given a do-over by Ein. This time, the Kastles coach made his second serve, but still lost the point and tiebreaker when Reynolds hit a high volley that Hingis couldn't handle.

Though the Stripes had won three of four tiebreakers to this point, they only led 23-21 overall.

That lead was extended significantly when Congressman Charlie Dent (CA) and Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (WV) defeated Congressman Tim Bishop (NY) and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL) 7-3.

All four players showed great feel, but it was Dent who shined brightest. The left-hander hit winners off of his serve, forehand and backhand, and did his best Paes impression with a perfect half-volley off a ball at his feet.

Gregory returned to the court for the Stripes in the following tiebreaker, teaming with Breaux against Olsen and Indonesia Ambassador Dino Djalal. It was the highest-quality tiebreaker of the evening -- including the one featuring the Kastles.

The first six points ended with winners as Olsen and Djalal dominated the net for six volley put-aways over the course of the tiebreaker. The animated Djalal celebrated one overhead winner by high-fiving every one of his teammates on the Stars bench.

After Olsen and Djalal defeated Gregory and Breaux 7-2, the Stars had inched to within 32-31.

Only one tiebreaker to 10 remained, with both teams given the option to substitute players throughout. That they did as all of the Charity Classic players participated.

With the tiebreaker even at 8-8 and the Stripes clinging to a 39-38 lead, the match was left on the racquet of Sperling.

A hero for the winning team in 2012, the Director of the National Economic Council could not muster his magic again. Nichols hit a strong volley to draw an error, then Gregory dipped a difficult return that was too tough for Sperling, propelling the Stripes to a dramatic victory.

Washington Kastles Charity Classic Results

Team Stripes def. Team Stars 42-39

David Gregory/Jonathan Karl (Stripes) def. Jim Costa/Mike McIntyre (Stars) 7-4

Bret Baier/Ed Henry (Stars) def. Donna Edwards/Mel Watt (Stripes) 7-2

Peter Cook/Hans Nichols (Stripes) def. Alan Krueger/Gene Sperling (Stars) 7-4

Mark Ein/Bobby Reynolds (Stripes) def. Martina Hingis/Murphy Jensen (Stars) 7-6

Shelley Moore Capito/Charlie Dent (Stripes) def. Tim Bishop/Cheri Bustos (Stars) 7-3

Dino Djalal/Ben Olsen (Stars) def. John Breaux/David Gregory (Stripes) 7-2

Team Stripes def. Team Stars 10-8

Kastles Playoff Update - Tickets On Sale Now! Last 3 Regular Season Home Matches Almost Completely Sold Out

Following the New York Sportimes' loss to the Orange County Breakers on Thursday, the 6-2 Washington Kastles now boast a 2.5-match lead in the Eastern Conference standings with 6 matches remaining during the regular season.

The Kastles have the inside track to clinching the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and home court advantage throughout the Mylan WTT Playoffs.

If Washington keeps its substantial lead in the standings, Kastles Stadium at The Wharf will host the Eastern Conference Championship match at 7 pm on Thursday, July 25. If the Kastles win that match, the Mylan WTT Finals will be played on the Southwest Waterfront at 5 pm on Sunday, July 28.

Seats to those matches are now on sale through Ticketmaster.com, with Grandstands priced at $15 each and Chairbacks at $35.

There are also a limited number of four-seat Dinner Tables ($500), Premier Courtside Boxes ($250) and Kastles Boxes ($100) available on both nights. The only way to purchase tables and boxes is by calling Kastles ticket representative John Coleman at 202-654-7047.

In the event that the Kastles do not host either or both of the playoff matches, customers will receive a full refund. There's no reason to wait; secure your seats for the postseason right now!

Through four home matches this season, the Kastles have played to a sold-out crowd all four times. Washington's next home match on Saturday against New York is also a sell out, and there are only a couple hundred seats remaining to the final two home matches of the regular season on July 22 and 24.

We encourage you to get your tickets early on Ticketmaster.com for the potential playoff matches on July 25 and 28. You won't want to miss history in the making and the thrill of cheering on your Kastles as they play for their third straight King Trophy in front of their hometown crowd!

Washington Kastles at Texas Wild Preview

Paes Out with Injury as Kastles Return to Site of Streak's End

Washington Kastles (6-2) at Texas Wild (5-4) Friday, July 19 at 8:35 pm

All-Time: Wild lead Kastles 4-3 Last Meeting: Wild def. Kastles 23-18 on July 10, 2013 (Dallas, Texas) Live Scoring: WashingtonKastles.com Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (#RefuseToLose)

The Kastles return to the scene of their streak-snapping loss tonight when they visit the Texas Wild.

On July 10, Texas ended Washington's major U.S. pro sports record 34-match winning streak with a stunning 23-18 win.

Revenge will not come easy for the Kastles, who are without team captain Leander Paes for at least two matches.

Paes is nursing a hamstring injury suffered during the final set of Washington's win over Springfield on Wednesday. He will be replaced by American Rajeev Ram, who is currently ranked 76th in doubles and 103rd in singles on the ATP World Tour.

The good news for Washington is that they will be led by Martina Hingis, who missed the Kastles' first match against the Wild as she prepared for her induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

The bad news is that Texas boasts the winningest doubles team of all-time, Bob and Mike Bryan, who were also inactive back on July 10. Without Paes, the Kastles face a daunting challenge against the top-ranked twins, winners of a 15th Grand Slam doubles championship at Wimbledon on July 6.

Live scoring for tonight's match will be available at WashingtonKastles.com, and be sure to join the conversation throughout the evening on Facebook and Twitter.

SET-BY-SET PROJECTIONS

MS - B. Reynolds (WAS) vs. A. Bogomolov Jr. (TEX) Two of the three top men's singles players in the league will square off tonight as Kastles closer Bobby Reynolds puts his 4-0 record on the line against Alex Bogomolov Jr. of the Wild. They have met six times before on tour with each man earning three wins. The World No. 82 Bogomolov made a big splash on July 10 when he broke Kevin Anderson of the Kastles three times en route to a 5-3 victory.

WS - M. Hingis (WAS) vs. E. Bouchard (TEX) Hingis has yet to lose a women's singles event this season, posting a 5-0 record in sets and a 25-10 mark in games. The Hall-of-Famer will be challenged in Texas by World No. 56 Eugenie Bouchard. The 19-year-old Canadian clinched the Wild's win over Washington on July 10 with a 5-2 victory over Anastasia Rodionova. No player this season has been able to solve the riddle that is Hingis. Will Bouchard be the first?

MD - R. Ram/B. Reynolds (WAS) vs. B. Bryan/M. Bryan (TEX) Paes' absence hurts; have no doubt. But Coach Murphy Jensen enlisted a capable substitute in Ram, who has years worth of experience as Reynolds' doubles partner. Ram and Reynolds have won 14 ATP Challenger doubles titles together. They also played the Bryans very tight in their lone meeting, falling 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 in the third round of the 2009 Australian Open. Anything can happen in a set up to 5.

WD - M. Hingis/A. Rodionova (WAS) vs. E. Bouchard/D. Jurak (TEX) If there's one set that has posed problems for the Kastles this season, it's been women's doubles. Hingis and Rodionova are just 2-3 together, and Rodionova was 0-3 in Hingis' absence, including a costly 5-4 loss to Bouchard and Darija Jurak on July 10. But a more aggressive Rodionova lifted her game and played well with Hingis in their last set against the top-rated team from Springfield, so the Kastles hope to keep that level.

MXD - R. Ram/M. Hingis (WAS) vs. B. Bryan/E. Bouchard (TEX) Ram and Hingis have never shared the same court, but then again, neither had Paes and Hingis before winning their first five sets as a team this season. Meanwhile, Wild Coach Brent Haygarth has his own questions to answer in mixed. On Tuesday, he sent out Mike Bryan and Jurak, who lost 5-4. On Wednesday, he sent out Bob Bryan and Bouchard, who won 5-3. Expect to see Bob and Bouchard again tonight.

KEY FOR THE KASTLES - DON'T BE INTIMIDATED

Bob and Mike Bryan are destined to join Hingis in the International Tennis Hall of Fame one day. But that doesn't make them invincible on the multi-colored Mylan WTT courts.

So far this season, the Bryans are 9-8 in both men's doubles games and mixed doubles games. They are not exactly blowing their opponents off of the scoreboard.

As long as Ram can adjust to the quick-start style of team tennis play, he should do just fine. The American has won seven ATP World Tour doubles titles in his career, making him more than qualified to share the court with Reynolds and Hingis.

All that being said, the Bryan-less Wild defeated the Paes-led Kastles 23-18 last week. For the Kastles to avenge that stinging loss, they will likely need an MVP-caliber performance from their MVP candidate Hingis.

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World TeamTennis Stories from July 19, 2013


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