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WTT Washington Kastles

Kastles 2010 Schedule Filled with Blockbuster Matches

March 16, 2010 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


The league released the 2010 schedule and the Kastles season is filled with compelling match-ups. Kastles Stadium will host the best of World TeamTennis with four former or current world #1 ranked players: Serena and Venus Williams, John McEnroe and Martina Hingis, who is returning to pro tennis this summer and will visit Washington twice. Each year many of the Kastles matches sell out as fans flock to Kastles Stadium in the center of D.C. and this year is sure to be the biggest yet.

The highly anticipated match-up of Venus Williams, who is making her Kastles debut, and Martina Hingis takes place when the New York Buzz travel to D.C. Wednesday, July 7. Hingis is returning to the WTT after a five year absence. "That night is going to be absolutely electric," according to head coach Murphy Jensen. "Hingis making her return to pro tennis and Venus making her Kastles debut in a rematch of the 1997 US Open Final. That's going to be a match not to be missed." Hingis will make her second Kastles Stadium appearance when the New York Buzz return Monday, July 12.

Venus Williams will then continue with the team on the road and take on her former Philadelphia Freedoms Thursday, July 8 before traveling to St. Louis for another compelling match-up against Lindsay Davenport and the Aces on Saturday, July 10.

World number one Serena Williams, playing in her third season with Washington, will also get a chance to go head-to-head with Hingis when the Kastles travel to New York Friday, July 9. Serena will play two additional road matches for the Kastles before and after her homecoming to Washington on Wednesday, July 14 when the Kastles take on the Kansas City Explorers.

On Tuesday, July 20, John McEnroe makes his first appearance in Kastles Stadium since the Sportimes' contentious visit last season. McEnroe's 2009 trip to Washington was punctuated by a few contested points during men's doubles after which McEnroe crossed the net to confront Kastles player Leander Paes. It was dubbed ESPN SportsCenter's top play of the week.

The home portion of the season closes Wednesday, July 21, when the Kastles host Anna Kournikova and the St. Louis Aces on Military Appreciation Night.

Please find the complete Washington Kastles 2010 Schedule below:

DATE OPPONENT

Mon. July 5 @ NY Sportimes

Tue. July 6 Philadelphia Freedoms

Opening Night

Wed. July 7 NY Buzz

(Venus Williams vs. Martina Hingis)

Thu July 8 @ Philadelphia Freedoms

(Venus Williams)

Fri. July 9 @ NY Buzz

(Serena Williams)

Sat. July 10 @ St. Louis Aces

(Venus Williams)

Mon. July 12 NY Buzz

(Martina Hingis)

Tue. July 13 @ Philadelphia Freedoms

(Serena Williams)

Wed. July 14 Kansas City Explorers

(Serena Williams)

Thu. July 15 @ NY Sportimes

(Serena Williams)

Sun. July 18 Boston Lobsters

Tue. July 20 NY Sportimes

(John McEnroe)

Wed. July 21 St. Louis Aces

(Anna Kournikova)

Thu. July 22 @ Boston Lobsters

Fri. July 23 Conference Finals (TBD)

Sun. July 25 Championship Finals (TBD)

Leander and Rennae Join Serena and Venus for 2010 Title Defense

Team has Unprecedented 61 Grand Slam Titles

Kastles Acquire First Pick in Draft and Select Top American Bobby Reynolds

The Washington Kastles solidified its 2010 roster earlier today in the WTT Roster Draft by bringing back the heart of the 2009 Championship Team - the 2009 WTT Men's MVP Leander Paes and doubles ace, Rennae Stubbs. Leander and Rennae join Serena and newly acquired Venus Williams in defense of the franchise's 2009 Title. With these core players, Kastles teammates have won an incredible five of the ten titles in the last two Grand Slam tournaments (US and Australian Opens) with one women's singles, two women's doubles, one men's doubles, and one mixed doubles titles.

The Washington Kastles also traded up to secure the first overall pick in the draft and selected Bobby Reynolds, a talented and accomplished young American who spent much of the last two years in the world top 100. The Kastles also acquired the rights to Angie Haynes from Sacramento, the League's third best women's singles player in 2009.

"The league and the Eastern Conference will be very tough this year so our task was to assemble a team that would win another title and I think we have done that," said team owner Mark Ein. "We have built a nucleus of legends in Serena, Venus, Leander and Rennae, and acquired the first pick in the draft so we could compliment them with two very strong players in Bobby and Angie. Our fans will see an amazing and even better squad on the court this season as we defend our crown."

2010 Washington Kastles - Player Profiles

SERENA WILLIAMS

A native of Compton, CA, Serena returns to the Kastles for her third season. Serena is the top-ranked Women's Singles player in the world and one of the greatest players of all time. She has won 25 Grand Slam titles including 12 in women's singles, 11 in women's doubles and 2 in mixed doubles.

VENUS WILLIAMS

Acquired in a blockbuster trade in February, Venus will be joining her sister, Serena, on the Kastles for the first time. Venus was formerly the #1 ranked singles player in the world and has a total of 20 Grand Slams including 5 Wimbledon women's singles crowns.

LEANDER PAES

One of the most successful Indian tennis players of all time, Leander holds 11 Grand Slam victories, including the 2009 US Open men's doubles and the 2010 Australian Open mixed doubles events. He is currently ranked #6 in the world in doubles.

RENNAE STUBBS

Returning for her second summer with the Kastles, Rennae boasts a long and successful doubles career. Rennae's five Grand Slam titles include three women's doubles championships and two mixed doubles championships. She is currently ranked #7 in the world in doubles.

BOBBY REYNOLDS

Bobby, who played for Vanderbilt and is a native of Cape Cod, MA, reached world #63 in singles and #47 in doubles last year before a wrist injury forced him to take time off. He has spent most of the last two years in the top 100 in both singles and doubles and is back on tour and playing in top form. In 2006, he paired with Andy Roddick to win his first ATP doubles title. This will be his first season with the Kastles after being selected with the overall number one pick in the 2010 roster draft.

ANGIE HAYNES

Angie is a World TeamTennis veteran and was the 2006 WTT Women's MVP. She was originally drafted by the Kastles in 2009 before being part of the trade that brought Rennae Stubbs to Washington. She finished the 2009 season with the third best women's singles record in the league. She has won nine USTA Pro Circuit titles (two singles, seven doubles) and has been in the top 100 in both singles and doubles.

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