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WTT Washington Kastles

Kastles Crush Freedoms 23-6 in Historic Rout; Hingis Returns Next Week

July 19, 2015 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


When Washington edged Philadelphia 21-20 in a final-set tiebreaker on Friday, there was no indication that their second meeting in as many nights would turn into the biggest rout in Kastles history.

But new Kastles Denis Kudla and Madison Brengle wrote their names into the Mylan World TeamTennis record books with a performance rarely seen in the league's 40 years.

After the Freedoms took the first set 5-3, Kudla and Brengle were on court to win 20 of the next 21 games, including 16 in a row. The end result was a 23-6 Washington win with the improbable score line of 3-5, 5-1, 5-0, 5-0, 5-0.

Six games are the fewest a Kastles opponent has ever scored and the 17-game margin of victory matches the largest wins in eight of years of Kastles tennis. Washington defeated Boston 25-8 on July 9, 2014 and Kansas City 25-8 on July 22, 2012.

To think, the Freedoms actually enjoyed an early lead Friday when World No. 3 doubles player Marcelo Melo and Taylor Townsend beat Leander Paes and Anastasia Rodionova 5-3.

The Kastles worked on mixed doubles for much of their pre-match practice after losing the set 5-2 in Philadelphia on Thursday.

But despite the effort, the Freedoms started fast again, breaking Paes' serve in the opening game on a Melo overhead winner. Paes double-faulted three times during the set, but strong play from Rodionova kept the Kastles in it.

All four players would go on to face a 3-all deciding point on his or her serve. All four times, the server won.

On deciding points, Melo held for 2-0, Paes held for 2-3, Rodionova held for 3-4 and Townsend served the set out for a 5-3 win. The Freedoms saved two break points in the final game, which would have allowed the Kastles to force a tiebreaker.

Mixed doubles may have followed the same pattern as Thursday, but women's doubles sure didn't.

A night after failing to break serve in a 5-4 loss, Rodionova and Brengle jumped all over the Freedoms, breaking Asia Muhammad at love by battering balls at Townsend's body and drawing volley errors.

Brengle continued to stay active in the following game, nailing two volley winners to help Rodionova hold for 2-0.

Townsend followed by taking a 3-0 lead on her serve, but the Kastles saved all four game points to break the left-hander.

After Brengle and Muhammad exchanged holds, the Kastles clinched the set 5-1 thanks to two more forehand volley winners by Brengle.

With Washington leading 8-6, Paes and Kudla immediately picked up where Brengle and Rodionova left off.

Playing in his last Kastles match of the season, Kudla slammed home first serves to quickly hold for 1-0, then the Kastles absolutely took it to 2005 US Open semifinalist Robby Ginepri.

Paes hit a down-the-line forehand return winner and Kudla cracked three more return winners -- the last a screaming backhand between both Freedoms -- to break Ginepri.

Four points, four return winners, and the Kastles didn't stop there. Paes hit a flying forehand volley winner to hold for 3-0, then bested Melo in an exchange at the net to extend the Kastles' lead to 4-0.

With Kudla serving for the set, the hometown hero blasted more first serves to end the set abruptly and give Washington a 13-6 halftime lead.

Even a five-minute intermission couldn't slow the Kastles down.

Brengle returned for women's singles and swept 14 of the first 15 points against Townsend.

Anastasia Rodionova sparked the Kastles' run by winning women's doubles with Madison Brengle.

The 25-year-old American was a wall from the baseline, every ball springing off of her racquet and back into Townsend's court.

When Townsend finally got into a game, Brengle showed how much she's improved in just one week as a Kastle.

Serving at 4-0, 2-3, Brengle surprised Townsend by approaching the net and placing a forehand volley out of her countrywoman's reach. One point later, Townsend missed a down-the-line backhand and the Kastles had their second straight 5-0 win.

Surely, Kudla could not make it three straight bagels for the Kastles. But with friends and family on hand, the Arlington native jumped all over Ginepri.

Like Brengle, Kudla was up 3-0 before Ginepri could work himself into an extended rally. With Ginepri serving at 3-all in the fourth game, Kudla moved the Philadelphia player from side to side with punishing groundstrokes until Ginepri finally netted a forehand.

Known throughout his career as a grinder, Ginepri could not find an answer for Kudla's consistency and surprising power.

Even when Kudla trailed 0-3 as he served for the match, he still found the resolve to unload on a forehand, unleash an ace, hit an inside-out winner and top it off with an unreturnable serve.

Coming off a historic win, the Kastles play the Freedoms yet again Monday at 7 pm in Philadelphia. Live streaming will be available on ESPN3.com.

Hingis, Paes, Querrey Highlight Kastles 2nd Week

Tickets Still Available to See Double Wimbledon Champion Hingis

Week one of Mylan World TeamTennis is in the books, but the action is just getting started inside Kastles Stadium at the Smith Center.

Great seats are still available for as little as $12 when double Wimbledon champion Martina Hingis leads the Kastles July 26 and July 27. Joining her in the lineup will be big-serving American Sam Querrey, Hingis' Wimbledon partner Leander Paes and Top 25 doubles player Anastasia Rodionova.

SUN. 7/26 vs. SPRINGFIELD LASERS TIX: $12-$100

PREVIEW: Hall-of-Famer Martina Hingis returns to Kastles Stadium on back-to-back nights, beginning with a Mylan WTT Finals rematch against Springfield. Hingis earned MVP honors by winning all three of her sets in last season's championship match. This time around, the Swiss will be challenged by brand-new Laser Alison Riske, who won her first WTA title last October by beating Hingis' protégé Belinda Bencic in Tianjin.

MON. 7/27 vs. CALIFORNIA DREAM TIX: $12-$100

GIVEAWAY: Kastles 5-Championship Hat (1st 1,000 Fans)

PREVIEW: Kastles fans saw Martina Hingis and Leander Paes play mixed doubles long before they won this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon titles. They will team again where it all began on July 26 and July 27. The Swiss/Indian duet went 17-2 together for the Kastles in 2013 and 2014. If seeing the best mixed doubles team in the world isn't enough, the first 1,000 fans in attendance July 27 will receive a Kastles championship hat.

Secure your seats starting at only $12 at Ticketmaster.com or the Smith Center box office.

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