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WTT Washington Kastles

Kastles Face Rollers Today in Star-Studded Match Featuring Venus, Bryans, Querrey & Puig at 12:30 PM

July 19, 2020 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


Washington Kastles doubles team of Marcelo Arevalo (right) and Bernarda Pera
Washington Kastles doubles team of Marcelo Arevalo (right) and Bernarda Pera
(Washington Kastles, Credit: World TeamTennis)

It's going to be a star-studded afternoon at The Greenbrier today, when the six-time WTT champion Washington Kastles face the Vegas Rollers for the first time in 2020!

Four-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time King Trophy winner Venus Williams headlines again for Washington against a staggering Vegas lineup, featuring doubles legends and former Kastles Bob and Mike Bryan, top-American Sam Querrey, and defending Olympic singles gold medalist Monica Puig.

Don't miss out! The action starts on CBS Sports & Facebook WATCH at 12:30 p.m. EST. National TV coverage on CBS begins at 1:30 p.m.

Freedoms Top Kastles Again in Extended Play, 22-14

Philadelphia may be tough, but they're not unbeatable.

That was the takeaway from the Kastles' titanic clash against Billie Jean King's Philadelphia Freedoms on Saturday. For the second match in a row, the six-time WTT champion Washington Kastles, led by Australian Open doubles quarterfinalist and Salvadoran Davis Cup star Marcelo Arevalo, rallied late to win the final set and force the first-place Freedoms into extended play. But lopsided, early losses allowed Philadelphia to close out Washington, 22-14, and retain the top spot in the standings.

"It's a challenge for both teams when you have to play each other in back-to-back matches," said Washington coach Robby Ginepri. "Philadelphia is a strong team, so it's not surprising they are in first place. We just have to re-group and get ready to play tomorrow. This team has good energy and are in good spirits."

The Freedoms made a concerted effort to prevent another comeback.

On Friday, world #24 Taylor Fritz narrowly defeated new Kastle and world #57 Tommy Paul in a tiebreak, but in their second encounter, the Freedom attacked early. Fritz broke Paul on a deciding point in the fourth game and held comfortably in back-to-back service games to take the first set, and a larger, 5-2, opening margin for Philadelphia.

For the latest news, photos, videos & more from The Greenbrier visit WTT.com!

Venus faced a tough opponent in a blockbuster of Grand Slam champions. (World TeamTennis)

The Freedoms further widened the gap in the second set. In a women's singles blockbuster of Grand Slam champions, reigning Australian Open singles champion Sofia Kenin held nothing back against Kastles superstar and 23-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams. Kenin broke the five-time WTT champ twice and fended off a breakpoint in the sixth game to serve out the set, 5-1, and give the Freedoms a 10-3 lead in the overall score.

The Kastles stopped the Freedoms in the third set in mixed doubles. Arevalo and Croatian southpaw Bernarda Pera pressured Freedoms stars Taylor Townsend and Donald Young from the very first point. Then in the fifth game, the Kastles broke Young's serve on their fourth breakpoint, and held to take control of the set, 4-2. A hold from Townsend in the following game kept the Freedom's hopes alive, but an unrattled Pera served out the Kastles' first set of the match in the next game, 5-3, to shrink Philly's lead to 13-8 heading into half-time.

Arevalo and Bernarda Pera scored the Kastles' first set of the match in mixed doubles. (World TeamTennis)

But the Freedoms struck back in the fourth set. Kenin and WTT rising star Caroline Dolehide snatched the first, four games from Williams and former two-time Kastles MVP Arina Rodionova in women's doubles. Washington earned a breakpoint on Kenin's serve in the fourth game, but was unable to convert, which gave Philly a commanding, 17-8, lead in the match score. Williams held her second service game to put the Kastles on the board, but Dolehide closed out the set, 5-1, in the next game to further extend the Freedoms' lead, 18-9, with just a set to go.

What's it like to play with Venus? Click here to read what her teammates have to say!

"I was so scared at first. I was like 'What do you want me to do? Please tell me,'" Rodionova said. "I've never played with her, so it was quite scary. But she's super nice and she's awesome to play with."

For the second match in a row, Arevalo earned Washington an extra life, as the team faced defeat in the fifth set. Partnering with Paul, the Salvadoran Davis Cup star led the Kastles to victory over Fritz and Freedoms doubles star Fabrice Martin in men's doubles. In the third game of the set, Arevalo connected the winning backhand to break Martin, and at net in the next game, helped Paul deny three breakpoints to take a 3-1 advantage.

Fritz and Martin steadied their shots in the following games, but could not recover. Successive holds from Arevalo and Paul were all that was necessary to take the set, 5-3, and send the match into extended play, where once again, Washington faced a seven-game deficit, and once again, Philly got to serve first.

It was a commendable effort from Arevalo and Paul, but up 21-14, Fritz served out the match to notch the Freedoms' second win over the Kastles this season.




Images from this story

Rising Washington Kastles star Marcelo Arevalo
Rising Washington Kastles star Marcelo Arevalo
(World TeamTennis)		 Washington Kastles superstar Venus Williams
Washington Kastles superstar Venus Williams
(World TeamTennis)		 Washington Kastles doubles team of Marcelo Arevalo (right) and Bernarda Pera
Washington Kastles doubles team of Marcelo Arevalo (right) and Bernarda Pera
(World TeamTennis)



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