WTT Washington Kastles

Kastles Make Blockbuster Trade for Rennae Stubbs and Olga Puchkova

Published on June 30, 2009 under World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


The Washington Kastles completed a monumental trade Monday for six-time Grand Slam champion and WTT star Rennae Stubbs and rising star Olga Puchkova.

In return, the Kastles sent Angela Haynes and CoCo Vandeweghe to the Sacramento Capitals.

Stubbs is the reigning 2008 World TeamTennis women's MVP and 2008 championship finals MVP. With Stubbs on the team, the Kastles now own 35 total Grand Slam titles on its roster! She is currently ranked in the top ten in the world in doubles, formerly was number one in the world in doubles, and has won 59 career Sony Ericsson WTA championships.

She has also represented Australia four times in Olympic and Federation Cup competition. She helped lead the Philadelphia Freedoms to WTT championships in 2001 and 2006.

Rennae loves World TeamTennis and thrives in its format. She is a tough competitor who hates to lose. Her addition creates a number of dream combinations for the Kastles including the mixed doubles pairing with Leander Paes. Between them, Leander and Rennae have won 15 Grand Slam championships.

Olga is a rising star on the women's circuit. At just 21 years old, she has maintained a top-200 ranking throughout her career, ranking as high as 32 in the world in 2007 and holding five ITF singles titles. Olga has strong ties to the Washington area having trained at The Tennis Center at College Park for several years during her rise in the rankings. She has recently returned to TCCP to work with coach Vesa Ponkka. Outside of tennis, Olga is signed with Elite Model Management.

"Our goal this year is to win the championship when it is played in Washington on July 26th and this trade makes us a clear favorite to accomplish that. Rennae is one of the top doubles players in the world and is a fierce and experienced competitor," said Kastles owner Mark Ein. "With this trade, we will be tough to beat in any set, much less a complete match."

Fans can see Rennae and Olga on opening night July 7th against Venus Williams and the Philadelphia Freedoms.

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