WTT Washington Kastles

Kastles Top Ten Moments Of 2009

December 31, 2009 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


The Kastles countdown the top ten memorable moments from the magical 2009 championship season:

#10 - BLOCKBUSTER TRADE

Kastles Make WTT History - Trade for Olga Puchkova and Rennae Stubbs

The Kastles completed the first blockbuster trade in WTT history by acquiring five-time Grand Slam Champion and WTT star Rennae Stubbs and rising star Olga Puchkova and sending Angela Haynes and CoCo Vandeweghe to the Sacramento Capitals. "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, who brokered the deal. "With this trade, we will be tough to beat in any set, much less a complete match."

#9 -

LATE SEASON SURGE

Leander and Nadia Spark Kastles

After falling to 5-7 after a loss to the Western Conference leading Springfield Lasers, the Kastles had to win their final two matches to have a fighting chance of making the playoffs.

With the season hanging in the balance, the Kastles raised their level of play with world top ten Nadia Petrova and World TeamTennis Male MVP Leander Paes serving as the catalysts for the late season surge.

Nadia's stellar play sparked the Kastles to a convincing 23-12 win over the New York Buzz, putting them one win away from a playoff berth. The next night, the Kastles showed not only would they be playoff bound, but a contender for the WTT title.

Playing against the league's best team,

Leander led the charge, once again proving why he was the league's top player in 2009. First, partnering with Scott Oudsema in men's doubles, he provided the Kastles an early 5-2 advantage, and later teaming with Nadia in mixed doubles to complete a convincing 21-14 win over the Springfield Lasers and securing the Kastles first ever playoff berth.

#8 - MURPHY'S GUARANTEE

Coach Promises Championship when Kastles are 0-4

"REFUSE TO LOSE" might seem like an absurd motto for a team that is 0-4.

But not to Kastles Coach Murphy Jensen.

While some may have been writing the season off, Murphy never lost sight of the Kastles potential.

With the Kastles at their lowest point after dropping their first four matches, Coach Murphy made his bold declaration that the Kastles would be World TeamTennis Champions.

Of course, Murphy was right -- it just took a little longer for everybody else to come to that conclusion

#7 - SERENA'S MID-SEASON SAVE

Williams Play Puts the Kastles Back in the Hunt for A Playoff Spot

Serena Williams return to the Kastles shifted the season's momentum at the time the Kastles were most desperate.

After starting the season 0-4, the Kastles desperately needed a surge to put them back into playoff contention. In her first match of the season, Serena's dominant performance led the team to a road victory against the Boston Lobsters.

Consecutive victories versus the Sportimes, Buzz (without Serena), Freedom and Breakers followed and provided the Kastles their first winning record of the season at 5-4. Serena was the driving force behind a five match winning streak that put the Kastles back into the playoff race.

#6 - VICTORY LAP

Mayor Awards Kastles Key to the City & Team Honored at US Open

Mayor Adrian Fenty and the DC City Council presented the 2009 World TeamTennis Champion Washington Kastles with the Key to the City during a special ceremony on the steps of City Hall on August 27, 2009.

Owner Mark Ein, Coach Murphy Jensen, Leander Paes, Rennae Stubbs, Scott Oudsema, and Olga Puchkova were all there to accept the honor.

Mayor Fenty's comments reflected the contribution that the Kastles have made to the city since the franchise was founded two years ago: "We are honored to present a key to the city to the Washington Kastles, not only for their success on the court, but also for their commitment to the District's communities and our youth."

Photo Courtesy of Fred and Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

During the US Open night session on Wednesday, September 2, the Washington Kastles were honored on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court, in between the Roger Federer and Serena Williams matches. The ceremony included a video tribute played on the stadium scoreboard and an on-court presentation of the trophy by Billie Jean King and WTT Commissioner Ilana Kloss. Accepting the trophy for the Kastles was owner Mark Ein, Coach Murphy Jensen, Rennae Stubbs and Leander Paes. This was the first time that any World TeamTennis champion team was recognized in an on-court ceremony at the US Open and it capped off a summer to remember for everyone associated with the Kastles.

#5 - THE PROPOSAL

Impromptu Marriage Proposal Shifts Momentum in Championship

Ahead 3-1 in the last event of the WTT Championship match and holding an 18-12 overall lead over the Springfield Lasers, the Kastles were solidly in control when an unscheduled marriage proposal almost derailed them.

The marriage proposal, involving a Kastles cheerleader, occurred during the change over after the fourth game of the set, and was planned without the approval of Kastles management. The unexpected proposal delayed the match several minutes at a crucial time in the match.

The Kastles women's doubles team of Rennae Stubbs and Olga Puchkova who had stormed ahead of WTT Player of the Year Vania King and world #1 doubles player Liezel Huber suddenly appeared out of sync after the long wait.

Stubbs and Puchkova proceeded to drop the final four games to lose the set 3-5.

In total, the Kastles would lose seven of the next eight games dramatically changing the complexion of the match from that of likely victory to one of probable defeat.

#4 - EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

Kastles Draw Large Fanatic Crowd on Two Days Notice

The stakes could not have been higher for the much awaited rematch of the Kastles - New York Sportimes controversial July 16th match.

The two rivals met at Kastles Stadium with a spot in the WTT Finals on line.

The Kastles' secret weapon, was a true home-court advantage provided by a boisterous home crowd that packed the stadium despite having less than 48 hours notice that the Kastles would be hosting the Sportimes in the Eastern Conference Championship.

In one of the most thrilling WTT matches of the season, the Kastles took an early lead, fell behind, rallied to overtake the Sportimes and held on for a narrow overtime victory.

Like the two teams' infamous last match, the Eastern Conference Championship match was exceptionally close and hotly-contested. An incredible 11 games, over 25 percent of the games played, were decided by three-all points and it was the Kastles' eight wins on those critical points that provided the ultimate margin of victory.

Scott Oudsema played inspired tennis to bring home the victory for the Kastles. With the Kastles leading the Sportimes 17-14 going into the final set, Scott battled world top 70 Robert Kendrick point for point, fighting off two break points at 3-4 to force a tiebreaker. After dropping the tiebreaker, Scott served for the match in the first game of overtime, acing Kendrick on match point to give the Kastles a dramatic 22-19 victory and earn them a spot in the WTT Finals.

#3 - THE LITTLE BALL THAT COULDN'T

Vania King's Net Cord Leaves Kastles on Brink of Defeat

With the Kastles clinging to a 20-19 lead in the finals, Olga Puchkova served to WTT female player of the year, Vania King, at 2-3 in the final event.

With the score of the game knotted at three points, the outcome of the championship hung in the balance.

If Olga won the point, it would give the Kastles a commanding two game lead, but if Vania won, she would serve for the match in the next game.

After a long rally, Vania hit a low driving shot that hit the top of the net, seemingly pausing in mid-air, and softly dropping onto the Kastles side of the court to give the Lasers the game and set the stage for Olga's dramatic comeback.

#2 - SHOWDOWN AT

CENTER COURT

Kastles vs. Sportimes Meeting Explodes Into ESPN SportsCenter Play of the Week

In a crucial Eastern Conference matchup between the Kastles and Sportimes, tempers flared during the men's doubles event, leading to a confrontation at center court which would be later memorialized by ESPN's Sports Center as the #1 Play of the Week.

With the Kastles leading the New York Sportimes 12-10, and the Kastles' Leander Paes and Scott Oudsema ahead of John McEnroe and partner Robert Kendrick 4-3 in the set, Paes hit Kendrick with a volley at the net, a standard doubles occurrence.

The Sportimes took exception to Paes' volley with McEnroe crossing the net to engage Paes in a heated discussion.

When play resumed, Kendrick tagged Paes, who was not the receiver, with a first serve.

Both McEnroe and New York coach Chuck Adams would cross the net to exchange verbal volleys with Paes and received a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Kastles' bench joined the fray with Olga Puchkova and Rennae Stubbs both being issued code violations and a point penalty for abuse of officials.

This was a major turning point in the match as the Kastles had a service point taken away and started down 1-0 in the set tiebreaker. The Sportimes carried the momentum to an easy tiebreaker win (5-1) and a 5-4 set win to tie the match at 12-12 going into halftime.

The Sportimes would go on to win the match in a Supertiebreaker.

#1 - CHAMPIONSHIP COMEBACK

Olga Saves Three Match Points and Leads Kastles to First WTT Crown

In the fifth and final event of the 2009 World TeamTennis Championship Finals, the Springfield Lasers had seized the momentum by coming all the way back from six games down to tie the match at 20 and seemingly had the Kastles just where they wanted them -- with their best player, Vania King, serving for the match and the WTT championship.

King, the World TeamTennis Female MVP, quickly took a three of the first four points of the game against the Kastles' Olga Puchkova providing the Lasers with three championship points.

Just as the Tennis Channel television crew moved into position in front of the Lasers bench to capture the moment of victory, the Kastles faithful that had packed the stadium lifted Puchkova, chanting "Olga! Olga! Olga!" The visibly exhausted Puchkova did the impossible, clawing back from the three-championship point deficit by winning the next three points all on long rallies to win the game and get her and the team back in the match.

Exhorted on by Coach Jensen and her elated teammates, Puchkova had broken the Laser's momentum and King's spirit.

After holding serve for the first time in the match to tie the score at 4-4, Puchkova defeated King in a tiebreaker to give the Kastles the victory, and DC's first World TeamTennis Championship.

Serena Williams Named AP Female Athlete of the Year

Wins Award in Landslide After Capturing Five Grand Slam Titles in 2009

After a stellar 2009 which included five Grand Slam wins (two singles and three doubles titles) and a World TeamTennis Championship, Serena Williams was named the AP Female Athlete of the Year.

Serena also finished the year as the world's top ranked player after winning the season-ending WTA Tour Championship.

In 2009, Serena took home over $6 million in prize money, the most ever, and finished the year with an impressive 50-12 record overall in singles.

It was Serena's second AP Athlete of the Year honor, the first coming in 2002.

Congratulations, Serena!

Kastles Holiday Ticket Offer: 2010 Kastles Tickets at 2009 Prices and Championship Hat or Shirt!

Holiday Offer Extended Through Monday, January 4

Through January 4, 2010, when you buy 2010 season tickets, you can take advantage of 2009 prices and, for each ticket purchased, receive your choice of a first run, limited edition Washington Kastles Championship Hat (in red, white, or blue) or our top of the line Championship T-Shirt made by American Apparel.

As a 2010 season tickets holder you will receive tickets to see DC's Championship Team defend their title at all seven regular season home matches and any home playoff matches. This includes several matches featuring marquee tennis stars such as Serena Williams and Venus Williams making their only 2010 appearances in Washington.

All season ticket holders are invited to exclusive VIP Kastles social events throughout the season, including our memorable post-match parties and pre-season reception that feature appearances by Murphy, Kastles players and our marquee tennis stars. Also included with your season ticket purchase will be a tennis clinic on Kastles Stadium Court led by Coach Murphy and the Kastles team.

As a season ticket holder, you will have the opportunity to select your exact seats in the premier sections of Kastles Stadium before single match tickets go on sale to the general public, ensuring that you receive the very best seating for the 2010 season.

Each Kastles season ticket order comes with a certificate perfect for gift giving.

Reserved Chair Back seats:

$350

Reserved Grandstand seats:

$250

2010 Single Match Tickets

Gift certificates for individual Kastles matches are also available for purchase. These gift certificates can be redeemed for tickets to any Kastles match (including those featuring tennis stars such as Serena and Venus Williams) as soon as the Kastles schedule is announced during the spring of 2010.

Reserved Chair Back seats:

$65

Reserved Grandstand seats:

$45

2010 Box Seats

There are a limited number of Premier and Basic Box seats available for the 2010 season on a first-come, first-served basis. Both types of boxes come with 4 seats and the Premier boxes are located in the front row and come with VIP hospitality passes. And every box holder is invited to all exclusive VIP Kastles social events throughout the season and the team tennis clinic on Kastles Stadium Court. Our Premier Boxes sell out each year well in advance of the season so don't wait to get yours.

Order now and not only secure your box for 2010 but also lock in 2009 pricing. Additionally, by purchasing your box you will receive a championship shirt and hat and a professionally framed, matted, and inscribed "Refuse to Lose" poster personally signed by the 2009 World TeamTennis Champion Washington Kastles.

Premier Box (4 seats):

$3000

Basic Box (4 seats):

$1800

To purchase tickets email us at

info@washingtonkastles.com

or call 202-4-TENNIS.



World TeamTennis Stories from December 31, 2009


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