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WTT Washington Kastles

Kastles US Open Preview; Team Owner Mark Ein Issues Ice Bucket Challenge to Kastles Players, Fans

August 23, 2014 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


Reigning men's doubles champion Leander Paes leads eight Washington Kastles players into the final Grand Slam of the season, the US Open, beginning on Monday.

Paes and Radek Stepanek return to New York City one year after a stunning semifinal win over World No. 1s Bob and Mike Bryan inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Kastles captain went on to capture his third US Open men's doubles title and 14th Grand Slam championship overall.

At the 2014 US Open, however, Paes will attempt to do something for the first time in his legendary career: successfully defend a major title. The two-time WTT Male MVP fell in the first round of the US Open in 2007 and 2010 following title runs in 2006 with Martin Damm and 2009 with Lukas Dlouhy.

If anyone can help Paes repeat, it's Stepanek. He and Paes have won 85% of their matches at the majors (34-6), which is the Indian's highest win percentage with any of his 19 Grand Slam men's doubles partners.

Also contending for a US Open title is two-time singles champion Venus Williams, who has enjoyed her most successful summer since she ended 2010 as a US Open semifinalist.

Venus was two points from eliminating eventual champion Petra Kvitova at Wimbledon, defeated 2013 US Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka at Stanford, then upset little sister and World No. 1 Serena Williams at Montreal.

If Venus is a dark horse in singles, Anastasia Rodionova of the Kastles plays the part in doubles. She's up to a career-high ranking of No. 18 in the world after reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals and Cincinnati semifinals with 2013 Kastles substitute Alla Kudryavtseva.

Top 25 players Sloane Stephens and Kevin Anderson, former champion Martina Hingis, and Kastles substitutes Shelby Rogers and Jarmila Gajdosova round out Washington's US Open lineup. They are hoping to add to the Kastles' Grand Slam Honor Roll, which includes 98 major titles won by past and present Kastles players.

For Kastle-by-Kastle analysis, please continue reading our extended US Open preview. And for US Open updates on all eight Kastles during the tournament -- featuring links to live streaming, live scoring and the tournament's TV schedule -- please visit WashingtonKastles.com.

LEANDER PAES

Doubles with Radek Stepanek

Besides trying to defend a Grand Slam championship, Paes is still seeking his first major final of the year. The World No. 11 reached at least one Grand Slam final in men's or mixed doubles each season from 2003 through 2013. With just over two months of tennis remaining in 2014, Paes is also playing for his first ATP World Tour doubles title of the season. He has won at least one ATP event every year since capturing his first championship at Chennai in 1997.

VENUS WILLIAMS

No. 19 seed in Women's Singles

From 1997 to 2010, Venus went 59-10 at the US Open with two titles and eight losses to the eventual champion. Then, Venus withdrew from the 2011 event with Sjogren's syndrome. After beating both of the 2013 US Open finalists this summer, Venus' comeback story comes full circle. But her road to a third title won't be easy. She could play No. 13 seed Sara Errani, No. 2 seed Simona Halep and No. 5 seed Maria Sharapova just to reach the semifinals.

ANASTASIA RODIONOVA

Qualifier in Women's Singles

Rodionova is already off to a great start in New York, winning three qualifying matches to make the singles main draw. She also qualified at the US Open in 2009 and 2012. In doubles, Rodionova and Kudryavtseva are currently in seventh place in the race for eight spots at the year-end WTA Finals. As is the case in singles, Rodionova's best Grand Slam showings have come at the US Open. She reached the women's doubles semifinals Cara Black in 2010.

SLOANE STEPHENS

No. 21 seed in Women's Singles

Stephens has reached the third round or better at the US Open in each of the past three years. Should she make it four-in-a-row, the new Kastle is highly likely to meet No. 9 seed Jelena Jankovic for a place in the Round of 16. It would be their third match this month alone. Jankovic defeated Stephens 7-6(4), 6-4 at Cincinnati on Aug. 14 after edging the American 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4) in three hours and 15 minutes at Montreal on Aug. 6.

KEVIN ANDERSON

No. 18 seed in Men's Singles

Anderson is one of only six men to reach the fourth round of the first three Grand Slam tournaments this season, joining Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Getting out of the fourth round is what has separated Anderson from his five elite peers. The 6-foot-8 Kastle would likely need to beat Jerzy Janowicz, No. 14 seed Marin Cilic and No. 5 seed David Ferrer to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

MARTINA HINGIS

Doubles with Flavia Pennetta

Hingis and Flavia Pennetta made quite a team debut at Eastbourne in June. The former World No. 1 doubles players defeated three pairs that have won Grand Slam titles, including 2011 US Open champions Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond. They backed that up by beating Rodionova and Kudryavtseva en route to the Montreal quarterfinals, where current World No. 1s Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci needed a match tiebreaker to defeat them.

SHELBY ROGERS

Unseeded in Women's Singles

Rogers needed wild cards to get into the US Open in 2010 and 2013. But as one of tennis' fastest rising stars, the Kastles substitute got into the 2014 US Open on her own ranking, a career-high No. 86. Rogers will meet a qualifier in the first round. Should she win, Rogers could face Hingis' partner Pennetta, the No. 11 seed, in the second round. The Italian reached the 2013 US Open semifinals, but with 900 ranking points to defend, she is certainly under major pressure.

JARMILA GAJDOSOVA

Wild Card in Women's Singles

The US Open grants one wild card each year to an Australian player in return for an American wild card at the Australian Open. The lucky Aussie in 2014 is Jarmila Gajdosova, though she's certainly earned her spot in the main draw. After battling mononucleosis and dropping to No. 334 this spring, Gajdosova won a $100,000 event in Vancouver and is back up to No. 102. The Kastles substitute meets No. 27 seed Madison Keys in the first round.

Ein Issues Ice Bucket Challenge to Players, Fans

Owner to Donate $500 Per Kastles Player, $100 Per Fan to ALS

After fellow USTA Board member Joan Baker issued Mark Ein with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the Washington Kastles owner passed it on to his team's players and fans.

In a video recorded Thursday on the National Mall, Ein announced that he would donate $500 for every Kastles player and $100 for every Kastles fan who gets iced in Kastles gear by Sunday at midnight.

Fans are asked to tag the Kastles on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram when they post their videos.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken the nation by storm this month, generating more than $53 million in donations to fight Lou Gehrig's Disease. Kastles players Sloane Stephens (Video) and Kevin Anderson (Video) have spread awareness by taking the challenge, while Ein was surprised from behind by Kastles mascot Slice .

Break out your Kastles gear and camera phone this weekend for a wonderful cause!

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