WTT Washington Kastles

Kastles US Open Update: Paes Amazes to Reach Final, Ends Bryans' Run

Published on September 6, 2013 under World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


Performing inside the world's biggest tennis stadium against history's greatest doubles team, Leander Paes played in NYC on Thursday like it was DC in July.

Arthur Ashe Stadium was Kastles Stadium, No. 1 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan were New York Sportimes Robert Kendrick and Jesse Witten, and the Kastles captain could simply do no wrong.

Paes and Radek Stepanek snapped the Bryans' 28-match Grand Slam winning streak 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach their second straight US Open final. The two-time Mylan WTT Male MVP was the undeniable MVP of the semi.

He knifed backhand returns off the sidelines, moved the twins endlessly with drop volleys, and even hit a behind-the-back forehand winner that prompted Tom Perrotta of The Wall Street Journal to tweet:

Perrotta was not alone in his praise. With a nationwide audience watching, ESPN2's commentators -- accustomed to calling singles matches -- gushed over Paes' prowess in doubles.

"Dominant," said Chris Fowler. "Incredible," said Patrick McEnroe. "En fuego," said Brad Gilbert, after English adjectives had seemingly run out.

Pam Shriver, herself a 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion, said after the match: "Leander Paes played the last two sets as well as anyone has played doubles ever."

Watching from outside the broadcast booth, Darren Cahill took to Twitter for his thoughts.

At the start of the semifinal, it was Bob and Mike Bryan who had the magic touch. The defending champions made 20 of 21 first serves and won 20 of 21 service points to clinch the first set 6-3.

But momentum -- and magic -- shifted hands to Paes in the second. He broke Bob Bryan's serve twice in a row with sensational shots: first carving a backhand return past Mike Bryan, then poaching for a put-away when the twins had the entire court to play with.

Paes added three more volley winners on Stepanek's serve to clinch the second set 6-3 and even the match.

With a strut to their step, Stepanek and Paes opened up a 5-1 final-set lead. During one four-point stretch, Paes hit winners with a sky-hook overhead, a backhand volley, an unreturnable serve, and a clean return.

But the Bryans did not go away without a fight. Playing for the first calendar Grand Slam since the Kastles' Martina Hingis swept women's doubles at all four majors in 1998, Bob and Mike Bryan cut their deficit from 1-5 to 4-5.

Stepanek, however, served the match out at love, capped by one last low backhand volley from Paes that was too tough for Bob Bryan at the net.

Paes and Stepanek improved to 4-4 head-to-head against the Bryans, and 4-2 on hard courts. Despite a 13-27 lifetime record, Paes is now 6-5 in his last 11 meetings with the twins.

When the tweets and sound bites had settled, the final accolades for Paes came from his opponents.

"The guy is a legend," said Bob Bryan. "We wish him luck in the finals."

Paes and Stepanek, the No. 4 seeds, will meet No. 2 seeds Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares for the US Open championship Sunday at 12:30 pm on ESPN2 and USOpen.org. It marks the 30th Grand Slam final of Paes' storied career.

The two teams have met once before: Peya and Soares winning 6-3, 7-6(5) in the Tokyo final last October.

Click above to see Leander Paes hit a stunning drop volley winner to end a 21-shot rally in the semi.

Williams Sisters Rout World No. 1s Errani and Vinci

Venus and Serena Defeat Defending Champs 6-3, 6-1 in 64 Minutes

Power has provided Serena and Venus Williams with 13 Grand Slam doubles championships. Finesse has taken Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci to five of the last seven Grand Slam finals.

When power met finesse inside Louis Armstrong Stadium on Thursday, the result was epitomized on match point.

Venus Williams of the Kastles attacked an Errani first serve with a ferocious forehand return that caught part of Vinci's forearm and part of her frame -- the ball exploding into the crowd as the Williams sisters celebrated a 6-3, 6-1 quarterfinal victory.

In their only other tournament together this season, Venus and Serena were defeated in the Australian Open quarterfinals by Errani and Vinci.

But Thursday's rematch more resembled the Williams sisters' 6-1, 6-1 win over the Italians at the 2012 Olympics.

Errani and Vinci, the defending champions and World No. 1s, were only able to earn a single break point on the sisters' serves. Venus and Serena saved that and converted four of their own five break point chances en route to the semifinals.

They will meet Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic live on USOpen.org tonight at about 7:30 pm. The Americans are 5-0 against the No. 5 seeds, including victories in the finals of the Olympics and Wimbledon last season.

The winners of tonight's match will advance to meet No. 8 seeds Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua for the US Open women's doubles championship.

The Aussies have also reached the Wimbledon and Australian Open finals in 2013, but they are still seeking their first Grand Slam title as a team. Venus and Serena, on the other hand, are 13-0 lifetime in Grand Slam finals.

The women's doubles final is scheduled to air as part of CBS' US Open coverage on Saturday between Noon and 6 pm. Live streaming will also be available on USOpen.org.

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