New Coach Mayotte A Big Fan Of Team Tennis
May 9, 2008 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Boston Lobsters News Release
Boston Lobsters coach Tim Mayotte first experienced World TeamTennis excitement nearly 30 years ago when he was a student-athlete at Stanford.
"Some friends and I went to a match in Oakland, and we went in there pretty rowdy," Mayotte recalled recently over coffee in Boston, a day after seeing the Lobsters new home a Ferncroft Country Club for the first time. "That's the way it was supposed to be, we thought. But all the people around us kept looking at us, telling us to be quiet. But we didn't listen. We were college kids."
Now Mayotte has moved from the cheap seats to the sidelines, and his attitude hasn't changed. He wants to not only see the Lobster fans this year, he wants to hear them.
"Team tennis is a different animal," he said. "You need teammates to pump you up, you need fans to pump you up. I know what New Englanders are like at sporting events - they're the best fans in the world. I can't wait to see them at Ferncroft."
Mayotte, a Springfield native in his first year at the helm of the Lobsters, never played World TeamTennis during his 11 years on the pro tour. But he heard from friends about how exciting the league is, and always loved the concept of team tennis.
"For me, the most fun was Davis Cup, the Olympics and college - times when you're playing with teammates," he said. "The circuit could get lonely, but when you had teammates around, it was always a blast. Vitas Gerulaitis once said by far the most fun he had was TeamTennis."
Mayotte is excited about his team this year. Jan-Michael Gambill, Boston's first-round pick, is an experienced pro and a seasoned WTT veteran. Amir Hadad is returning for his third consecutive season with the Lobsters, and the two women on the team - Marie-Eve Pelletier and Raquel Kops-Jones - are doubles specialists with a wide array of honors between them. And, of course, world-reknown women's player, Martina Navratilova, will be playing with the Lobsters for two matches.
"Our absolute goal is to win a championship for our fans," Mayotte said. "I think we have the players that can put us in a position to do it. Our doubles will be strong. We have good, aggressive singles players. As a serve-and-volley, aggressive player, I always tried to come out of the gate fast. That's what I want this team to focus on. It's the way to succeed in team tennis."
Catching a Draft
On April 1st, Lobsters owner Bahar Uttam and General Manager John Mayotte returned home from Miami with much more than they left with after the annual World TeamTennis draft.
The Lobsters brass brought back to New England the rights to four top players who will make up the 2008 Boston Lobsters.
In the first round, the Lobsters selected ATP star Jan-Michael Gambill, the winner of eight tour events, including victories over Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Andre Agassi. The Lobsters used their second round pick to protect returning veteran Amir Hadad, the hard-serving Israeli, who finished fifth in winning percentage in the league last year.
The Lobsters used its third-round pick to selected Marie-Eve Pelletier, a native of Quebec with 11 ITF titles to her credit. The team selected doubles specialist Raquel Kops-Jones with its fourth-round pick. Kops-Jones won the 2003 NCAA women's doubles title while playing for the University of California at Berkeley. Her doubles teammate on the Golden Bears was former Lobster Christina Fusano (who will be playing with the Delaware Smash this year).
"I think we had an outstanding draft," Uttam said. "We're exceptionally strong in doubles - men's, women's and mixed. And all of our players are strong in singles, as well."
The Team Behind the Team
While the owner, the coach, the players and the general manager of any professional sports team will get the lion's share of attention, many others are needed in order to put a competitive team on the court and a successful business in a league. Boston Lobsters owner Bahar Uttam stressed that there would not be a Boston team playing in the WTT without its sponsors.
"We literally wouldn't exist without our sponsors, who have become our friends and our fans," Uttam said. "They provide as much to the Boston Lobsters as any coach, player, staff member or even owner. We would be nowhere without them."
Among the Lobsters sponsors for the 2008 season are Amtrak, Barefoot Wine and Bubbly, Beverly Hospital, CN8 Sports, Cold River Vodka, Delande Lighting, Electrolux, Boston Herald and Herald Media, Joan K. Norton Financial Services, North Shore Magazine, North Shore Shuttle, Polar Beverages, Principal Funds, Wachusett Brewing Company, Sheraton Ferncroft, Coco Key Water Resort, Tri-City Sales, WZLX-FM, Medi-Weightloss Center, USPTA, Woodman's of Essex, William A. Berry & Son Construction and Gardner Mattress.
"I would like to personally thank all of our sponsors, and wish them as successful a 2008 as I expect the Lobsters to have," Uttam said.
Boston Lobsters 2008 Home Schedule
July 7 vs. Delaware Smash 7 p.m.
*July 10 vs. Philadelphia Freedoms 7 p.m.
(featuring Venus Williams)
July 12 vs. New York Buzz 7 p.m.
July 13 vs. New York Sportimes 4 p.m.
*July 16 vs. Springfield Lasers 7 p.m.
(featuring Martina Navratilova)
July 18 vs. Washington Kastles 7 p.m.
*July 19 vs. Newport Beach Breakers 7 p.m.
(featuring Martina Navratilova)
World TeamTennis Stories from May 9, 2008
- New Coach Mayotte A Big Fan Of Team Tennis - Boston Lobsters
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