WTT New York Empire

New York Empire Beat San Diego Aviators in Epic Back and Forth Battle

July 22, 2020 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
New York Empire News Release


WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.V. - Separated by just one game entering the final set, it all came down to the San Diego Aviators Christian and Ryan Harrison, and the New York Empire's Neal Skupski and Jack Sock, to determine what team moved to 4-4 on the season or fell to 3-5. In the end, the Empire rose to the challenge, winning the match 20-19 in a supertiebreaker.

The two teams flip-flopped the score throughout the match to enter Men's Doubles 15-14 in favor of the Aviators. Facing a must-win game with the set at 4-3 in in favor of New York, Skupski and Sock couldn't convert the break for an Empire win as the Aviators forced a tiebreaker.

The Empire owned the tiebreaker, winning 5-2, and sent the match into a 13-point supertiebreaker to determine the match's outcome. Christian Harrison's return on a Skupski volley found the net giving the supertiebreaker, and match, to the Empire.

Jack Sock on winning the final set and match for the New York Empire: "It felt really good. Our very first match we lost... after having a ton of chances to close it out and then again against Chicago, who's one of the best teams here, I had match points in the final (set) of that one to close that out. To be on the court in the final (set) there and the pull through with Neal (Skupski), we had a really good collective team effort. Being down a break in this format, in doubles, is not easy to come back from so I'm super proud of that."

FINAL RESULT:

NEW YORK EMPIRE def. San Diego Aviators defeat, 20-19 in a supertiebreaker

Mixed Doubles - Jack Sock/Kim Clijsters (Empire) def. Ryan Harrison/CoCo Vandeweghe (Aviators), 5-2

Women's Doubles - Nicole Melichar/Vandeweghe (Aviators) def. Clijsters/Sabine Lisicki (Empire), 5-2

Men's Singles - Sock (Empire) def. Harrison (Aviators), 5-3

Women's Singles - Christina McHale (Aviators) def. Lisicki>Clijsters (Empire), 5-2

Men's Doubles - Neal Skupski/Sock (Empire) def. Christian Harrison/R. Harrison (Aviators), 5-4

Supertiebreaker - Men's Doubles - Neal Skupski/Sock def. C. Harrison/R. Harrison (Aviators), 1-0 (7-5)

*Kim Clijsters was substituted for Sabine Lisicki at 1-3 in the Women's Singles set.

NOTEBOOK:

Daily WTT video highlights can be found here: https://vimeopro.com/worldteamtennis/wtt-2020-video-highlights

NEXT SCHEDULED MATCH: The Aviators return to the court against the Springfield Lasers on Thursday, July 23 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT. New York faces the Vegas Rollers on Friday, July 24 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT. Both matches are on ESPN+.



World TeamTennis Stories from July 22, 2020


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