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WTT New York Empire

New York Empire Can't Hang on in Close Super Tiebreaker Loss to the Springfield Lasers, 23-22

July 19, 2018 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
New York Empire News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Buoyed by one of the game's all-time great doubles players, the Springfield Lasers scored a 23-22 Super Tiebreaker victory over the visiting New York Empire presented by Citi on Thursday night in exciting World TeamTennis presented by GEICO action.

Canada's Daniel Nestor, a former world No. 1 and owner of 12 all-time Grand Slam doubles titles, decided the match with a big serve and volley with the score tied in games 22-22 and knotted at 6-all in the deciding Super Tiebreaker.

Teamed with recent Wimbledon women's doubles semifinalist Abigail Spears, Nestor and Spears jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the Super Tiebreaker against the Empire's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Neal Skupski only to see Martinez Sanchez and Skupski come back to tie it at 5-all. At 6-6, Nestor then closed it out with his big left-handed serve.

The tiebreaker was a common theme throughout the night as four of the five sets ended in a first-to-five point tiebreaker after the set score was tied at 4-4.

Men's singles started things off as Springfield's Miomir Kecmanovic posted a 5-4 win over the Empire's Dennis Novikov on the fast indoor courts.

Tatjana Maria and Martinez Sanchez then knotted the score at 9-9 with their 5-4 win against Vania King and Spears in women's doubles.

The Empire headed into intermission with a slim 14-13 advantage following Novikov and Skupski's 5-4 win over Miomir Kecmanovic and Nestor in men's doubles.

Spears came up big in women's singles downing Maria 5-3 in the only non-tiebreaker set.

Martinez Sanchez and Skupski beat Spears and Nestor 5-4 to tie the score at 22-22 and send the match into the deciding Super Tiebreaker.

The Empire falls to 0-4 on the season while the Lasers are now even at 2-2.

New York Empire at Springfield Lasers Box Score

MS WD MD WS MXD STB Total

New York Empire 4 5 5 3 5 0 (6) 22

Springfield Lasers 5 4 4 5 4 1 (7) 23

Men's Singles: Kecmanovic (SL) def. Novikov (NYE), 5-4

Women's Doubles: Maria/Martinez Sanchez (NYE) def. King/Spears (SL), 5-4

Men's Doubles: Novikov/Skupski (NYE) def. Kecmanovic/Nestor (SL), 5-4

Women's Singles: Spears (SL) def. Maria (NYE), 5-3

Mixed Doubles: Martinez Sanchez/Skupski (NYE) def. Spears/Nestor (SL), 5-4

Super Tiebreaker: Spears/Nestor (SL) def. Martinez Sanchez/Skupski (NYE), 1-0 (7-6)

The New York Empire return home to Court 17 at the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center on Friday, July 20 at 7:00 p.m. as they host the San Diego Aviators.

Group tickets and various hospitality packages are available by calling the New York Empire office at 844-5-EMPIRE (844-536-7473) or by visiting www.nyempiretennis.com.

New York Empire tickets can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster or by calling the New York Empire office at 844-5-EMPIRE (844-536-7473). The 2018 WTT regular season will take place from July 15 - August 2 with the No. 1-seeded team hosting the championship match for the King Trophy on August 5.

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