WTT Orange County Breakers

Newport Beach Breakers Lose 24-14

Published on July 22, 2009 under World TeamTennis (WTT)
Orange County Breakers News Release


NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., July 21, 2009 - Fresh off clinching a playoff spot, the Newport Beach Breakers (8-5) welcomed another playoff-bound team, the New York Sportimes (10-3) and John McEnroe, to Breakers Stadium at Newport Beach Country Club Tuesday night. It was the Breakers' chance to make a statement in what could potentially be a preview of the Advanta World TeamTennis Pro League final, and it was Breakers' ace and reigning male WTT MVP Ramon Delgado's chance to make another statement against McEnroe after ousting Michael Chang, Sam Querrey and Andre Agassi already this season.

But neither happened, as the Breakers fell to a 10-1 deficit early and never recovered. Their lone set victory came with a 5-4 men's doubles win. Delgado's giant-killing came to a halt, as he dropped the final set to McEnroe on a 5-2 tiebreaker.

"I played OK," Delgado said of his set against McEnroe. "I just didn't have any chances. I made one error, and that was the match."

Kaes Van't Hof started out the night serving for two straight points and an easy 1-0 lead, but he and Julie Ditty then dropped five straight games to lose the set, 5-1, to Abigail Spears and Robert Kendrick, and put the Breakers in an early hole. Marie-Eve Pelletier wore that four-game deficit into the second set (women's singles) and promptly increased it. In the set's first three games, Pelletier lost all three and scored just two points against Spears. She was replaced by Ditty at 3-0, who then lost the next two games to Spears, albeit closer at 4-2 and 4-3, to drop the set, 5-0, and fall down 10-1 in the match.

"At that point, we knew it was going to be tough," Delgado said. "But you have to win, you have to keep playing. In TeamTennis, you always have the chance to win."

The third event was men's doubles, with McEnroe/Kendrick facing Delgado/Van't Hof. On McEnroe's service game, the 50-year-old winner of 17 total Grand Slam titles and consummate competitor quickly made the point that this was no ceremonial appearance. After Van't Hof held serve, McEnroe did the same, never relinquishing control and winning easily, 4-0. The two pairs then traded serve and forced a tiebreaker.

In the tiebreak, McEnroe took the serve at 1-1, then picked up two straight points on an ace and a winner to go up 3-1. But the Breakers ace didn't falter - Delgado held his two service points then picked up a winner that split McEnroe and Kendrick to give himself and Van't Hof a 4-3 lead in the tiebreak. Kendrick then tied it at 4-4, and on the deciding point, the Breakers leader again came up big, putting it just out of McEnroe's reach to win the tiebreaker and the set, 5-4, and bring the Breakers to 14-6.

In women's doubles, the fourth event, Ditty/Pelletier and Christina Fusano/Spears traded service until Ditty was serving down 4-3 in the set. After a double fault to go down 2-1, Ditty rallied to score three straight points and force the tiebreaker. The Breakers duo quickly picked up a 1-0 lead when Spears double faulted, but lost three straight points and never recovered, losing 5-3 in the tiebreaker to drop the set 5-4 and fall to what would become an insurmountable 19-10 deficit.

In the marquee finale, Delgado, as the only remaining hope to extend the match, served first, and after starting 2-0, Delgado fell to 3-2. Facing break point, Delgado aced McEnroe then scored an easy point to take the first game. The two traded service until, at 2-2, Delgado took serve and promptly held at 4-0, with McEnroe missing multiple shots and showing some of his vintage fire as he grew aggravated with himself. In the next game, McEnroe went up 1-0 but then lost two straight points, hitting into the net both times, growing increasingly aggravated and perhaps showing signs that the former MVP might be too much for him. But McEnroe fired back, winning three straight points - including two aces - to hold serve and get to 3-3. Both players again held serve to force the tiebreak.

In the tiebreaker, up 1-0, Delgado made an error on his second service point that knotted the score at 1 and put the tiebreaker in McEnroe's hands. The Hall of Famer then held both serves to get to 3-1 and scored the next point to go up 4-1. Two points later, he held serve for the 5-2 tiebreak win, the 5-4 set win and 24-14 match win.

"He wanted it in front of his fans," McEnroe said. "I knew it was going to be tight, but I got the 3-1 lead (in the tiebreaker), and I knew he wasn't going to score three points on my serve."

The Breakers and Maria Sharapova host the Kansas City Explorers tomorrow at 7 p.m. in their 2009 regular-season finale.

Results:

Mixed Doubles - Robert Kendrick/Abigail Spears (NY) def. Kaes Van't Hof/Julie Ditty (NB), 5-1

Women's Singles - Spears (NY) def. Marie-Eve Pelletier/Ditty (Ditty replaced Pelletier at 3-0) (NB), 5-0

Men's Doubles - Ramon Delgado/Van't Hof (NB) def. Kendrick/John McEnroe (NY), 5-4 (5-4 tiebreak)

Women's Doubles - Christina Fusano/Spears (NY) def. Ditty/Pelletier (NB), 5-4 (5-3 tiebreak) Men's Singles - McEnroe (NY) def. Delgado (NB) 5-4 (5-2 tiebreak)

Final: New York Sportimes 24, Newport Beach Breakers 14

Limited tickets are available for the Newport Beach Breakers Series Finale Presented by HOM Real Estate Group - Wednesday, July 22, in which Maria Sharapova will play for the Breakers against the Kansas City Explorers. Tickets are $60 for general admission or $45 for the top three rows, and can be purchased by calling 714/352-6301 or visiting www.newporteachbreakers.com.

The Breakers encourage the community to drop off old, unused cell phones at Breakers Stadium on July 22 to support soldiers needing cell phones overseas through the Wounded Warrior Project, which raises awareness, program funds and aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women. All used cell phones will be collected at the Wounded Warrior Project expo booth onsite. Each cell phone donated will grant one entry to win a trip to the 2009 Smash Hits on Dec. 8 in Baton Rouge, La. The Smash Hits is Elton John and Billie Jean King's annual event that raises money for the fight against HIV and AIDS.

The Breakers are in their third year of operation under the auspices of Hoag Hospital Foundation, which has been granted the rights to manage the Breakers through 2009 by WTT with profits from the team's season operations benefiting Hoag Hospital. Breakers Stadium (capacity 2,000) is located at Newport Beach Country Club along Pacific Coast Highway, with views overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Breakers supporters can congregate online and expand the team's fan base through the team's official fan pages on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Newport-Beach-CA/Newport-Beach-Breakers/73887254402?ref=ts), MySpace (www.myspace.com/newportbeachbreakers) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/nbbreakers). Register to become a fan or follower of the Breakers at each fan page and use them to meet and chat with new friends and tennis fans and stay up to date on all team and player information related to the Breakers.

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World TeamTennis Stories from July 22, 2009


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