WTT Washington Kastles

Querrey Leads Capitals against Kastles Tonight

Published on July 18, 2012 under World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


Capitals at Kastles Preview - Military Night 7 pm

Olsen, Sperling Lead Stars Over Stripes at Kastles Charity Classic

The Meltzer Group and The Kastles: A Winning Team

Capitals at Kastles Preview - Military Night 7 pm

Sam Querrey Leads Sacramento Threat into DC

Sacramento Capitals (4-2) at Washington Kastles (6-0)

Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets: Ticketmaster.com, Stadium Box Office

Live Streaming: WashingtonKastles.com

Real-Time Analysis: Facebook, Twitter

All-Time: Kastles and Capitals even at 2-2

Last Meeting: Kastles def. Capitals 25-14 on July 18, 2011 (Home)

One of the biggest threats to the Kastles' 22-match winning streak arrives in DC tonight, and he's bringing his record-setting serve with him.

The Washington men have carried the Kastles to six straight wins at the start of 2012, but 6-foot-6 Sacramento Capital Sam Querrey has the talent to change all that.

With Querrey in their lineup, the Capitals will be keen to avenge their 25-14 loss in DC last season. Querrey is 3-0 lifetime on tour against Kastles' closer Bobby Reynolds in singles, but he hasn't had as much luck against the Washington men in doubles, losing four of five meetings with Leander Paes and two of three with Reynolds.

Thus far this season, the Kastles have won 17 of 18 sets when Paes, Reynolds or both have been on the court. Querrey is 2-0 in men's singles and 1-1 in men's doubles alongside former World No. 1 Mark Knowles.

Tonight's match between the 6-0 Kastles and 4-2 Capitals could be a preview of the WTT Finals on September 16th in Charleston, S.C. Both teams are currently in first place of their respective conferences.

Some tickets to tonight's match are still available, but going fast. Purchase them now at Ticketmaster.com to avoid the lines at the Stadium Box Office.

If you can't make it to Kastles Stadium at The Wharf tonight, follow live streaming of the Kastles vs. Querrey and the Capitals on WashingtonKastles.com.

Besides competing against the Capitals this evening, the defending WTT champion Kastles will pay tribute to active duty military, veterans, and their families as part of Military Night.

The first 1,000 fans through the gates at Kastles Stadium at The Wharf will receive a complimentary Kastles' Camo T-shirt, courtesy of GEICO. Gates open at 5:15 pm, with first serve scheduled for 7 pm.

PROJECTED MATCH-UPS

MS: Bobby Reynolds (WAS) vs. Sam Querrey (SAC)

WS: Anastasia Rodionova (WAS) vs. Asia Muhammad (SAC)

MD: Reynolds/Leander Paes (WAS) vs. Querrey/Mark Knowles (SAC)

WD: An. Rodionova/Arina Rodionova (WAS) vs. Muhammad/Yasmin Schnack (SAC)

MXD: Paes/An. Rodionova (WAS) vs. Knowles/Schnack (SAC)

SET BY SET

Men's Singles

Reynolds and Querrey, both undefeated in men's singles this season, will go head to head in what promises to be a pivotal set in tonight's match. Two of Reynolds' three ATP losses to Querrey came in three sets, so he has the game to push the World No. 55. The coach of the home team determines the order of play, and Reynolds has played men's singles in the fifth set at eight straight home matches. Will Coach Murphy Jensen keep riding his luck with the Kastles' closer tonight?

Women's Singles

Since changing sides of the court at 2-2 against Karolina Pliskova of Philadelphia on Sunday, Anastasia Rodionova has played her best tennis of the season. She swept the last three games against Pliskova and dominated at net alongside Venus Williams in women's doubles on Monday. Rodionova defeated her opponent tonight, young American Asia Muhammad, in their only prior meeting 6-4, 6-4 at the 2009 US Open. With Reynolds and Paes having their hands full tonight, a Rodionova singles win will go a long way toward keeping the Kastles' winning streak alive.

Men's Doubles

During the Kastles' 22-match unbeaten run, Reynolds and Paes are 17-5 in men's doubles. Along the way, they defeated Knowles and Dusan Vemic 5-3 last July. Querrey is no Dusan Vemic, so expect the set to be tighter tonight, especially after what Querrey and Knowles did on Monday night. Trailing the New York Sportimes 17-13 going into the fifth set, the Capitals rallied to an improbable win thanks to a 5-0 men's doubles victory by Querrey and Knowles.

Leander Paes is 11-1 overall this season.

Women's Doubles

Both the Kastles and Capitals' women's doubles teams have lost more games than they've won this season, which is surprising. Anastasia and Arina Rodionova have reached six WTA semifinals together, and Muhammad and Yasmin Schnack won a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit title last month in Sacramento. Improvements by the Rodionovas in doubles will be key to the Kastles' success down the stretch of the season.

Mixed Doubles

Paes and Anastasia Rodionova rank No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in mixed doubles this season, with chemistry far beyond their experience as a team. The Capitals field a brand new pairing as well, with Schnack filling the void alongside Knowles that was left by former Capital Vania King, who is not playing World TeamTennis this season. Schnack and Knowles attended UCLA 18 years apart: Knowles turning pro in 1992 and Schnack graduating in 2010.

KEY FOR THE KASTLES - WOMEN'S SETS ARE THERE FOR THE TAKING

The stellar play of Paes and Reynolds has propelled Washington to a 6-0 start in 2012, despite inconsistency from the Rodionovas.

Querrey and Knowles are far-and-away the toughest competition that the Kastles' men have encountered all season, and will test the home team.

But in women's singles and doubles, Muhammad and Schnack provide opposition that the Rodionovas are fully capable of sweeping. And that's just what they may need to do for Washington pick up Win No. 23 in a row.

The Kastles drafted Sam Querrey in 2011, but injury kept him out of action.

Olsen, Sperling Lead Stars at Kastles Charity Classic

Team Stars won the Washington Kastles Charity Classic 41-39 over Team Stripes.

Two star-studded rosters of politicians, members of the media, sports figures and current Kastles players battled to the final point in the first-annual Washington Kastles Charity Classic, proving that Republicans, Democrats, Administration and Congress can work together when there is a good cause and team tennis involved.

In the innovative and entertaining match between the Stars and Stripes teams, it was the Stars, led by DC United coach Ben Olsen and Director of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling, who emerged victorious 41-39.

The real winners were Share Our Strength, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and D.C. Public Education Fund. The three charitable organizations shared all of the profits from ticket sales as well as extra funds from the event underwriter Walmart and other sponsors Comcast, Verizon and the Washington Kastles.

Tiebreakers and World TeamTennis rules were in play throughout the Washington Kastles Charity Classic, exposing some of Washington's most notable names to the exciting format that Kastles fans have come to know and love.

The Stars and Stripes competed in six doubles tiebreakers up to 7 and one doubles tiebreaker up to 10, with the team that accumulated the most points over the course of the evening emerging victorious.

Stars coach Murphy Jensen and Stripes coach Leander Paes wore microphones to add a bit of Kastles color to the evening, dishing out verbal jabs as often as the Kastles are winning matches these days.

Leander Paes isn't used to losing, but he and Team Stripes came up just short.

The Stars got off to a strong start behind back-to-back winners by radio personality Mark Plotkin, who teamed with Ward 7 Councilwoman Yvette Alexander to defeat Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans and DC Deputy Mayor Paul Quander 7-3. Councilwoman Alexander showed great moves on and off the court, dancing to "Peanut Butter Jelly Time."

In the second set, the Stripes tied the match score at 10-10 when broadcast journalists Bret Baier and Jonathan Karl showed great feel at the net to beat former Indiana Governor Evan Bayh and ex-Louisiana Senator John Breaux 7-3. The colorful Breaux competed despite knee replacement surgery that he is scheduled to undergo next week.

The third set pitted Kastles' teammates Paes and Bobby Reynolds against one another for a change. Playing with wooden racquets, Paes paired with Washington Redskins' Hall-of-Famer Darrell Green for the Stripes, while Reynolds partnered former Redskins' player Rocky McIntosh for the Stars.

Despite an amazing point from McIntosh in which the 6-foot-2, 242-pound linebacker outdueled Paes at the net, the Stripes won the third set 7-4.

The Stars rallied to tie the match score at 21 by clinching the fourth set 7-4. Gene Sperling hit winners on the final two points as he and fellow economist Alan Krueger defeated Bloomberg's Peter Cook and Hans Nichols.

Paes and Reynolds returned to the court for the fifth set, which pitted the undefeated Kastles' mixed doubles team of Paes and Anastasia Rodionova against Reynolds and Arina Rodionova .

The Kastles got a kick out of playing one another. As Arina Rodionova lined up to hit a second set at 1-2, Paes asked Reynolds across the net: "How safe do you feel, Bobby -

Reynolds replied: "Not at all," before ducking for cover as Paes scorched a return over his head and beyond the baseline.

Paes and Anastasia Rodionova won five of the last six points to claim the tiebreak for the Stripes, much to the dismay of Stars' coach Jensen.

"You're hitting to the best doubles player in the history of the game. Are you insane - Jensen hollered at Reynolds, who directed a majority of his shots at Paes during the set.

The sixth set came down to the deciding 6-6 point of a tiebreaker following an impressive display by Olsen and Ohio Congressman Steve LaTourette of the Stars and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Neal Wolin and former Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers of the Stripes.

An Olsen overhead winner on the last point cut the Stripes' lead to 34-31 going into the final tiebreaker up to 10 points.

Olsen and Sperling started the final tiebreaker for the Stars against Nichols and Karl of the stripes. The Stars jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind three winners before Coach Jensen and Coach Paes began making substitutions to get all of their other players involved.

Not everybody returned to the court with a racquet in hand. McIntosh took over the role of a ballboy at the net -- becoming unofficially the biggest ballperson in the history of tennis.

The one constant in the tiebreak was Sperling, who never left the court. After the Democrat nailed Baier at the net to make the score 7-2, Republican Congressman LaTourette remarked to his teammate: "Sperling, I take back everything I ever said about you."

Sperling finished the tiebreaker alongside Krueger, and when Wolin's backhand landed long on match point, Team Stars had completed a come-from-behind victory. As Coach Jensen ran after the Kastles Trophy, McIntosh performed unofficially the biggest back handspring in the history of sports celebrations.

Thanks to all of the participants, sponsors and fans for a magical night for three great causes!

Rocky McIntosh assumes the role of a ballperson next to Austin Yannone.

Washington Kastles Charity Classic Results

Team Stars def. Team Stripes 41-39

Mark Plotkin/Yvette Alexander (Stars) d. Jack Evans/Paul Quander (Stripes) 7-3

Bret Baier/Jonathan Karl (Stripes) d. Evan Bayh/John Breaux (Stars) 7-3

Darrell Green/Leander Paes (Stripes) d. Rocky McIntosh/Bobby Reynolds (Stars) 7-4

Alan Krueger/Gene Sperling (Stars) d. Peter Cook/Hans Nichols (Stripes) 7-4

Paes/Anastasia Rodionova (Stripes) d. Reynolds/Arina Rodionova (Stars) 7-3

Steve LaTourette/Ben Olsen (Stars) d. Larry Summers/Neal Wolin (Stripes) 7-6

Olsen/Sperling (Stars) d. Karl/Nichols (Stripes) 10-5*

* Substitutions were made throughout the set for all players but Sperling.

The Meltzer Group and The Kastles: A Winning Team

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At The Meltzer Group, client satisfaction is our highest priority. We believe that the clients' needs and desires are the most important factors in the insurance process and take an extraordinary amount of time and care to ensure that our clients receive the services and products they desire.

We are proud to take care of hundreds of thousands of people in the DC area and would love to add you to our list of valued clients. For more information on The Meltzer Group and the services we have to offer please call 301-581-7300 or visit Meltzer.com.

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World TeamTennis Stories from July 18, 2012


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