WTT Washington Kastles

Querrey, Paes & Stubbs Compete at French Open

Published on May 25, 2011 under World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


The 2011 French Open begins this week and three Kastles are contenders for Grand Slam glory in Paris.

Leander Paes is seeking the only mixed doubles major he's missing, while Rennae Stubbs is hoping to complete the career Grand Slam in women's doubles.

Their Kastles teammate Sam Querrey got off to a great start on Tuesday. The 24th-seeded American earned his first-ever French Open singles win with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 triumph over former world No. 22 Philipp Kohlschreiber on Tuesday.

At the 2009 French Open, Kohlschreiber knocked off Novak Djokovic (undefeated this season) in straight sets, so Querrey's conquest was especially impressive. Querrey's difficult draw continues in the second round on Thursday when the Kastle meets 2006 French Open semifinalist Ivan Ljubicic.

Querrey and John Isner (Boston Lobsters) entered the men's doubles draw as dark horses, but were undone in the opening round by Italians Daniele Bracciali and Potito Starace 2-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(6).

With enormous serves and an intimidating presence at the net, the 6-foot-6 Querrey and 6-foot-9 Isner only conceded only one service break against Bracciali and Starace on Wednesday. But the No. 6 team in the world struggled with their returns, converting just three of 14 break point opportunities.

'Quisner' won 10 of 12 matches during a three-tournament stretch this spring, including a 6-3, 3-6, [10-5] victory over Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi en route to the ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome.

Paes is 43-11 lifetime in men's doubles at the French, his best record at any of the four Grand Slams. He is a four-time French Open finalist, twice winning the championship with Bhupathi (1999, 2001) before partnering Lukas Dlouhy to the 2009 title and 2010 final.

It was in Paris last fall that Paes and Bhupathi met over breakfast, mended fences and decided to team up at the 2011 Australian Open.

One tournament together turned into a full-fledged 'Indian Express' reunion tour.

Paes and Bhupathi enter the 2011 French Open as the second-ranked doubles team in the world, having reached the Australian Open final, captured two titles and won 16 of 20 matches this season.

And even though their last match at Roland Garros was 10 years ago, Paes and Bhupathi will take a 12-match French Open winning streak into their first-round encounter with Tommy Haas and Philipp Petzschner of Germany.

The 'Indian Express' is joined in the top half of the men's doubles draw by No. 1 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan (Kansas City Explorers), Australian Open semifinalists Eric Butorac (Boston Lobsters) and Jean-Julien Rojer (St. Louis Aces) and 2009 French Open finalists Dick Norman and Wesley Moodie.

In mixed doubles, Paes and Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic are teaming for the first time as the Indian vies for the only Grand Slam mixed doubles title he hasn't won. The 2008 US Open, 2010 Australian Open and 2010 Wimbledon champion fell in the French Open quarterfinals last season with Cara Black.

The closest Paes has come to winning the Roland Garros mixed title was in 2005, when he and Martina Navratilova lost in the final to Fabrice Santoro and Daniela Hantuchova.

Like Paes, Stubbs is looking to fill a major void in her career. The Australian has won each women's doubles Grand Slam except the French Open. Stubbs came as close as the 2002 final, when she and Lisa Raymond lost to Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez.

Making her 21st appearance in the French Open women's doubles draw, Stubbs is teaming with countrywoman Casey Dellacqua.

The unseeded Aussies opened with a 6-4, 6-0 win over No. 14 seeds Chia-Jung Chuang and Olga Govortsova on Tuesday. If Stubbs and Dellacqua win their next match, they could meet the fourth-seeded team of Raymond (Philadelphia Freedoms) and Liezel Huber (St. Louis Aces) in the third round.

In a battle between former partners, Stubbs and Dellacqua defeated Raymond and Huber 6-4, 6-3 on May 3rd en route to the Mutua Madrid Open semifinals.

Also in the top half of the women's doubles draw are several of this season's strongest teams, including champions of the Australian Open (Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta), Indian Wells (Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina), Miami (Hantuchova and Agnieszka Radwanska) and Madrid (Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko).

Stubbs and Marcelo Melo of Brazil will pair for the second time in mixed doubles. Their first tournament together was a major success. Stubbs and Melo reached the 2010 Wimbledon final, falling to Paes and Black.

In qualifying singles action, Bobby Reynolds and Arina Rodionova fell in hard-fought first-round matches.

Like the Kastles on Facebook and follow the team on Twitter throughout the fortnight for the latest updates on how the Kastles are doing in Paris.

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World TeamTennis Stories from May 25, 2011


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