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Sacramento's Supernova Summer

April 13, 2004 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Sacramento Capitals News Release


SACRAMENTO -- The World TeamTennis draft took place recently and the Sacramento Capitals are proud to present a smashing supernova lineup for its summer season, including headliners that span generations: Andre Agassi, Martina Navratilova, Bob and Mike Bryan, Mardy Fish and Dmitry Tursunov.

"This is the best lineup of talent that has been brought to town," says Lonnie Nielson, who co-owns the Capitals with Ben Combs. "Where else would you see the Bryan brothers, Fish, Navratilova and Agassi at one venue? You'd have to go to one of the Grand Slams or one of the top tier events and stay for a week."

Dmitry Tursunov, a Roseville-based Russian who is ranked No. 72 in the world, is only the second player from Sacramento who has competed for the Capitals (the first was Patty Fendick in the late 1980s). He is the highest ranked roster player in the draft that has committed to the entire season. Other new Caps recruits are 2003 Wimbledon mixed doubles finalist Anastassia Rodionova from Russia and past Orange Bowl winner Nicole Vaidisova from the Czech Republic.

"This is a gutsy draft in that we are going to have the youngest team in the league with our three young foreign players, but I think that they will blend beautifully with our veteran Mark Knowles," says Caps coach Wayne Bryan. "We will have a really exciting and attractive team of all blondes only dragged down by the appearance of the coach!"

Well, all blondes and that bald guy Agassi. "He's been a great friend to World TeamTennis, and I don't think there's been a more exciting and charismatic player to play the sport," says Bryan of Agassi. "We're tickled to have him back after the last two seasons."

Anastassia Rodionova

"I will have to brush up on my Russian and maybe grow out my ‘fro again," joked Mark Knowles, a Top 10 veteran doubles player who looks forward to playing with Dmitry and the rest of the "ovas" on the team. "Hopefully we can match [our designated good looks] with our play."

Mark Knowles Dmitry said that he is excited to play a full season for the Caps, but admits there is a bit of pressure to perform. "I have to do really well, otherwise the home crowd might be booing me off the court," he says with a laugh. "I hope I can pick up some doubles tips from Mark, and I hope I will be of some use to the team."

Coach Wayne Bryan remarks of Tursunov: "I think he is going to be a great singles player and Sacramento is really his home. He has a lot of friends here and I think a lot of local fans will come out and support him. I know he's going to do a lot to put back into the Sacramento tennis community like all of our players will, but he'll be uniquely positioned to do that."

"As a coach I really feel that we can compete again for the WTT championship, which is always the goal," continued Wayne Bryan, despite the fact that his sons Bob and Mike Bryan, the world's No. 1 tandem, are competing for the Newport Beach Breakers. "Originally, I didn't want to coach against the boys. They were on 26 junior or intersectional teams before they went to Stanford, and I've always coached them. I originally told Lonnie and Ben, don't draft, don't do it! Then when I think about it, the best place they can play is Sacramento, because this is the best franchise in all of World TeamTennis. And we'll all go out for dinner – win, lose or draw." Nicole Vaidisova

Martina Navratilova won her 20th Wimbledon title with Leander Paes in mixed doubles in 2003 against Anastassia Rodionova and her partner Andy Ram. Navratilova, who plays for the New York Buzz, and Rodionova will no doubt be pitted against each other in doubles this summer during World TeamTennis. Mardy Fish, who will make an appearance in Sacramento, will compete for the Hartford Foxforce.

Elena Likhovtseva, a mainstay on the Caps team for the past five years, chose not to play World TeamTennis this year so that she could concentrate on doubles with her tour partner Svetlana Kuznetsova. Mark Knowles' tour partner, Daniel Nestor, and last year's rookie Ally Baker also decided not to return.

Each team is comprised of two men, two women and a coach. Team matches consist of five sets, with one set each of men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. The WTT season is played in July with the teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences advancing to the WTT Finals at the U.S. Open to compete for the King Trophy.

All Sacramento Capitals matches will be played at the Allstate Stadium at Sunrise Mall in the Sunrise MarketPlace in Citrus Heights. Call 916-638-4001 x115 for your pre-season $199 special! The schedule will be announced by May 1st. For more information on the Sacramento Capitals, visit www.gocaps.net.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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