Sports stats



WTT Washington Kastles

Serena Captures 8th Miami Title; Hingis Wins Back-To-Back Events

April 8, 2015 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


Washington Kastles in Action
Washington Kastles in Action
(Washington Kastles)

Washington Kastles stars Serena Williams and Martina Hingis defended their Miami Open titles April 4-5, extending their remarkable reign on the world of women's tennis.

In singles, Williams has won 21 consecutive matches. In doubles, Hingis has swept 20 straight sets.

For Williams, the Miami Open is an annual homecoming -- 90 minutes south of her residence in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The World No. 1 has protected her house admirably through the years.

After a sensational semifinal win over third-seeded Simona Halep, Williams struck 27 winners in 56 winners to defeat Carla Suárez Navarro 6-2, 6-0 for her record eighth Miami title.

Four players beaten by Williams in a Miami final have already retired: Jennifer Capriati, Elena Dementieva, Justine Henin and Li Na. The tournament, itself, has been rebranded four times under Williams' rule -- from the NASDAQ-100 Open and Sony Ericsson Open to the Sony Open and Miami Open.

The names of opponents and events may change, but at 33, Williams remains the same athletic phenom who has topped the WTA singles rankings 116 weeks in a row.

Prior to playing Williams, Suárez Navarro had already encountered two Kastles in Miami. She handed Venus Williams her fourth loss in 22 matches this season by rallying for a 0-6, 6-1, 7-5 quarterfinal comeback. Venus was coming off straight-set wins over 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur and No. 4 seed Caroline Wozniacki.

In doubles, however, the fifth-seeded team of Suárez Navarro and Garbiî=B1e Muguruza fell to fourth-year Kastle Anastasia Rodionova and ex-Kastle Arina Rodionova 7-5, 6-1.

That set the Rodionovas up against Hingis and Sania Mirza in the quarterfinals. On Feb. 18 in Dubai, the sisters stunned Hingis and Flavia Pennetta. But the Swiss has been sensational with her new partner and avenged that loss 6-3, 6-4 in Miami.

From there, Hingis and Mirza eliminated Wimbledon finalists Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic 6-2, 6-4. Their set streak, however, was in jeopardy when No. 2 seeds Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina raced to a 5-2 lead in the final. The Russians even held a set point at 5-4.

But the Kastles' mantra of "refuse to lose" has been taken to a new level by Hingis and Mirza, who backed up their BNP Paribas Open title with a 7-5, 6-1 triumph in Miami.

Hingis, who won the 2014 Miami title with Sabine Lisicki, now has 43 doubles titles to go with her 43 singles titles. She rose to No. 4 in the latest WTA doubles rankings and is the top seed with Mirza again at this week's Family Circle Cup. They make their first live streaming debut against the Rodionovas tonight at about 8:30 pm on ESPN3.com.

New Kastle Sam Querrey enjoyed his greatest doubles performance in seven appearances at the Miami Open.

The big-serving Querrey teamed with the even-bigger-serving John Isner to upset a pair of seeded teams en route to the semifinals. The Americans eliminated Sydney and Dubai champions Rohan Bopanna and Daniel Nestor in their opener before beating Rotterdam winners Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau two rounds later.

Three Mylan WTT teams were represented in the semifinals when the Kastles' Querrey and Springfield Lasers' Isner met Bob and Mike Bryan of the California Dream. The top-ranked Bryans ended Querrey and Isner's run 7-6(5), 7-5 to improve to 10-0 overall against their Davis Cup teammates.

In other men's doubles action, Kastles captain Leander Paes and the San Diego Aviators' Raven Klaasen suffered their third loss of the season to Australian Open champions Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini.

The WTT veterans are scheduled to play with different partners at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters next week: Paes with Nestor and Klaasen with Santiago González. Paes and Nestor, who both turned pro in 1991, count the 2013 Winston-Salem Open among their 141 combined ATP World Tour doubles titles.

Kastles Returning to Smith Center in 2015 and 2016

George Washington University Welcomes Back Mylan WTT Champs

After a record-setting season of electrifying indoor tennis, the Washington Kastles are returning to George Washington University's Charles E. Smith Center for home matches in 2015 and 2016.

When Washington hosts seven home matches July 14-29, Kastles Stadium at the Smith Center will welcome World No. 1 Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams, Australian Open mixed doubles champions Leander Paes and Martina Hingis, and Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard.

More than 17,000 fans attended matches at Kastles Stadium at the Smith Center in 2014, the highest total in franchise history. First Lady Michelle Obama was among a standing-room-only, sold-out crowd of 3,275 fans at Washington's home finale, matching the Kastles' largest crowd ever from earlier in the season.

Serena's upcoming match, scheduled for July 21, is expected to break the Kastles' attendance record once again. The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion has not played for Washington since 2011.

Venus returns for Washington's home opener on July 14, while Hingis rejoins the Kastles for home matches on July 26 and 27. Bouchard and the Boston Lobsters visit the Smith Center for Washington's final match of the regular season on July 29.

In Mylan World Team Tennis' 40th season, Washington aims to become the first team in league history to win a fifth consecutive title. Should the Kastles successfully defend the King Trophy, they would tie the Sacramento Capitals for most overall titles with six.

If Washington posts the best record in the Eastern Conference, the Kastles will have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Eastern Conference Championship match is scheduled for July 30, followed by the Mylan WTT Finals on August 2.

Single-match Kastles tickets go on sale later this spring. In the meantime, fans are encouraged to secure season tickets starting at $150 to see Serena, Venus and the rest of the Kastles at the Smith Center.

A limited number of four-seat VIP tables and boxes are available, as well as individual seats with spectacular views in the Kastles Baseline Experience and Kastles Baseline Club. Back by popular demand, the Baseline Experience and Baseline Club are exclusive to the Smith Center and unlike any other tennis ticket in the world.

The Baseline Experience puts fans on the same level as the court, directly behind the players, allowing them to catch a service ace or capture a fantastic photo. The Baseline Club overlooks the action from only 12 feet above the baseline, providing fans with an insider look at how the pros hit their shots and move their feet.

To purchase tables, boxes or individual season tickets such as the Baseline Experience and Baseline Club, please call 202-4-TENNIS (483-6647).




Images from this story

Washington Kastles in Action
Washington Kastles in Action
   

• Discuss this story on the World TeamTennis message board...

World TeamTennis Stories from April 8, 2015


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.

OurSports Central