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WTT Washington Kastles

US Open First Week Review; Six Kastles Still Alive

September 5, 2015 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


This year's US Open was strongly represented by all eight players from the recently crowned 2015 WTT champion Washington Kastles and six are still alive entering the middle weekend.

To little surprise, it's been veteran leadership from Kastle great Venus Williams who has led the charge through the first five days of the year's final major.

The queen of the Kastles has been holding court inside Arthur Ashe Stadium so far. Williams certainly hasn't been playing like the oldest woman in the field, nor has she been deserving of the 23rd seed that is displayed next to her name.

Williams was tested in the first round by the young upstart Monica Puig, overcoming 48 unforced errors and six double faults to win in three sets, 6-4, 6-7(7-9), 6-3. She had a similar outcome against the Boston Lobsters own Irina Falconi, also pulling out a longer-than-she-hoped effort over her, 6-3, 6-7(7-2), 6-2.

But she thrived against the 18-year-old 12 seed Belinda Bencic. The two-time US Open champ cruised to an efficient 6-3, 6-4 victory over the swiss youngster.

Next she faces Anett Kontaveit on Sunday, and if she wins could face sister Serena in her historic quest for a grand slam, and what would easily be the biggest match of the tournament thus far. Venus trails Serena in their career head-to-head clashes 15-11, however, the last time the two met on a hard court, Venus was victorious.

It was in 2014 in the semifinals at Montreal and Venus pulled out the 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 6-3 win. We could be looking at another three-set classic between the two if both advance to the quarterfinals.

On the men's side, there was a clash of the Kastles in round 2 doubles. Leander Paes alongside partner Fernando Verdasco, went up against Sam Querrey and his partner Steve Johnson.

Paes edged Querrey in WTT play for having the highest win percentage in men's doubles (63 percent to 60 percent), but Querrey got the best of Paes on this day. The American teammates were too much for the unfamiliar duo of Paes and Verdasco, winning 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

Before Paes and Verdasco lost to Querrey and Johnson in that second round, the Indian-Spanish team looked like they were something to be reckoned with, as they skated by Florian Mayer and Frank Moser in the first round 6-2, 6-3.

In women's doubles news, world No. 1 team Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza showed in round one why they're heavy favorites to win the US Open.

They were untested by Kaitlyn Christina and Sabrina Santamaria, holding serve very well and breaking the American team on seven of 13 chances, enjoying a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Hingis and Paes are also experiencing success in mixed doubles as the No. 4 seeds, beating Claire Lui and Taylor Harry Fritz in round one.

In one of the most anticipated matches at the Open today, they will meet the young charismatic pair of Eugenie Bouchard and Nick Krygios in a match of two legends against two of the sports up and comers.

Key member of the 2015 champion Kastles Madison Brengle, who clinched the title in the last set of the WTT Finals, made her biggest splash at a US Open, earning her way into the third round before losing to Anett Konteveit 2-6, 6-3, 0-6.

A victory over Konteveit would have set up a big Labor Day weekend fourth round match against fellow Kastle, Venus. Brengle, however, enjoyed victories over Saisai Zheng in round one and Anna Tatisvili (who had knocked out the 8th seed in the previous match) in the second round.

Brengle began her 2015 season very strong making it to the round of 16 at the Australian Open, and she ended it with a great run at the US Open.

Querrey is also alive in the mixed doubles along with American partner Bethany Mattek-Sands. They were good enough to surpass Lucie Hradecka and Marcin Matkowski in the first round 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 and they take on Daria Gavrilova and John Peers in round two.

Another Kastles player having success in mixed doubles is Anastasia Rodionova. She and veteran Max Mirnyi eased past Anda Perianu and Andrei Daescu 6-2, 6-4 in their opening round, and face No. 7 seeds Raquel Kops-Jones and Raven Klaasen in round two.

Kastles valued substitute Rajeev Ram busted quite a few brackets by ousting popular American hopeful Ryan Harrison in the first round, but then fell to a tricky Viktor Troiki in round two.

Ram is still alive in the men's doubles along with partner Raven Klaasen. The No. 15 seeds bettered Austin Aces Star Teymuraz Gabashvili and Ricardas Berankis in the opening round, and look forward to facing the French team of Adrian Mannarino and Fabrice Martin in the next round.

Other Kastle sub Denis Kudla unfortunately lost in the first round to Jurgen Melzer in straight sets 6-3, 7-5, 6-1. However the score doesn't indicate how hard-fought and close the match actually was. Kudla struggled to get his first serve in and couldn't capitalize on break points, but besides that, played very well.

For complete Kastle-by-Kastle analysis, please continue reading our extended US Open preview. And for US Open updates on all eight Kastles during the tournament -- featuring player schedules and links to live streaming, live scoring and TV listings -- be sure to visit the Kastle Tracker.

Kastles US Open Weekend Preview

MARTINA HINGIS

Doubles with Sania Mirza

Mixed Doubles with Leander Paes

World No. 1 women's doubles team, Hingis and Mirza are looking to end their year with two major championships. And lucky for Mirza, Hingis knows how to win in Flushing, in both singles and in doubles. They are slated to play fellow swiss countrywomen Timea Bacsinszky and Chia-Jung Chuang in the second scheduled match on court 5 later today. This match should go off around 1pm and can be viewed on ESPN3.com.

LEANDER PAES

Mixed Doubles with Martina Hingis

In what may be the most compelling match at the US Open, Paes and Hingis are seeded No. 4 and will take on Eugenie Bouchard and Nick Krygios late today sometime after 4:30pm on court 5. The match can be watched live on ESPN3.com. In their first year playing together, Paes and Hingis have already won the mixed doubles crown at two of the three grand slams (Australian and Wimbledon), and Paes will personally be looking for his second US Open mixed doubles championship in what will be his 22nd year in Flushing.

VENUS WILLIAMS

The former champion, who unjustly seems to be seeded No. 23 has not only battled her way through the first three rounds, but has done so in what is easily the toughest section of the draw. Imposing figures such as Madison Keyes, Ekaterina Makarova, Eugenie Bouchard and younger sister Serena Williams still remain. But what the tennis world really wants is for Venus to beat Kontaveit on Sunday and for Serena to get past Keys so we can be treated to a Williams sisters quarterfinal, as Serena vies for a historic grand slam quest.

ANASTASIA RODIONOVA

Mixed Doubles with Max Mirnyi

Rodionova was aiming to play singles as well, but unfortunately fell to Alize Lim in the first round of qualifying. Women's double didn't work out for her either. She and Su-Wei Hsieh did advance past the first round beating Eva Hrdinova and Bojana Jovanovski 6-2, 6-3, but then fell to Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Coco Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-4 in the second round. She and Mirnyi appear to have something going in mixed doubles. They leaped over Anda Perianu and Andrei Daescu in the first round 6-2, 6-4 and now await Raquel Kops-Jones and Raven Klaasen next.

SAM QUERREY

Mixed Doubles with Bethany Mattek-Sands

Querrey and Mattek Sands square off against Daria Gavrilova and John Peers later today on court 17. The match can be watched by tuning in to ESPN3.com. They are the third scheduled match on that court, and are likely to take the court around 4pm. The duo got to this round by outlasting Lucie Hradecka and Marcin Matkowski in the first round 6-4, 3-6, 10-7.

RAJEEV RAM

Doubles with Raven Klaasen

Ram will be playing in his 15th US Open, and paired with Raven Klaasen in doubles, the two were given the No. 15 seed. After beating Ricardas Berankis and Teymuraz Gabashvili in the first round, they'll face Adrian Mannarino and Fabrice Martin later today as well and can be seen on ESPN3.com. They are scheduled to take the court as the second match on court 13, which should occur around 2pm today.

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