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Wayne Bryan commits to three more years as Capitals coach

January 21, 2007 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Sacramento Capitals News Release


Wayne Bryan has committed another three years to coach the Sacramento Capitals until 2009. Bryan spurred on the Capitals to the WTT Title in 2002 and the Western Division Championship in 2003 and 2004, and was named WTT Coach of the Year from 2004-06. He is also father of the world's No. 1 doubles team, twins Mike and Bob Bryan, who have won 33 doubles titles including a career Grand Slam.

"I'm delighted to say that I've committed to Coach the Sacramento Caps for the next three years," said Bryan. "I consider it a labor of love and I feel that this WTT Franchise is the best in the league -- in terms of our owner, Lonnie Nielson; the dedicated and hard working staff; our amazingly loyal volunteers; supportive, hard rooting and knowledgeable fans; our wonderful sponsors; and the best darn ball kids in all of tennis."

In their 22nd year of the WTT League, the Sacramento Capitals have captured the King Trophy five times (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002).

"I'm very excited about the prospect of having our whole team return. They combine youth and experience and they are a very talented group," said Bryan. "They are so cooperative with me and they give the Caps everything they've got on the court and in the community. We will not rest until we capture the WTT Title again like we did in 2002."

The core Capitals team includes:

*** Caps captain and all time great doubles player, Mark Knowles, who has won 44 titles including the US Open and the Australian Open. He's been #1 in the world in doubles in 2002 and 2004 and was a longtime Davis Cup Player and Olympian for the Bahamas. Formerly an All American at UCLA, he's a two time League MVP.

*** The best singles and doubles combo player in the league and a former MVP, Elena Likhovtseva. She's won 3 singles titles and 27 doubles championships, including the Wimbledon Mixed. She was also a semifinalist at the French Open in 2005. She's consistently been top 30 in the world in singles and top 10 in the world in doubles.

*** The #1 men's singles player in the league, much improved, Sam Warburg who has battled all the way up to #170 in the world. Formerly the #1 player at Stanford and an All American and NCAA Doubles Champion, he has won two futures in the past year and reached the finals of two challengers. He also won four doubles titles in 2006, and had a big win over Joachim Johansson at the SAP in San Jose last February. Growing up and residing in Sacramento, he has a great following locally.

"I am thrilled for the Capitals and the Sacramento tennis community for the return of Wayne Bryan," said Warburg. "He brings a high level of knowledge and enthusiasm to the game, and is a great asset in WTT."

*** Top junior in the world, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. In 2006 she won the Australian and the US Open, while capturing junior doubles titles at the Australian, Wimbledon, and the French. She has recently won one ITF Women's Circuit Singles titles and two Doubles crowns. She did a great job in her rookie season and was a delightful team player.

The 2007 World TeamTennis schedule includes 84 matches in 12 markets beginning in July. Eastern Conference teams are Boston Lobsters, Delaware Smash, Hartford FoxForce, New York Buzz, New York Sportimes and Philadelphia Freedoms. Western Conference teams are Houston Wranglers, Kansas City Explorers, Newport Beach Breakers, Sacramento Capitals, St. Louis Aces and Springfield Lasers. The top two teams in both the Eastern and Western conferences will advance to the season-ending WTT Finals Weekend, set for July 27-29, at the Westfield Galleria at Roseville, in Sacramento, California.

MORE ABOUT WAYNE BRYAN Bryan was the Coach of the Idaho Sneakers of World Team Tennis in 1999. Bryan heads up KIDS DAYS for the ATP in America. He also does "on court interviews", intros, tennis clinics, television commentary, and other emcee work for the Tour. He is a frequent national clinician and speaker. He also makes numerous appearances each year as the front man for his two bands, The Wayne Bryan Band and The Bryan Bros. Band.

Bryan's twin sons, Mike and Bob, are currently the #1 ranking doubles team in the world and have won 33 doubles titles, including the French Open in 2003, the US Open in 2005, the 2006 Australian Open, and the 2006 Wimbledon Doubles Championships - - - a Career Grand Slam. They have won nine of their Davis Cup matches for the US against Slovakia, Austria, Sweden, Belarus, Spain, Belgium, Romania, Chile, and Russia. They were the #1 team in the world in 2003 and 2005, and they are currently the #1 team in the world.

In their two years at Stanford, their team won the NCAA Championship in 1997 and 1998. In their sophomore year Bob won a rare NCAA "Triple Crown" winning the Singles Championship, the Doubles Championship with Mike, and the Team Title. Bob was the "College Player of the Year" in '98.

Bryan founded and ran the Cabrillo Racquet Club, with numerous nationally ranked players and youngsters being awarded Division I Tennis Scholarships. Cabrillo won 32 SoCal Junior Team Tennis Titles and 10 State JTT Championships during Bryan's 25 years at the club. Cabrillo was named the Southern California "Club of the Year" in 1995. Bryan was the #1 player and captain of his U.C. Santa Barbara Tennis Team in the late 60s.

Bryan speaks for Wilson, adidas, WTT, the USTA, the USPTA and the USPTR. His topics include: "The Formula for Junior Tennis Success"; "Motivating Juniors"; "Making Tennis Fun!"; "Team Drills that are Fun and Get Results"; "Big Time Doubles Drills and Games"; "Champion Tennis Parenting"; "Making Your High School Team More Like a College Program" and "Tennis-Press Relations".

Bryan is a dynamic speaker who can entertain, motivate, and educate. The SFX Agency coordinates Bryan's national speaking and clinics.

Along with award winning sports columnist Woody Woodburn, Bryan has a book entitled, Raising Your Child to be a Champion, in Athletics, Arts, and Academics and a video, Drills and Games that are Fun and Get Results!

Article by Kim Kodl

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