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World TeamTennis launches its 24th consecutive season

June 8, 2004 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Sacramento Capitals News Release


Sacramento Capitals vie for sixth King Trophy.

Billie Jean King, one of the most illustrious and celebrated tennis players in history, is recognized for spearheading the women's movement in tennis and for her life-long struggle for equality in women's tennis.

King empowered women and educated men when she defeated Bobby Riggs in one of the greatest moments in sports history -- the Battle of the Sexes in 1973.

An outgrowth of those experiences was her concept of World TeamTennis, which she created in 1974 with Larry King. Billie Jean's goal was to further the sport of tennis while increasing the accessibility of tennis' major stars to the general public. "WTT succeeds because of the format -- it's fun and exciting," she said. "We also have been fortunate that our league has become part of the communities in which we play. This is especially evident in Sacramento, where the team leadership has created a great product in a creative venue and the community has responded very favorably."

World TeamTennis Ambassador Andre Agassi returns to the Sacramento Capitals for the 2004 Professional League season. "WTT is a unique brand of tennis that I truly enjoy," Agassi said. "It incorporates the team concept with a level of fan and community involvement that really makes WTT so entertaining. It's the only tennis where you can see singles, doubles and mixed doubles in one night."

"The Sacramento Capitals are one of the leading franchises in WTT because they have a true star in Andre Agassi, a coach who really gets it in Wayne Bryan, and a local management team who truly believes in both WTT and Sacramento in Lonnie Nielson," noted King.

"Andre embodies all of the things that are critical to the World TeamTennis brand, including community involvement and a commitment to growing this great game," said WTT Commissioner Ilana Kloss. "He has been an avid supporter of our Smash Hits charity event since the early '90s and his addition to the Pro League further validates our commitment to strengthen our brand of tennis."

This is the most promising year yet for this brand of tennis, according to King. "This is the strongest package of talent we have had in a long time," she says. "I can't remember when it was stronger. Having Agassi, getting Patrick Rafter, keeping Andy Roddick, and bringing the Bryan brothers and Maria Sharapova back are big factors for WTT. Personally, I am also really glad that we are keeping three strong generations of tennis alive in WTT."

In their 19th year of the WTT League, the Sacramento Capitals are five-time champions of the League Championship and King Trophy (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002). The Caps won the Western Conference in 2003 but fell to the Delaware Smash in the WTT Final.

The WTT Pro League format consists of 10 teams, each comprised of two men, two women and a coach. Team matches consist of five sets, with one set each of men's singles and doubles, women's singles and doubles, and mixed doubles. Each game in a set is worth one point. The winner of the evening is based on the total number of games won during the match. This no-ad scoring ensures action-packed tennis from beginning to end because both teams have a chance to win the match until the last point, even if they have lost the first four sets. The entire match normally takes two and a half hours. 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.

The Sacramento Capitals have not only been successful on the court, but off the court as well. They have contributed almost one million dollars back to the community during their tenure in WTT. The Capitals are proud to give back to the community, and with the assistance of sponsors and season ticket-holders, the charitable donations go further. The Capitals hope to make 2004 a record-breaking year for donations and will again host the Cure for Breast Cancer Fundraiser featuring Andre Agassi. The Capitals would like to extend the opportunity to others in the community to help them make a difference.

Sacramento Capitals matches will be played at the Allstate Stadium at Sunrise Mall in the Sunrise MarketPlace in Sacramento. Season ticket reservations and four-match packages available now. Individual tickets available June 15, 2004. Call 916-638-4001 x111 or order online at www.gocaps.net.

For more information about World TeamTennis and WTT Charities, visit www.wtt.com.

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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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