World TeamTennis Pro League Recap
Published on July 21, 2009 under World TeamTennis (WTT) News Release
Falling down 10-1 in the first two sets, the Newport Beach Breakers couldn't recover against the New York Sportimes, the No. 1 team in the East, and lost, 24-14, Tuesday night at Breakers Stadium at Newport Beach Country Club.
Kaes Van't Hof started out the night serving for two straight points and an easy 1-0 lead, but he and Julie Ditty then dropped five straight games to lose the set, 5-1, to Abigail Spears and Robert Kendrick, and put the Breakers in an early hole. Marie-Eve Pelletier wore that four-game deficit into the second set (women's singles) and promptly increased it. In the set's first three games, Pelletier lost all three and scored just two points against Spears. She was replaced by Ditty at 3-0, who then lost the next two games to Spears, albeit closer at 4-2 and 4-3, to drop the set, 5-0, and fall down 10-1 in the match.
The third event was men's doubles, with McEnroe/Kendrick facing Ramon Delgado/Van't Hof. On McEnroe's service game, the 50-year-old winner of 17 total Grand Slam titles and consummate competitor quickly made the point that this was no ceremonial appearance. After Van't Hof held serve, McEnroe did the same, never relinquishing control and winning easily, 4-0. The two pairs then traded serve until Delgado/Van't Hof had a chance for a break and a set win. With Newport Beach up 4-3 in the set but with Kendrick serving at 3-3, Kendrick picked up the ace and forced the tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, McEnroe took the serve at 1-1, then picked up two straight points on an ace and a winner to go up 3-1. But the Breakers ace didn't falter - Delgado held his two service points then picked up a winner that split McEnroe and Kendrick to give himself and Van't Hof a 4-3 lead in the tiebreak. Kendrick then tied it at 4-4, and on the deciding point, the Breakers leader again came up big, putting it just out of McEnroe's reach to win the tiebreaker and the set, 5-4, and bring the Breakers to 14-6.
In women's doubles, the fourth event, Ditty/Pelletier and Christina Fusano/Spears traded service until Ditty was serving down 4-3 in the set. After a double fault to go down 2-1, Ditty rallied to score three straight points and force the tiebreaker. The Breakers duo quickly picked up a 1-0 lead when Spears double faulted, but lost three straight points and never really recovered, losing 5-3 in the tiebreaker to drop the set 5-4 and fall to what would become an insurmountable 19-10 deficit.
In the marquee finale, Delgado served first, and after starting 2-0, Delgado fell to 3-2. Facing break point, Delgado aced McEnroe then scored an easy point to take the first game. The two traded service until, at 2-2, Delgado took serve and promptly held at 4-0, with McEnroe missing multiple shots and showing some of his vintage fire as he grew aggravated with himself. In the next game, McEnroe went up 1-0 but then lost two straight points, hitting into the net both times, growing increasingly aggravated and perhaps showing signs that the former MVP might be too much for him. But McEnroe fired back, winning three straight points - including two aces - to hold serve and get to 3-3. Both players again held serve to force the tiebreak.
In the tiebreaker, up 1-0, Delgado made an error on his second service point that knotted the score at 1 and put the tiebreaker in McEnroe's hands. The Hall of Famer then held both serves to get to 3-1 and scored the next point to go up 4-1. Two points later, he held serve for the 5-2 tiebreak win, the 5-4 set win and 24-14 match win.
The Breakers and Maria Sharapova host the Kansas City Explorers tomorrow at 7 p.m. in their 2009 regular-season finale.
World TeamTennis Stories from July 21, 2009
- World TeamTennis Pro League Recap - WTT
- Crucial Final Home Kastles Matches; Petrova Joins Team; Match Recap - Washington Kastles
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