WTT Washington Kastles

WTT Returns Sunday: Kastles Face Empire in Season Opener on Monday, July 13

July 11, 2020 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles News Release


The race for the King Trophy is on!

This Monday, the Washington Kastles will begin their campaign for a record-breaking seventh WTT title when they take on the New York Empire in their first match of the 45th season of World TeamTennis at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia from July 12 - Aug. 2.

The 2020 World TeamTennis season will be the world's most star-studded and anticipated professional tennis event since the worldwide shutdown, resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic.

Reigning Australian Open champion and world #4 Sofia Kenin, doubles greats Bob and Mike Bryan, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, 10-time ATP singles champ Sam Querrey, former world #1 Kim Clijsters, American rising star and current world #24 Taylor Fritz, fan-favorite and 2014 Wimbledon finalist Genie Bouchard, and many more of the game's top stars will headline around-the-clock action, featuring at least three matches per day, at The Greenbrier's Center Court, with 500 seats available per match for fans in the 2,500-seat Creekside Stadium!

Coached by former world #15 Robby Ginepri, the Kastles' 2020 roster is one of only three teams in the league comprised entirely of Top-100 players. The starting lineup will be headlined by four-time Olympic gold medalist, 23-time Grand Slam champion, and long-time Kastles superstar Venus Williams, who helped Washington lift four of their record six King Trophies in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015.

The 2020 Kastles also will feature American rising star and world #57 Tommy Paul (who is replacing Frances Tiafoe, after the DC star recently tested positive for Covid-19), Kastles Hall of Famer and two-time Kastles champion MVP Arina "Hot Rod" Rodionova, WTT veteran and former All-American at Chapel Hill Nick Monroe, Croatian southpaw and world #60 Bernarda Pera, and 2020 Australian Open doubles quarterfinalist from El Salvador Marcelo Arevalo, who will look to hand the 2019 WTT finalist Empire their first defeat of the season.

A limited number of tickets are available to see the Kastles LIVE at The Greenbrier! Click here to get your seats to an unforgettable Kastles season now!

Get live scores, stats, news, insider content & join virtual watch parties all season long by downloading the free Tennis ONE app, the Official App of World TeamTennis!

But the Kastles sights will be firmly fixed on the two-time defending WTT champion Springfield Lasers in their first encounter of the season on July 16. The Lasers begin their quest for a WTT three-peat in an unprecedented season premiere on July 12 against the Orlando Storm.

All Kastles and WTT matches, 66 in total, including the playoffs and WTT Final, will be televised and/or live-streamed on CBS, CBS Sports Network, CBS Sports app, Tennis Channel, ESNP2, ESPN+ and Facebook Watch. Click Here for the Full WTT TV & Streaming Schedule!

Venus will suit up for her ninth season and first match of 2020 with the Kastles on July 15, when they face the 2016 WTT champion San Diego Aviators. The Kastles legend and five-time WTT champ will take on a familiar opponent, 2018 US Open women's doubles champion and 2017 US Open and Australian Open singles semifinalist Coco Vandeweghe, whom Williams memorably defeated, in 2012, to score the Kastles' third championship title and second-consecutive perfect season, a highlight she has often called one of her favorite on-court moments.

Five-time WTT champ Venus Williams will suit up for her ninth season with the Washington Kastles on July 15.

On July 18, Venus will face reigning Australian Open singles champion Sofia Kenin in their maiden WTT encounter when the Kastles square-off against Billie Jean King's Philadelphia Freedoms in their second-consecutive match of the season. Kenin won their sole prior meeting in the third round of the French Open last summer. On the men's side, Paul will take on compatriot and current world #24 Taylor Fritz.

Venus will also headline the Kastles match against the Vegas Rollers on July 19, which will be broadcast live on CBS and Facebook Watch. Doubles greats and former Kastles Bob and Mike Bryan, Sam Querrey, and defending Olympic singles gold medalist Monica Puig will lead the Vegas lineup.

Other highlights include a highly-anticipated encounter between Williams and former world #1 and six-time Grand Slam winner Kim Clijsters on July 26, when the Kastles take on the Empire in their last encounter of the regular season. Clijsters will make her WTT debut this summer, after coming out of retirement this February. It will be the 14th career-meeting between the two champions. Clijsters narrowly leads their head-to-head, 7-6, after winning their last match in the semifinals of the 2010 US Open in three sets.

And on July 24, don't miss the Kastles first match against WTT's newest expansion team the Chicago Smash, who will feature 2017 US Open champ and 2018 French Open finalist Sloane Stephens and fan favorite and 2014 Wimbledon finalist Genie Bouchard, among others in their league debut.



World TeamTennis Stories from July 11, 2020


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