The @OrlandoStormWTT End @PhillyFreedoms Win Streak in Early @WorldTeamTennis Saturday Action

Posted by Admin on July 25, 2020
Posted in: ATP, World Team Tennis, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

The @OrlandoStormWTT End @PhillyFreedoms Win Streak in Early @WorldTeamTennis Saturday Action

The Philadelphia Freedoms rode a six match win streak into Saturday morning, and with 2020 Australian Open women’s singles champion Sofia Kenin on the roster, there was little reason to the think that the streak would not extend further. The Orlando Storm found themselves in a tight race to remain in the World Team Tennis top tier, as the top four teams in the league will contest the semifinals and final next weekend.

What followed was a blowout by WTT standards. So many sets in this competition end with a tiebreak that it was surprising to not see a 5-4 result on the scorecard today, where the Storm dominated the Freedom, 23-13.

Tennys Sandgren and Ken Skupski bageled Donald Young and Fabrice Martin to take a big 5-0 lead in men’s doubles. Jessica Pegula stepped up to the plate in route to a breezy 5-2 victory over Kenin and you had the feeling that it was going to be a good day for the Storm. Pegula followed up her singles win with a doubles victory with Darija Jurak. The pair beat Taylor Townsend and Caroline Dolehide, 5-3. Sandgren finished off the Freedoms with a 5-3 victory over Taylor Fritz and the rout was over. Pegula was selected as the “Chosen” Player of the Match for her efforts, although Sandgren must have been a close second for the nod.

The Storm badly needed to win today and their record now improves to 6-4. With the victory, the Storm maintain a one-half match lead over the Vegas Rollers and one full match lead on the Washington Kastles, who are currently outside of the playoff bubble.

Orlando will open tomorrow’s WTT action as well, taking on the 2019 league champion Springfield Lasers in a must-win match for Springfield.

—S. Fogleman in West Virginia

At @WorldTeamTennis Friday, Clutch @ClijstersKim Cruises in @NYEmpireTennis Win

Posted by Admin on July 24, 2020
Posted in: World Team Tennis. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

At @WorldTeamTennis Friday, Clutch @ClijstersKim Cruises in @NYEmpireTennis Win

Steve Fogleman in White Sulphur Springs, WV

Kim Clijsters has always been a heavy lifter in the world of professional tennis, having been the first unseeded woman to win a U.S. Open singles title. Today in World Team Tennis action at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Clijsters showed her mettle.

Before she heated up on court for the New York Empires, Clijsters served as a ball person during the opening set of men’s doubles. While she trained her eyes on the play in front of her, she couldn’t help but constantly turn around to keep an eye on her three kids in attendance—Jada, Jack and Blake. She even threw a water bottle from the Empire’s stash toward one of her thirsty boys during a timeout.

Clijsters gave those children a show to remember, and she started by winning the women’s doubles event with Kveta Peschke, 5-2. Moments later, she was paired with Jack Sock, as they took the mixed doubles 5-4. That would have been a successful day for any WTT player.

In a surprise move, New York Empire Coach Luke Jensen substituted the Belgian after fellow teammate Sabine Lisicki faced a 3-1 deficit to Monica Puig of the Vegas Rollers. Clijsters needed a moment to get her singles game on track, and ultimately defeated Puig by a 5-4 score, effectively knocking the Rollers out of the match.

 

After the match at courtside, Clijsters told me that “you just try to be ready when you get put out there.  I was a little surprised by (the move) and I was like ‘ok’, Sabine wasn’t playing her best tennis but she still had some good tennis in her,” she said. “In that first game, I had to wake myself up a little bit again.

I remarked that she looked like she was doing double duty during the opening singles match, between serving up balls to Sock and H20 to her son.

“This is my life, so I’m used to it. To a lot of people or players, it’s unusual but it’s very normal and I wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s just a matter of time to balance it out,” Clijsters replied.

Clijsters was deemed Player of the Match. With the win, the Empire improves their record to 5-4, good for third place in the WTT standings.

It’s Official: No @CitiOpen This Summer

Posted by Admin on July 21, 2020
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, USTA, Washington. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment
Welcome to Washington (Citi Open)

Citi Open will have to wait another year to celebrate its 52nd edition as tournament officials officially pulled the plug on pro tennis in the Nation’s Capital for 2020.

“After months of tireless work by our team and close collaboration with our many stakeholders, we are heartbroken to announce that we must, unfortunately, postpone the 52nd Citi Open until the summer of 2021,” the tournament said in an email to fans.

“With only 23 days left until the start of the tournament, there are too many unresolved external issues, including various international travel restrictions as well as troubling health and safety trends, that have forced us to make this decision now in fairness to our players, suppliers, and partners, so that they can have certainty around their planning.”

Coco Gauff, Mark Ein, Caty McNally, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Fans or no fans, it would have been exciting to have the ATP restart in Washington. Now all eyes will focus on New York. where the Western & Southern Open is scheduled to start on August 22.

And the USTA wants you to know that the Cincy tournament is still on.

Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

“This decision in no way impacts the US Open or the Western & Southern Open,” according to the a statement issued through the Citi Open. “The USTA will create a safe and controlled environment for players and everyone else involved in both tournaments that mitigates health risks that was approved by the State of New York and also conforms to the standards put forth by New York City and the federal government. We constantly base our decisions regarding hosting these tournaments on our three guiding principles that include safe and healthy of all involved, whether hosting these events are in the best interest in the sport of tennis and whether this decision is financially viable. We are confident we remain in-line with all three guiding principles.”

Cheers to Citi Open CEO Mark Ein for trying to keep the event alive this year.

I don’t know about you, but this sounds like an EXCELLENT time to head to West Virginia.

—S. Fogleman

Who Says You Can’t Do The Charleston in 2020? Women’s Tennis Resumes Next Week With @CreditOneBank Invitational #Tennisisback

Posted by Admin on June 17, 2020
Posted in: Charleston, Volvo Car Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Who Says You Can’t Do The Charleston in 2020? Women’s Tennis Resumes Next Week With @CreditOneBank Invitational
CREDIT ONE BANK INVITATIONAL ANNOUNCES MATCH SCHEDULE, SCORING AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Tournament will receive live coverage on Tennis Channel June 23 – 28 daily at 4pm EST
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Competitive professional tennis returns to Charleston, SC next week with the new Credit One Bank Invitational, contested June 23 – 28 at LTP Daniel Island. The 16-player team event will receive more than 40 hours of live coverage on Tennis Channel and raise funds for frontline healthcare workers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).

The public has played an important role in MUSC’s response to the pandemic. To date, community donations have supported testing, medical research and relief for MUSC healthcare workers experiencing financial hardships due to the virus. Throughout the tournament, viewers wishing to support these efforts can make gifts online at give.musc.edu/CreditOneBank.

Sloane Stephens, 2018 US Open (Getty)

Sloane Stephens  (Photo credit:KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images)

The tournament will kick off on Tennis Channel on June 22 at 8pm EST with the Credit One Bank Invitational draft with team captains, Madison Keys (Team Kindness) and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (Team Peace). The captain who wins the coin toss, happening at a media online press conference earlier in the week, will have first draft pick, then the captains will alternate until all selections have been made. Tennis Channel will air each player’s profile during the draft with information on their Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) for singles and doubles. Results from the tournament will be counted towards each player’s individual UTR.

Tennis Channel will air live coverage of the Credit One Bank Invitational every day at 4pm EST from June 23 – June 28.

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“We are excited to support the Credit One Bank Invitational and its exciting team format with Universal Tennis’ innovative tools and technology,” said Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis Chairman & CEO. “When matches count for UTR, local play has a global impact. Every tennis player in the world, from the pros in Charleston to recreational players, can view their rating, monitor their competitive ability and register for events on MyUTR.com for free.”

Sofia Kenin, Charleston 2017 (TennisAtlantic.com)

The Credit One Bank Invitational’s player field includes reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin as well as Keys, Mattek-Sands, Sloane Stephens, Victoria Azarenka, Amanda Anisimova, Monica Puig, Ajla Tomljanovic, Danielle Collins, Alison Riske, Shelby Rogers, Genie Bouchard, Jennifer Brady, Leylah Fernandez, Emma Navarro and Caroline Dolehide. Bianca Andreescu was originally slated to play in the tournament, but has withdrawn from the event. Dolehide has taken her place in the field.

The event has worked closely with MUSC throughout the planning process to ensure a secure environment for all players and staff. MUSC developed the event’s official health and safety protocol plan, and their ‘Back to Work’ team established the tournament’s health guidelines, which include: on-site testing, daily temperature tests and health questionnaires, sanitizing equipment at high touch areas and mandatory face masks for all personnel. Housing for players will also be located within walking distance of the stadium.

To maintain social distancing guidelines, each competitor will have her own lounge around the stadium, where she can cheer on her teammates. Tennis Channel will air behind-the-scenes content filmed by players throughout the tournament and check-in with players in their lounges during the broadcast for updates.

On court, players will call their own lines and the tournament will only use one official. Two ball crew members will wear gloves and use equipment to avoid touching the tennis balls. Players will be responsible for handling their own towels and refreshments.

The tournament will be conducted without fans and media. It is currently the largest-scale tennis event to be confirmed since the sport went on hiatus to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Credit One Bank Invitational is part of Tennis Channel’s Re(Open) Tour, a series of events and exhibitions taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ready, Play! 2020 @CitiOpen Set for August 13-21, Will Become First ATP Tour Tournament After Longest Drought in Open Era

Posted by Admin on June 17, 2020
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Ready, Play! 2020 @CitiOpen Set for August 13-21, Will Become First ATP Tour Tournament After Longest Drought in Open Era

The Citi Open continues to reimagine tennis on a whole new scale.

Three months after the pro tours suspended their seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ATP and tournament officials announced today that the professional tennis tour will return to the world stage with the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. from August 13-21.

Coco Gauff, Mark Ein, Caty McNally, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Coco Gauff, Mark Ein, Caty McNally, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

“After what will be a five-month shutdown, we are thrilled that pro tennis will resume in Washington, DC at the 2020 Citi Open.” said tournament chairman and CEO of MDE Tennis Mark Ein. “Our team has completed an exhaustive effort to explore, design, and refine the health and safety protocols necessary to host the event. After this extensive collaboration with a full range of our stakeholders, it is an extraordinary and unexpected honor to host the comeback of our great sport right here in our backyard.”

The Citi Open will be the ATP Tour’s first sanctioned event since February and will mark the end to the longest hiatus in the Open Era. Conversations with the WTA Tour about returning in DC the same week this summer are on-going.

Citi Open 2019

Founded in 1969, the Citi Open is the fourth longest-running pro tournament in the United States. This summer marks the 52nd consecutive year the Citi Open will be played in its original home of Rock Creek Park.

“This has been a very tough year for so many people in our community and our nation, and we hope the return of a great Washington summer tradition will give people something to look forward to,” said Ein. “Building on the event’s long charitable history, we are planning to use the tournament to help some of those people most impacted and shine a light on some of our many local heroes.”

The tournament is working closely with local officials on the health and safety plan in order to secure all the necessary permits and approvals for the event. The current plan is for the Citi Open to host this year’s tournament without fans in attendance, but officials remain optimistic that as the region continues its phased reopening, and conditions improve, they may be granted permission to allow limited fans onsite.

If a limited number of fans are allowed at this year’s event, the significant number of series ticketholders that have already paid their deposits will get the top priority and be assured some tickets, followed by those that pay deposits prior to any ticket allocation. It is not anticipated that tickets would be available beyond that.

A Skyline Without @SkylineChili: @CincyTennis Moves to The Big Apple for 2020

Posted by Admin on June 17, 2020
Posted in: ATP, Cincinnati, US Open, US Open Qualifying, USTA, Western & Southern Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Cincy Entrance
2020 WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN TO BE STAGED IN NEW YORK
CINCINNATI (JUNE 17, 2020) – Due to circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Western & Southern Open will be held in New York City at the USTA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in 2020 and will now take place Aug. 20-28.
The ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier 5 event will be the first combined tournament hosting players from both circuits at a single venue since the tours suspended play in early March. The Western & Southern Open had originally been scheduled to take place Aug. 15-23 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.

Phil Hinkle, 2018 Western & Southern Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

Phil Hinkle, 2018 Western & Southern Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

Each Western & Southern Open draw will include 56 players in main draw singles, 32 teams in doubles and a qualifying field of 48 players. The entry guidelines and the deadline for player entries will be determined in conjunction with the WTA and ATP Tour in the coming weeks and will be announced at a later date. Spectators will not be permitted at the tournament.
“The international nature of tennis is one of its greatest assets. However, this international aspect also creates challenges in restarting the tour seasons,” said Western & Southern Open COO Katie Haas. “Last year, we hosted players representing 47 nations at the Western & Southern Open. With continued restrictions on international travel and quarantine guidelines, hosting multiple tournaments in a controlled environment with shared testing and medical resources at the National Tennis Center provides us the best chance to safely resume play for a combined event that is the size, scope and stature of the Western & Southern Open.
“While we will miss welcoming our fans and the players to Cincinnati, we are privileged to be the first tournament to bring both tours together for a combined event.”

Marissa Beck, 2017 Western & Southern Open

Marissa Beck, 2017 Western & Southern Open

The Western & Southern Open will utilize Grandstand Court at the National Tennis Center as its primary show court, with match play occurring on other outside courts. The US Open will follow the W&S Open at the facility and begin on Aug. 31.
“We will work with our partners at the USTA as well as both tours to stage the tournament in New York this year,” Haas said. “We will then quickly turn our attention to making preparations to welcome all our fans and the players back to Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Open in 2021.”

Fernando Verdasco Cincy

Photo: Christopher Levy

Patrons holding tickets for the 2020 tournament that were purchased directly from Western & Southern Open or Ticketmaster are eligible for a full refund. In addition, the holders of certain categories of tickets will be given an option to retain their seats for 2021. Full details on our 2020 ticket policy can be found at wsopen.com/2020.
This will mark the fifth time since the tournament began in 1899 that it has not been held in the Cincinnati area. Indianapolis hosted the event in 1914, 1917 and 1919, and in 1920 the tournament was held in Fort Wayne, Ind.

West Virginia to Become Temporary Capital of Tennis World as @FTiafoe, @GenieBouchard, Jack Sock, @MilosRaonic & @MonicaAce93 Puig Join 2020 @WorldTeamTennis

Posted by Admin on June 16, 2020
Posted in: World Team Tennis. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Frances Tiafoe, Western & Southern Open, Photo: Tennis Atlantic

West Virginia to Become Temporary Capital of Tennis World as @FTiafoe, @GenieBouchard, Jack Sock, @MilosRaonic & @MonicaAce93 Puig Join 2020 @WorldTeamTennis

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. (June 16, 2020) – World TeamTennis has added several prominent tennis stars to an already jam-packed lineup of roster players set to compete during the 45th season of World TeamTennis, taking place at The Greenbrier “America’s Resort” in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.

WTT has announced that each player will play the entire three-week regular season, scheduled for July 12-30, with the WTT Semifinals (Aug. 1) and WTT Final (Aug. 2) to follow.

Monica Puig, 2018 Connecticut Open (Photo: Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

Monica Puig, 2018 Connecticut Open (Photo: Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

Rising American Frances Tiafoe, 2016 Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig, three-time Grand Slam doubles champion Jack Sock and two former Wimbledon singles finalists from Canada – Milos Raonic and Genie Bouchard – will play World TeamTennis this season, joining previously announced players such as reigning Australian Open singles champion Sofia Kenin, 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens and Mike and Bob Bryan, tennis’ all-time winningest doubles team. In addition, six-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters will join U.S. Davis Cup captain Mardy Fish playing for the New York Empire in 2020.

Genie Bouchard, 2017 Citi Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

Genie Bouchard, 2017 Citi Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

“I can’t wait for the WTT season to start,” Tiafoe said. “I’ve played WTT for the last three years on the Kastles for some of their home matches in D.C.  I’m excited to go to The Greenbrier to play there for the Kastles next month. Everyone knows 2020 has been a rough year so far. I am definitely looking forward to competing at such a historic venue in such a relaxed setting.”

Sloane Stephens, 2018 US Open (Getty)

Sloane Stephens of the US hits a return to Evgenlya Rodina of Russia during their 2018 US Open women’s match August 27, 2018 in New York. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo credit should read KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images)

Added Sloane Stephens: “I’ve played WTT for, I think, six years now, and it’s always something I look forward to. Especially this year. I know we all miss playing tennis and seeing our friends on the tour, so I’m excited to get to The Greenbrier and get in that environment again. WTT always does such a great job with creating a fun, but competitive, season so I’m ready for that. Plus, I’m playing on Chicago’s team, which is cool because Kamau (Murray) is the coach, so that will be fun.”

Kenin, the 21-year-old Floridian who currently sits at a career-high No. 4 singles ranking in the world, will play for the Philadelphia Freedoms. The Vegas Rollers will feature 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey and the Bryan Brothers.

Two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren will play for the Orlando Storm while doubles specialists Rajeev Ram (Chicago Smash), 2019 WTT Finals MVP Robert Lindstedt (Springfield Lasers) and brothers Neal (New York Empire) and Ken Skupski (Orlando) return this season.

The San Diego Aviators will boast three past Grand Slam doubles champions in Coco Vandeweghe (2018 US Open), Ryan Harrison (2017 French Open) and Nicole Melichar (2018 Wimbledon). Two-time NCAA singles champion Danielle Collins (Virginia in 2014, 2016) will play for Orlando and two-time NCAA singles champion Steve Johnson (with USC in 2011-2012) will lead the Orange County (Calif.) Breakers.

“Our player rosters are the strongest we’ve ever fielded for a WTT season and include multiple players with Grand Slam titles,” WTT CEO Carlos Silva said. “We have a sampling of current stars like Sloane (Stephens), Sofia (Kenin), Vegas Rollers teammates Sam Querrey and Mike and Bob Bryan, as well as a look at tennis’ future impact players with Brandon Nakashima and Caty McNally. Tennis fans are starving to see some great action on the courts and that’s what we plan to deliver all season.”

World TeamTennis’ schedule will include at least three matches per day at Center Court at Creekside, The Greenbrier’s outdoor stadium. Fans can purchase tickets at www.WTTTickets.com.

The following are the player rosters and coaches for the 2020 WTT season (subject to change with future additions):

Chicago Smash: Brandon Nakashima, Sloane Stephens, Evan King, Genie Bouchard, Rajeev Ram: Coach: Kamau Murray

New York Empire: Mardy Fish, Jack Sock, Kim Clijsters, Sabine Lisicki, Neal Skupski, Kveta Peschke. Coach: Luke Jensen

Orange County (Calif.) Breakers: Steve Johnson, Luke Bambridge, Andreja Klepac, Milos Raonic. Coach: Rick Leach

Orlando Storm: James Ward, Danielle Collins, Ken Skupski, Darija Jurak, Tennys Sandgren. Coach: Jay Gooding

Philadelphia Freedoms: Donald Young, Taylor Townsend, Fabrice Martin, Caroline Dolehide, Sofia Kenin. Coach: Craig Kardon

San Diego Aviators: Ryan Harrison, Christina McHale, Jonny O’Mara, Nicole Melichar, Coco Vandeweghe. Coach: John Lloyd

Springfield (Mo.) Lasers: Mitchell Krueger, Olga Govortsova, Robert Lindstedt, Hayley Carter, Jean-Julien Rojer, Caty McNally. Coach: John-Laffnie de Jager

Vegas Rollers: Sam Querrey, Kristie Ahn, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Asia Muhammad, Monica Puig. Coach: Tim Blenkiron

Washington (D.C.) Kastles: Marcelo Arevalo, Bernarda Pera, Nick Monroe, Arina Rodionova, Frances Tiafoe. Coach: Robby Ginepri

All of WTT’s 2020 regular season and playoff matches will be televised on CBS, CBS Sports Network, Tennis Channel or the ESPN family of networks. In addition, select matches will be live-streamed on ESPN+, Facebook Watch or WTT.com. World TeamTennis’ complete season broadcast schedule will be announced on WTT.com at a later date.

Safety guidelines have been put into place by World TeamTennis with guidance of local and state government officials in West Virginia and an adherence to all health and safety protocols set forth by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Every fan at The Greenbrier will be required to pass a temperature check of 100.4 degrees before entering the grounds. All fans will be checked a second time before entering the outdoor stadium, Center Court at Creekside, or indoor court for any matches and will be denied entry should they fail the temperature check.

—S. Pratt

 

Wild, Wonderful World Team Tennis, Anyone? @WorldTeamTennis Serving Up 2020 Season in Style at Greenbrier Resort in WV

Posted by Admin on May 26, 2020
Posted in: World Team Tennis. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

WTT Stadium Court at The Greenbrier

Wild, Wonderful World Team Tennis, Anyone? WTT Serving Up 2020 Season in Style at Greenbrier Resort in WV

WORLD TEAM TENNIS SET TO HIT THE COURT AT THE GREENBRIER IN WEST VIRGINIA FOR ITS 45TH SEASON IN 2020 – JULY 12-AUG. 2

WTT logo

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. (May 26, 2020) – World TeamTennis announced it has committed to play the entirety of its 45th season at The Greenbrier “America’s Resort” in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. This will be the first major professional tennis league to resume operations since the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19.

All told, the 2020 World TeamTennis season will showcase a 63-match regular season over 19 consecutive days from July 12-30, with the WTT Playoffs to follow on Aug. 1 (WTT Semifinals) and Aug. 2 (WTT Final). The top four teams from WTT’s regular season standings will advance to the WTT Playoffs. CBS will air a regular season match on July 19 and the WTT Final on August 2. CBS Sports Network will carry 13 regular season matches and both semifinals on August 1.

World TeamTennis’ schedule will include at least three matches per day at The Greenbrier’s 2,500-seat outdoor stadium, with an indoor court to be installed as a backup option, for WTT’s nine franchises – the expansion Chicago Smash, New York Empire, Orange County (Calif.) Breakers, Orlando Storm, Philadelphia Freedoms, San Diego Aviators, 2018 and 2019 WTT champion Springfield (Mo.) Lasers, Vegas Rollers and Washington (D.C.) Kastles. The matches are scheduled to begin anywhere from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. ET (subject to changes in broadcast schedules).

In accordance with state health guidelines, WTT will allow up to 500 fans (20% capacity) to attend its outdoor matches. Ticket pricing and access points will be announced at a later date.

Participating players in the 2020 WTT season include 2020 Australian Open champion and World No. 4 Sofia Kenin (Philadelphia Freedoms), 2017 U.S. Open champ and 2018 French Open finalist Sloane Stephens (Chicago Smash), Grigor Dimitrov (Orange County Breakers), the Vegas Rollers’ Sam Querrey and Bob and Mike Bryan, the winningest and most accomplished doubles team in tennis history, Tennys Sandgren (Orlando Storm) and doubles specialists Rajeev Ram (Chicago), Jean-Julien Rojer (Springfield Lasers) and Neal Skupski (New York Empire), the 2019 WTT Male Most Valuable Player.

The 2020 World TeamTennis season will be powered by Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), the world’s most accurate tennis rating system. All WTT matches will count towards players’ UTR rating, and MyUTR.com technology will be used to set daily matchups by WTT team coaches and be integrated in WTT’s media broadcasts throughout the three-week competition.

All of WTT’s 2020 regular season and playoff matches will be televised or live-streamed on media partners CBS, CBS Sports Network, Tennis Channel, ESPN+ and/or WTT.com, the league’s official website. World TeamTennis’ complete regular season schedule and its daily broadcast schedule will be announced on WTT.com at a later date.

“All of us at World TeamTennis are extremely grateful to be able to play the 45th World TeamTennis season and present professional tennis to our sports-starved and tennis-starved audiences through our media partners at CBS Sports, ESPN and Tennis Channel,” WTT CEO Carlos Silva said. “The overwhelming feedback from our players is that they want to play WTT and are comfortable in doing so in a safe environment, which is our number one priority. West Virginia has among the nation’s fewest cases of COVID-19 and I’m grateful to The Greenbrier, the city of White Sulphur Springs, and Dr. Jill Justice for being so welcoming and allowing World TeamTennis to play on in 2020.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome World TeamTennis to West Virginia and The Greenbrier,” said Dr. Jill Justice, President, The Greenbrier. “America’s Resort has a rich history with professional tennis, and we’re excited to write another chapter and add to the storied history of World TeamTennis.”

World TeamTennis will follow the direction of local and state government officials in West Virginia while adhering to all health and safety protocols set forth by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and take every precaution to ensure the safety of its players, coaches and essential staff in executing the operation of its matches. WTT will engage with its teams and league and venue personnel in conducting all necessary testing and screening for COVID-19, as well as outfitting all parties with the personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to conduct its 2020 season matches while preserving the health and safety of everyone at The Greenbrier over the three-week season.

In 2020, WTT is increasing its prize money to a record $5 million and an added $1,000,000 awarded in WTT Playoffs compensation, including a $500,000 bonus to the team hoisting the King Trophy on Aug. 2.

WTT introduced professional team tennis in 1974, with Billie Jean King serving ng as its co-founder. WTT is one of five active U.S. pro sports leagues which has been in operation for over 40 years, along with the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. For more information on World TeamTennis, please visit WTT.com.

—S. Pratt

 

How’s Your Lockdown? Women’s Tennis Returns This Weekend as @AjlaTom @AnisimovaAmanda @Riske4rewards & Danielle Collins Chat Up @MyUTR Pro Match Series on @TennisChannel

Posted by Admin on May 20, 2020
Posted in: UTR Tennis, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

IMG_2774

How’s Your Lockdown? Women’s Tennis Returns This Weekend as @AjlaTom @AnisimovaAmanda @Riske4rewards & Danielle Collins Chat Up @MyUTR Pro Match Series on @TennisChannel

Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

With so much more than sports going on in the world right now, today’s UTR Pro Match Series press conference on Zoom was a little lighter than most. It was as if people were genuinely thrilled to talk to other people for a change. Who knew, right?

The UTR Pro Series returns for the women’s event this Friday through Sunday from a private court in West Palm Beach, Florida and will be broadcast on Tennis Channel. Danielle Collins, Amanda Anisimova, Alison Riske and Ajla Tomljanovic will compete in an environment that Tournament Director Stephen Amritraj said is filled with “excessive precautions,” including no fans, no ball kids, no ball sharing and nothing but a chair umpire.

Tennis Channel’s Steve Weissman served as moderator and kept the question and answers fast-paced.

These players, they’re just like us!

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Amanda Anisimova, the youngest of the four competitors, accidentally muted herself. I was surprised by this unenforced error by the teen, since my daughter knows her way around Zoom like the sixth-grade hallway at her school.

Anisimova tried to lower her personal expectations in this first dry run of a tournament in months. “I’ve still been training but I’m not going to be anywhere close to my best game. I really missed (competition) so I’m not going to care how I play or my A- game,” she said.  So, naturally, expect her to bring her A-game this weekend.

Danielle Collins is making good Indian food and completed one hell of a “bomb” bread pudding during the lockdown. The world #51, Collins says she missed “just competing the most, and aside from that the travel. Getting to see so many parts of the world. I enjoy going to different locations after my tennis tournaments and taking a little vacation. And really, just getting out of the house. The competitive side doesn’t go away just because you’re away from the tour.” And, she added, she misses “the money, too.” She gave a “50/50” chance that the tour would formally resume in 2020 and revealed that she’s been hitting with college players home for the summer.

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Ajla Tomljanivic was the only player who had a birthday during the lockdown and she wasn’t terribly impressed. She was the third in her family to celebrate such a birthday.  “It was a little bit of a letdown,” she said. “The first (family birthday) was great and it went downhill from there. Mine was the third one. I was a little bit let down but I got my cake.”

As for the weekend tournament, “it’s the closest thing we can get to competing nowadays. With all of the safety protocols, I feel comfortable going in,” she said. “My body started to hurt because I wasn’t doing anything so I started hitting with my dad and boyfriend (Matteo Berretini). Now (Berretini) found someone better to hit with!”

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Alison Riske is always in good spirits when talking to almost anyone, and today was no exception. She divulged that she “could lose (herself) online for hours” researching interior design and has enjoyed being around the house over the last couple of months. On the subject of player support for lower tier competitors coming from the titans of the sport, she demurred. “It can be a tough ask to force something upon a player and have to make that decision of forfeiting X amount to help someone, like top 500 players. A great initiative, but a tough ask,” she admitted, before adding that it might be more palatable for “a player to donate where they want.”

On that same question, Anisimova was equally equivocal. “Those in the top 100 are way more privileged,” she said. “I can see both sides, but I think the initiative is very nice.”

The schedules for the first two days of the three day event are listed below.

Let’s all give a big hand to the return of women’s tennis!

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UTR 2020

 

 

 

Yes, We’re Ready! Phased Reopening of Pro Tennis Begins With @MyUTR Match Series Next Week on @TennisChannel

Posted by Admin on May 1, 2020
Posted in: ATP, UTR Tennis, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Alison Riske, 2019 US Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

Yes, We’re Ready! Phased Reopening of Pro Tennis Begins With Universal Tennis Match Series Next Week on Tennis Channel

UNIVERSAL TENNIS AND TENNIS CHANNEL PARTNER TO BRING PROFESSIONAL TENNIS BACK WITH THE UTR PRO MATCH SERIES FEATURING TOP ATP & WTA PLAYERS

May 1, 2020 (Palo Alto, CA) – Universal Tennis today announced the UTR Pro Match Series presented by Tennis Channel featuring top ATP and WTA players in tournament play. The UTR Pro Match Series presented by Tennis Channel will be broadcast live on Tennis Channel and will be the first top tier professional tennis events televised internationally since the global health crisis put a halt to tennis in March.

For fans like you and I, this is a godsend. I don’t know about you, but I’ve found myself watching sims play tennis on twitch.tv and, just like the player-controlled “Virtua Mutua” Madrid Open, it doesn’t even compare to the real deal of human competition. The last event I covered was the New York Open in February, and it feels like a year’s gone by since Kyle Edmund hoisted the hardware on Long Island. A big thank you to Universal Tennis and Tennis Channel is in order.

The UTR Pro Match Series showcases a vision for how tennis can be played locally and safely through one-on-one matchplay and counts towards a single global rating and ranking with UTR.

The first event of the series will be held May 8-10 with a four-player men’s round-robin event beginning at 12:00 noon ET each day with 3 hours of live coverage. The line up of competitors is as follows:

Reilly Opelka, 2019 New York Open Finalist (TennisAtlantic.com)

Reilly Opelka, 2019 New York Open Finalist (TennisAtlantic.com)


Matteo Berrettini – 2019 US Open Semifinalist, ATP #8, UTR 15.71 (#12)

Reilly Opelka – 3rd ranked American, ATP #39, UTR 15.51 (#25)

Tennys Sandgren – 5th ranked American, ATP #55, UTR 15.32 (#53)

Tommy Paul – 6th ranked American, ATP #57, UTR 15.31 (#58)

Tommy Paul, 2018 Charlottesville Challenger (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Tommy Paul, 2018 Charlottesville Challenger (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

A top-tier professional four-player women’s event follows May 22 – 24. The line up of competitors is as follows:

Alison Riske – 4th -ranked American, WTA #19, UTR 13.19 (#14)

Amanda Anisimova – 5th ranked American, WTA #28, UTR 13.04 (#33)

Danielle Collins – 8th ranked American, WTA #51, UTR 13.07 (#28)

Ajla Tomljanović – 2nd ranked Australian, WTA #56, UTR 12.85 (#68)

All matches will be held at a private court in the West Palm Beach, FL, area with no spectators or public access.
Ajla Tomljanovic (Photo: R. Limpert)

“We are excited to bring back the game to tennis fans and give players the opportunity to compete in a safe, competitive environment,” said Mark Leschly, Universal Tennis Chairman & CEO. “The world has changed and we must adapt and innovate. Local, individual and small group play will be the new normal for the foreseeable future. The UTR Pro Match Series showcases how tennis can be played locally, safely and have results count toward the UTR global rating.”

These are the first two events in what will be a continuing US and international series. UTR is partnering with others around the world to deliver UTR Pro Match Series events for players according to local guidelines as restrictions are lifted.

UTR Pro Match Series events are prize money competitions, not exhibitions, and have been reviewed by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) to ensure strict compliance. Results from all Pro Match Series events will be included in a player’s Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), the most accurate international tennis rating system that provides real-time head-to-head rating comparisons based on performance.

UTR Pro Match Series events will follow enhanced safety precautions, going above and beyond the USTA health and safety guidelines, and implement strict screening, cleaning and social distancing measures for players, officials and staff. There will be no spectators, no handshaking, no ballkids and no line judges. One chair umpire will oversee the match, and the court and facility will be professionally disinfected before and after play. Each player will be provided with their own set of marked balls for use during the match. Players will provide their own drinks and towels, and each player will have their own separate area off the court.

“We’re excited to work with our longtime partners UTR to bring professional tennis and high-quality live sports coverage back to millions of tennis fans in the United States and Europe during this uniquely challenging moment,” said Ken Solomon, president, Tennis Channel.

Tennis Channel, partnering with Ross Mobile Productions, will show all matches live. Emmy Award-winning announcer Brett Haber will call play by play for Tennis Channel from the network’s Los Angeles studio during the event. He will be alongside former NCAA champion and professional tour player Prakash Amritraj. During coverage Friday, May, 8, former world No 1. And US Open champion Andy Roddick will also offer commentary via Skype. The four players competing in the tournament will have headsets and be able to interact with Tennis Channel’s studio during changeovers.