Denis Kudla on the Treadmill, on Career High Ranking, on 2013 Goals
Washington, D.C.’s Denis Kudla was victorious in his first round match against Chase Buchanan at the 2012 Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs yesterday over Chase Buchanan, a player he has known since he was 8 years old. Denis has reached a career-high ranking of 137, but he’s not obsessed with the numbers. He stated that his 2013 goal is to win his first-ever ATP Tournament.
@USTAMidAtlantic DC Doubles Team Crowned National Champs
DC takes the 10.0s
WASHINGTON, D.C. TENNIS TEAM CROWNED CHAMPIONS AT
USTA LEAGUE 10.0 ADULT MIXED DOUBLES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
TUCSON, ARIZ., November 18, 2012 – A mixed doubles tennis team from Washington, D.C., representing the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, captured the national title at the USTA League 10.0 Adult Mixed Doubles National Championships held at the Hilton El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort in Tucson, Ariz.
The Washington, D.C., team captured a 3-0 win over a team from Irvine, Calif., in the championship match. On Saturday afternoon, they defeated a team from Boise, Idaho, 3-0 in the semifinals. They advanced this far by winning their round-robin flight contested Friday and Saturday.
The team is captained by Sam Lieber (Clarksville, Md.) and Gregory H Chambers (Silver Spring, Md.) and features Tanja Magoc (Silver Spring, Md.), Marianne E Baker (Glenelg, Md.), Anastasia Skavronskaia (Kensington, Md.), Dianne Matias (Torrance, Calif.), Wilbur K Callender (Washington, D.C.), Franklin Chaney (Lothian, Md.), Patrick D Brick (Arlington, Va.) and plays at the Owen Brown Tennis Club.
The top four teams in order of finish are: Mid-Atlantic (Washington, D.C.); Southern California (Irvine, Calif.); Florida (Sarasota, Fla.) and Intermountain (Boise, Idaho).
This year’s USTA League 10.0 Adult Mixed Doubles National Championship has drawn the top 12 teams from throughout the nation.
The USTA League Mixed Doubles is for men and women 18 years of age and older. Teams are formed by combining the two player’s individual National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) ratings. The team’s total rating must equal: 2.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0. The total NTRP rating cannot exceed the level of the team. For example, a 7.0 team could be a combination of two 3.5 players, or one 4.0 partner and one 3.0 partner. Play format consists of three doubles matches.
This year marks the 32nd anniversary of USTA League. Since its inception in 1980, it has grown from 13,000 participants in its first year, to over 835,000 players across the nation today, making it the world’s largest recreational tennis league.
USTA League was established to provide adult recreational tennis players throughout the country with the opportunity to compete against players of similar ability levels. Players participate on teams in a league format, which is administered by the USTA through its 17 Sections. The league groups players by using six NTRP levels, ranging from 2.5 (entry) to 5.0 (advanced). USTA League is open to any USTA member 18 years of age or older. It features Adult and Mixed Doubles divisions, as well as a Senior Division (age 50 or older) and a Super Senior Division (age 60 or older).
For the 2013 National Championship season, USTA League is changing its structure and format. The change will allow USTA League participants among three age categories (Adult 18 & Over, Adult 40 & Over and Adult 55 & Over and Mixed 18 & Over) to better align participants with players their own age. The restructuring guarantees more frequency of play opportunities at more appropriate age divisions.
Head Penn Racquet Sports is in its 25th year as official ball of USTA League.
–S. Pratt, USTA
USTA Mid-Atlantic Section Honors Nineteen at Annual Meeting
Awards Abounded at USTA/MAS Annual Meeting and
Awards Luncheon
USTA MID-ATLANTIC HONORS NINETEEN AT ANNUAL MEETING
Montgomery County Tennis Association Wins Community Program of the Year
RESTON, Va., November 20, 2012– The United States Tennis Association Mid-Atlantic Section (USTA/MAS) celebrated the efforts of nineteen individual members and member organizations at the Sheraton Reston Hotel in Reston, Va., November 17, 2012.
The awards are given out annually to USTA members from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., for their dedication to the sport of tennis and their outstanding contributions in helping grow tennis at the local level.
“This is our favorite event of the year,” says USTA/MAS Executive Director, Rod Dulany.”It’s a time where we can recognize the phenomenal volunteers and leaders in our community who give so much to our sport.”
The Montgomery County Tennis Association (MCTA) was honored with the Community Program of the Year award. The MCTA is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 to promote tennis and to support tennis players in Montgomery County, Md., and the local area. It is committed to increasing the opportunities for juniors, adults and seniors to play recreational and organized competitive tennis. The foundation of the MCTA rests with more than 55 volunteers who organize and manage the various community based tennis teams, leagues, socials, tournaments, training programs and after school programming at various middle schools.
Below are the awards and honorees.
Community Program of the Year, Montgomery County Tennis Association, Md.
Presented to a USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section person, place or program that best demonstrates outstanding execution of a team event or programs.
Section Organization of the Year – Reston Tennis Association, Reston, Va.
Presented to a member organization for their outstanding service to the local community, to the organization members, and to the game of tennis.
Facility of the Year, Culpeper Sport & Racquet Club, Culpeper, Va.
Presented to the tennis facility that made the greatest impact in the community during the past year through programming, events and partnerships.
Lifetime Service Award, Garland Ott, Charles Town, W.Va.
Presented to an individual or group for their longstanding dedication and commitment to the game of tennis.
Parks and Recreation of the Year, Marion County Parks and Recreation Commission, W.Va.
Teaching Professional of the Year, Harvey Robinson, Newport News, Va.
Volunteer of the Year, Carolyn Ikeda, Alexandria, Va.
League Coordinator of the Year, Jon Smith, Carroll County, Md.
Jr. Team Tennis Coordinator of the Year, Shannon Scarvey, Midlothian, Va.
Family of the Year, The Cook Family, Ft. Washington, Md.
Military Tennis Award, Molly Prins, Springfield, Va.
Tournament of the Year, West Virginia State Championships, Ridgeview, W.Va.
Official of the Year, Bob Hyatt, Williamsburg, Va.
High School Coach of the Year, Lee Kelley, Richmond, Va.
Adult Sportsmanship Award, Aileen Chase, District of Columbia
Adult Sportsmanship Award, Marvin Martinez, Ft. Washington, Md.
Junior Sportsmanship Award, Olivia Davis, Indian Head, Md.
Junior Sportsmanship Award, Spencer Liang, Potomac, Md.
Outstanding Media Award, Doug Smith, District of Columbia
—C. Miller, USTA/MAS
@WashKastles to be Honored by DC Mayor and City of Washington on Monday
Kastles Championship Rally 2011 (Photo: Willis Bretz)
Washington Kastles to be Honored by D.C. Mayor and City – Monday, October 22
Proclamation proclaims defending champions “the best of the city”
World TeamTennis (WTT) champions Washington Kastles will be honored by the District of Columbia on Monday, October 22 in recognition of their historic, second consecutive championship season. Mayor Vincent Gray will present a proclamation to the undefeated team at 12:30 p.m. on the steps of the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Fans are invited to join the festivities as the Kastles provide complimentary championship gear, entertainment and fare.
Kastles Championship Rally 2009 (Photo: Kevin Koski)
The Kastles won their third WTT title in four years in September, posting a perfect 16-0 season for a second straight year. It is the only time a professional sports team has had back-to-back undefeated seasons, and the Kastles two perfect seasons are the only ones in the 37 years history of World TeamTennis. The Kastles’ current 32-match winning streak puts the team one win away from tying the all-time unbeaten professional sports streak of 33 wins set by the NBA’s 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. This is the fourth time the Kastles have been recognized by the District of Columbia.
Titletown D.C.?: Washington Women Crowned National Champs at USTA 5.0 Adult Nationals
WASHINGTON, D.C. WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM CROWNED NATIONAL
CHAMPIONS AT USTA LEAGUE 5.0 ADULT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
With the Nationals going to the Major League Baseball playoffs, the WTT’s Kastles approaching legendary LA Lakers-like greatness, the Redskins addition of Robert Griffin III at quarterback and the NHL’s Capitals perennial playoff runs, should it come as any surprise that D.C. has done it again? –Ed.
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF., SEPT. 30, 2012 – The women’s tennis team from Washington, D.C., representing the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, captured the national title at the USTA League 5.0 Adult National Championships held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif.
The Washington, D.C. team defeated a team from Sacramento, Calif., 2-1 in the Championship match. On Saturday afternoon, the Washington, D.C. team defeated a team from Greenwood Village, Colo., 2-1 in the semifinals. They advanced this far by winning their round-robin flight contested Friday and Saturday.
The team is captained by Tanja Magoc and features Zsofia Jakab, Lyndall Jordan, Marianne Baker, Alicia Wise and plays at the Hains Point Tennis Club.
The top four teams in order of finish are: Mid-Atlantic, Northern California, Southern California and Intermountain.
This year’s USTA League 5.0 Adult National Championship has drawn the top 27 teams (15 men’s and 12 women’s) from throughout the nation.
This year marks the 32nd anniversary of USTA League. Since its inception in 1980, it has grown from 13,000 participants in its first year, to over 835,000 players across the nation today, making it the world’s largest recreational tennis league.
USTA League was established to provide adult recreational tennis players throughout the country with the opportunity to compete against players of similar ability levels. Players participate on teams in a league format, which is administered by the USTA through its 17 Sections. The league groups players by using six National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) levels, ranging from 2.5 (entry) to 5.0 (advanced). USTA League is open to any USTA member 18 years of age or older. It features Adult and Mixed Doubles divisions, as well as a Senior Division (age 50 or older) and a Super Senior Division (age 60 or older).
For the 2013 National Championship season, USTA League is changing its structure and format. The change will allow USTA League participants among three age categories (Adult 18 & Over, Adult 40 & Over and Adult 55 & Over and Mixed 18 & Over) to better align participants with players their own age. The restructuring guarantees more frequency of play opportunities at more appropriate age divisions.
Head Penn Racquet Sports is in its 25th year as official ball of USTA League.
–Steve Pratt
@VenusesWilliams Leads @WashKastles to #WTT Glory Again
Venus Williams leads Washington Kastles to World Team Tennis title
Photo Credit: Fred & Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA
CHARLESTON, S.C. (September 16, 2012) – Venus Williams led the Washington Kastles to their second consecutive World Team Tennis title today with a 20-19 victory over the Sacramento Capitals at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C. Williams was also named the Finals MVP, winning her sets in women’s doubles, mixed doubles and the decisive final set of women’s singles.
The win gives the Kastles 32 consecutive match wins, the second longest streak in U.S. pro sports history. The top mark is 33, held by the NBA’s 1971-72 Lakers.
With the overall score tied at 15-15 heading into the final set, Williams edged Coco Vandeweghe 5-4 in women’s singles to give the Kastles their third title in the past four seasons. Although Williams was part of championship teams in Philadelphia and Washington, this was the first time she had played in the championship match. She credited her Kastles teammates for giving her the edge in a tight final set. “I had to come out on fire today,” said Williams. “Knowing I had to play for my team was motivating.”
Sept. 16, 2012; Charleston, SC; Washington Kastles defeat Sacramento Capitals to win the 2012 WTT Final. ©Susan Mullane/camerawork use
“Coco played her heart out,” said Sacramento coach Wayne Bryan. ” I’m very proud of our team and congratulations to the Kastles.”
Sacramento led early when Kevin Anderson defeated Bobby Reynolds in the opening set, winning men’s singles 5-3. Anderson served up three aces and won 79 percent of his first serve points compared to 61 percent for Reynolds.
Washington broke Asia Muhammad’s serve twice in women’s doubles and closed out the set on Venus Williams’ serve, 5-1.
Men’s doubles was highlighted by brilliant shot-making by the Kastles’ Leander Paes but it was the Caps that broke Paes serve for a 2-1 lead. Anderson pushed the lead to 4-2 on his serve and broke Paes serve for a second time to take the set 5-2 and lead 11-10 at halftime.
Coach Wayne Bryan started Anderson in mixed doubles to take advantage of his big serve and the strategy worked as Sacramento won the first game and broke Paes serve to lead 2-0. Washington broke back against Vandeweghe’s serve then Williams held to tie the set at 2-2. After a see-saw battle that evened the score at 4-all, Washington pulled out the set win in a 9-point tiebreak, 5-4 (1).
FINAL RESULTS: World TeamTennis Finals presented by GEICO
Family Circle Tennis Center – Charleston, S.C. – Sunday, September 16
WASHINGTON KASTLES def. Sacramento Capitals 20-19
Men’s Singles – Kevin Anderson (Capitals) def. Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) 5-3
Women’s Doubles – Venus Williams\Anastasia Rodionova (Kastles) def. Yasmin Schnack\Asia Muhammad (Capitals) 5-1
Men’s Doubles – Mark Knowles\Kevin Anderson (Capitals) def. Bobby Reynolds\Leander Paes (Kastles) 5-2
Mixed Doubles – Leander Paes\Venus Williams (Kastles) def. Mark Knowles\Coco Vandeweghe (Capitals) 5-4
Women’s Singles – Venus Williams (Kastles) def. Coco Vandeweghe (Capitals) 5-4
We Know Vania King Can Sing. Now We Know Mark Knowles Can’t.
Vania King is always volunteering to do things for people. She eagerly gives autographs, sings the national anthem at the US Open and Dodgers games and hangs draw picks with an enthusiasm not witnessed by many. So it was that I watched her play the straight with Mark Knowles as the foil at CitiOpen’s Pro-Am two weeks ago. MC Wayne Bryan got Mark Knowles and Vania King to engage in a DC Idol contest.
Knowlzee is Bahamian. Even if you add two points to his score for the non-citizen handicap, that leaves him with a 3.
He can play some mean drums, though.
Count me as a new fan of Vania King’s youtube channel. She’s apparently taking requests now, and I thought she nailed “Beauty and the Beast” to the point that Walt Disney and Angela Lansbury would be proud. For the next remake of the classic, Vania should be a shoo-in for Belle and Knowles might end up making a fine Beast.
Was CitiOpen a Case Study on ATP/WTA Inequality, or Was it a Case of Apples and Oranges?
Despite an Olympics-depleted player field, the first installment of the CitiOpen joint event was a success. From a week of casual observations, attendance appeared to be slightly down this year, but there were new amenities in store for the faithful. With men’s and women’s tennis being simultaneously played and the introduction of CitiOpen radio, provided by Live Sports Radio, it added up to give fans a US Open-like experience without the slog up the New Jersey turnpike.
There were also the amazing volunteers and ball kids, the dangerously witty MC Wayne Bryan, DC sports legend Charlie Brotman as Stadium Announcer, and the immensely helpful cast of the Sage Communications firm who took care of every need of the press corps. In many ‘retrospects’, it was the best DC pro tennis event in the dozen years I’ve been in attendance.
There’s just one puzzling question left in my head, though. Did they do right by the WTA?
If you’re offended by the inequality of men’s and women’s tennis, you might have been horrified at CitiOpen. The women got to play on Stadium Court for only two of the thirty-three WTA matches of the tournament. 94% of the time, you found the ATP featured on Stadium. I know the WTA event is smaller than the long-standing ATP 500 event, but with a weakened player field, I’d have put Sloane Stephens and #1 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Stadium every night. The DC crowds love Sloane, and it’s settled practice that a #1 seed should almost always be on Stadium. The #1 seed only got to see the bright lights of the marquee court for the final. If Pavs had practiced or played on Stadium prior to the final, the result may have been different.
I also know that television contracts require that the highest-rated matches be featured, but those ESPN and Tennis Channel crews didn’t even arrive until Thursday. That gave organizers a half a week to balance the schedule and put the WTA under Stadium lights during the early part of the tournament. They did bite on Sloane Stephens once in the quarters, putting her on with #309th ranked Eugenie Bouchard, who happens to be represented by Lagardere, the tournament’s organizers. That was the first and last time any woman would be on Center Court until the Saturday night final.
Perhaps the most galling example of the inconsistent treatment was Secret Tennis Day. The event’s organizers failed to mention to anyone that the women’s qualifying began on Friday, July 27. The website, the bus advertisements and every single piece of promotional material claimed the CitiOpen ran from July 28-August 5. I was alerted to Secret Tennis Day by a post on WTAToday.com. Mike Barber found the Order of Play on the WTA’s website early Friday morning and sent out a twitter alert. I rushed to Rock Creek Park to find only friends and families of the players enjoying a match like Alicia Tornado Black’s WTA debut.
In some ways, the differential treatment worked to the advantage of the fans and to the advantage of this blog. WTA fans got to see major league matches on intimate outer courts. The attitude of the player representatives also mattered. While the ATP is so lock and key on their players and treats an interview request with twenty questions of their own, the WTA player rep graciously made players available on short notice and treated bloggers like reporters rather than rogues. For ATP, you’re supposed to request an interview before play begins for the day. Even if your interviewee is playing at 10 p.m., you’re still required to submit that form by 4:00 p.m. All the WTA requires is that you submit an interview request before the match is over, so the player doesn’t unwittingly run out for dinner after a win.
2012 Qualifying with Alison Riske
On the other hand, there were more spectators in attendance viewing the WTA qualifying matches on Saturday than were in attendance for the women’s quarterfinals of this event in College Park, Maryland last year. Our shocking exclusive photos above and below drive that point home. It’s clear that the WTA needs this ‘joint’ event to sustain a women’s event in the region. I just wish they wouldn’t be so obvious about the imbalance of this relationship. The least that they can do is make the ladies feel wanted.
2011 CitiOpen Quarterfinals: Falconi would prefer if you Talk to the Hand
It’s a fact that the ATP is a bigger draw. Fans have been coming to Rock Creek Park to see the men play for decades. CitiOpen didn’t even increase their tickets prices this year, so it could be argued that the WTA was a free gift with purchase.
Nevertheless, I am hopeful and somewhat confident that when the player fields are restored for next year’s CitiOpen, organizers will have more marquee WTA stars to feature and be able to confidently schedule a few more matches on Stadium. Or they’ll be hearing from Gloria Allred.
Agree/Disagree? I’d like some feedback.
–S. Fogleman
The Very Best of the 2012 @CitiOpen
King and Coach
The 2012 CitiOpen felt like a mini-US Open. With men’s and women’s matches in simultaneous play, there were more players and coaches running around the grounds of Rock Creek Park this year and it made the tournament feel more important than ever. That’s saying a lot when you’ve got to compete with the Olympics for the tennis world’s attention.
#1: Wayne Bryan
Wayne Bryan is a funny guy. He says things we can’t to players and fans. He told the crowd at the Pro-Am that “Jonathan Marray just won Wimbledon and $250,000.00. The money’s all gone now. He spent it all…on beer”.
Wayne Bryan
At the Corona ‘Night at the Net’ event, he brought up a random fan and told everyone that it was Enrique Iglesias and asked him to sing. Moments later, he brought two men up to the mic (who happened to be reporters) and told the crowd that they were half of the original Four Tops. And asked them to sing. Zing! No offense, and here’s a bucket of Corona swag to lessen the sting. Slightly risque stuff in a politically correct world, but all in good fun. He is every tennis fan’s wild uncle. You laugh a lot and you cringe a little.
Pleasure to join Doug Adler and DC ESPN 980′s Marc Stern
#2: The Biggest Little Station in Washington: Live Sports Radio
I loved the little radios I get at the US Open every year. In fact, I keep an American Express card on hand that I only use once a year at the Open to get my hands on one. They’re a great way to get in-depth coverage of the match you’re watching, and more importantly to find out about a match next door that’s about to go to a third set tiebreak. LiveSportsRadio.com stepped up this year to offer ’CitiOpen Radio’. Former ATP pro and current Tennis Channel contributor Doug Adler impressively anchored the exhaustive coverage, with Marc Stern from ESPN 980 co-anchoring in the booth. WTOP and Washington Capitals correspondent Ben Raybe covered the grounds for the broadcast. I hope that this is a permanent fixture in Rock Creek Park and I’m grateful that the guys let me go on the air during the women’s finals to talk tennis.
#3 Charlie Brotman: DC Legend in the Booth
There’s a reason they call it the Charlie Brotman Press Box. He is a Living Legend. The man was calling Washington Senators baseball games when my dad was a kid in the ’50s(!) and he still ably navigates up and down the five stories of stairs five times a day to provide the crowd with stadium announcements. He’s an unbelievable encyclopedia of all things sports-related in the Nation’s Capital. In the video above, he even talks about his pro football minority ownership interest in the Washington Federals of the long-defunct USFL.
#4 Carole Dell
In addition to serving as the hostess of the event and spending probably 100 hours on site at tournament events, Carole Dell spent a hot Saturday dedicating herself to the animals for PetConnect Rescue, which places rescued animals with loving owners. As the wife of the founder of the event, she has access to an impressive suite on Stadium Court. Yet here she was, in the heat, trying to send some sweet dogs to good homes. Some people give money. Some people give time. When they do both, that’s dedication. She chatted my family up and even invited us to pop up to the Lagardere suite anytime. Who says Washington’s no longer a small town? OK, I admit that I do. Sometimes my position is poked full of holes when I meet good people like Carole Dell and Charlie Brotman.
2012 CitiOpen ATP Champion: Dolgo Does DC
Dolgo Does DC
It took CitiOpen two-seed Alexandr Dolgopolov three sets and a lengthy rain delay, but he earned a tough victory over the tenacious Tommy Haas 6-7, 6-4, 6-1 yesterday in Washington. “The Dolgo” or as I call him, Mr. Slap Chop, won his first career ATP World Tour 500 event and he did it by beating one of the hottest players on the ATP tour right now. While he dropped the first set in a tiebreak, a set that was interrupted by a rain delay, he fought hard to break and take the second set. He then took a frustrated Haas to the cleaners in the third and waltzed his way to the title.
In order to get to the final, Dolgo beat Flavio Cipolla, Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, James Blake in a slugfest, and Sam Querrey in close one. Dolgo hasn’t had the finest year, but this victory makes it a whole lot better for him and he will have plenty of momentum going into the hardcourt season.
Haas, who lost his second straight ATP final, beat Michael Russell, Leonardo Mayer, Tobias Kamke and top seed Mardy Fish to reach the final.
–S. Kirby
