By Christopher Lancette
There are a number of reasons I would like to see the ATP and WTA seasons trimmed down but one of the best for fans could be that more players might be willing to play World Team Tennis. If there’s one quirky stretch of the pro tennis calendar that stands the best chance of creating more fans of the game, it’s the July version played on kaleidoscopic hard courts across America.
The 2012 season kicked off this week – giving fans a high-energy, in-your-face brand of tennis where no one is allowed to shush anyone. The louder the better, actually. Do yourself a favor and check out the league if you live anywhere near the cities of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Kansas City, Springfield (MO), Irvine (CA), or Sacramento. If you don’t live near a WTT town, get there!
You’ll see some exciting tennis played by household names including John McEnroe, James Blake, Andre Agassi, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, the Williams sisters and Bryan Brothers, Mardy Fish and John Isner. You’ll also get to know up-and-coming pros like Irina Falconi and Arina “Hotrod” Rodionova who are fighting with everything they have to make a living swinging the racquet. (Check out our video interview with fan-favorite Arina Rodionova from last season. The Kastle earned rookie-of-the year honors for her role in helping the Kastles win the title.)
The tenacity of the later helps create a college sports atmosphere at the matches. People go nuts. Crowds at Washington Kastles matches get so raucous that I feel like I’m back at the University of Georgia – except that coach Murphy Jensen has no hair and much of mine is gray.
The Kastles are seeking to defend their championship in 2012 after a perfect season took them all the way to the league title. Can they “refuse to lose” again? Which of the other seven teams are most intent on knocking them off the top of the podium?
 Leander Paes (Front) and Bobby Reynolds, The Washington Kastles -Photos by Won-ok Kim |
The 2012 action will be outstanding because of the high-quality talent on the court and because the rules are designed to make matches hyper-competitive. Contests consist of five one-set matches of men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles. No-ad scoring prevents fans from napping for even a second. Every game of every set gives the winning team a point. Most combined points at the end of the night wins – and if the team that’s losing wins the final set, it kicks the match into overtime.
World Team Tennis is also a blast because fans sit so close to the courts and players go out of their way to mix and mingle with fans on game days. Throw in some great food, live music, guys walking on stilts, pro cheerleaders and mascots and you’ve got yourself a party, The fiesta doesn’t last nearly long enough, though, so make plans to attend matches now. The regular season ends on July 28, with the championship tournament taking place Sept. 14-16 in Charleston, South Carolina.
Learn more about World Team Tennis on its Web site. You can also watch live matches online and find TV schedules.