Doubles is Key to Team Tennis Success
The Washington Kastles won their first Advanta World Team Tennis title this past Sunday beating the Springfield Lasers 23-20 at their home stadium in Washington, DC. Leander Paes, WTT male MVP and winner of nine Grand Slam doubles titles, five in men's and four in mixed, was key to the Kastle’s success this season. Doubles matches account for three of the five sets in a team tennis match, i.e. men’s, women’s and mixed, and therefore having
strong doubles players is vital to winning matches. In addition to Paes, the Kastles had Rennae Stubbs, who has also won several Grand Slam doubles titles, playing women’s and mixed doubles. The Kastles started their second WTT season 0-4 and finished 7-7, but they won the big points and the big matches, especially at the end of the season, to reach the playoffs and eventually win the title. In the semis, the Kastles won all three doubles sets and in the Final, they won two of the three doubles sets. The Kastles also had Serena Williams and Nadia Petrova playing a few matches for them and they both chipped in to win not only singles, but some doubles matches as well.
Given that so many recreational tennis players prefer playing doubles, Team Tennis matches featuring three doubles sets are very entertaining for the fans!
|
