April 19, 2016 | Mylan World TeamTennis | www.WTT.com
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Mylan WTT releases 2016 schedule

A return to one of tennis' most iconic venues will kick off the 2016 regular season of Mylan World TeamTennis as the New York Empire make their debut against the 5-time defending champion Washington Kastles on Sunday, July 31 at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y.

The action-packed two week Mylan WTT regular season, which runs July 31 through August 13, also includes former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, top Americans John Isner and the doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan, former US Open champion Andy Roddick and the WTA's top doubles star Martina Hingis among those seeking to lead their team to the King Trophy, named after league co-founder Billie Jean King. Other marquee names on board for the 2016 season include American standouts James Blake and Mardy Fish.

Caroline Wozniacki 2016
Caroline Wozniacki is fired up about returning to Mylan WTT for the first time in 10 years. She will play for the Philadelphia Freedoms, owned by Billie Jean King.
PHOTO: CameraworkUSA
Wozniacki returns to the league for the first time in a decade to play two matches for the Philadelphia Freedoms. She starts the season on the road in New York on August 1 before making her home debut in Philadelphia on August 2.
 
Some of America's most successful and popular American men also hit the multi-colored Mylan WTT courts this summer. The 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick will help introduce the league's newest entry, the New York Empire, to Mylan World TeamTennis. Roddick, a former world No. 1, returns for his 9th season with a home match on August 9 and a road match in Philadelphia on August 10. Roddick is joined on the Empire by Christina McHale who was the top overall roster player selection in the 2016 Draft. McHale, who is a resident of nearby Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is playing her first season.

John Isner, the top-ranked American male on the ATP World Tour, returns for his second consecutive season with the Springfield Lasers and his 6th season overall. Isner will play in Springfield on August 11 when the Lasers host the San Diego Aviators.

Mardy Fish, a former world No. 7 standout, will play the entire season for the Kastles. In the first week of the season, his Kastles teammates will include current world No. 39 Sam Querrey, and three of the sport's greatest doubles players, Bob and Mike Bryan (August 1) and WTA world No. 1 in doubles Martina Hingis (August 1-2).

Former world No. 4 James Blake also kicks off the season for the San Diego Aviators with a home match on July 31 against their Southern California rival Orange County Breakers.

The top two teams from the regular season advance to the Mylan WTT Finals presented by Citi on Friday, August 26 at Forest Hills Stadium at The West Side Tennis Club. The Kastles won a record fifth consecutive title in 2015, their sixth overall championship. Washington will be looking to rewrite the record books in 2016 by winning a record seventh Mylan WTT title.

For the full schedule and links to ticket information, visit www.WTT.com/schedule.
Auburn wins first Tennis On Campus championship

How exciting is the World TeamTennis format? Just ask the Auburn Tigers who captured their first USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship on April 16 with a thrilling 23-22 Supertiebreaker win over the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in Cary, N.C.

The Tigers rallied from a 21-17 deficit in the finals to capture the annual event which features intramural and intercollegiate coed club teams competing with the World TeamTennis format.
Auburn celebrates 2016 TOC Championship
Auburn University celebrates their dramatic 23-22 Supertiebreaker win over UNC-Chapel Hill to capture the
2016 Tennis On Campus National Championship.

PHOTO: CameraworkUSA

Down 18-15 heading into the final mixed doubles match, the Tigers tandem of Mitchell Vegas and Ashley Kitchen pulled it to within one, 22-21 by defeating the Tar Heel team of Phil Mayer and Roxanne Henshall, 6-4. Auburn won the one-game overtime by breaking Henshall's serve and then captured the super tiebreaker, 7-5, to claim the national title.
 
"Relief!" is the one-word answer Kitchen gave to the media members when asked what she was feeling when Mayer's final volley fell into the net to end the match. "I was so nervous in that super tiebreaker."
 
After North Carolina opened the match with a 6-0 lead with a huge win in women's doubles by Sarah French and Henshall, Kitchen made it 8-6 with a 6-2 victory over Alexandra Lee.
 
Vegas, who lost a singles match for the first time this year falling to UNC's Connor Cooke, 6-3, said after the match, "I knew I had to come back in mixed doubles. I needed that redemption. There are just so many emotions right now - every emotion imaginable. It's too much for me to handle."
 
Vegas won 13 of 14 sets over the three days with Kitchen winning all 14 of her sets, seven in singles and seven in mixed doubles.
 
2016 TOC Auburn championship
Auburn University celebrates 2016 Tennis On Campus national championship.
PHOTO: CameraworkUSA
It was one of the most exciting finals contested in the event's 17-year history, according to Glenn Arrington, National Director of USTA Tennis On Campus. "This was absolutely the most exciting and dynamic final we've ever had," Arrington said. "The crowd was pumped, and no one left. Just the atmosphere and the electricity here tonight. It was a great night for tennis, and for Tennis On Campus."
 
USTA Southern Section TOC Coordinator Jeff Smith was a ball of nerves throughout the entire match watching two teams from his section battle it out. "I was pacing all over," Smith said. "That was a match for the ages."
 
"It was so nerve-racking," Auburn captain Christian Lyerly said. "It's huge for the university and huge for all these guys. It was an amazing season."
 
Said North Carolina captain Henshall: "It was quite a match. That's the most you can ask for in tennis. That's playing at the highest level possible."
 
The tournament was put on in partnership with NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation; World TeamTennis, and the USTA.
 
Auburn team members included captain Lyerly (Birmingham, Ala.), Marshall Brown (Fairhope, Ala.), Alexandria Hall (Lakeland, Fla.), William McWhirt (Atlanta), Vegas (Spanish Fort, Ala.), Kitchen (Hilton Head, S.C.), and Hannah Shoener (Greensboro, N.C.).
 
Alexandra Lee UNC TOC 2016
Alexandra Lee plays singles for UNC-Chapel Hill during the Championship Match. Lee dropped her singles set 6-2 to Ashley Kitchen of Auburn.
PHOTO: Peter Staples
North Carolina team members include captain Henshall (Greensboro, N.C.), Cooke (Greensboro, N.C.), Sarah French (Fort Collins, Colo.), Nelson Hughes (Lakeland, Fla.), Caroline Jones (Richmond, Va.), Alexandra Lee (Charlotte, N.C.), Philip Mayer (Chapel Hill, N.C.), Seth Pinosky (Mosunt Pleasant, S.C.), Louis Rico (Cary, N.C.), and Tracey Yang (Marlboro, N.J.)
 
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RESULTS:
Auburn University 23, North Carolina University 22

Women's Doubles: Sarah French/Roxanne Henshall (UNC) def. Alexandria Hall/Hannah Shoener (Auburn), 6-0 (UNC leads 6-0)

Women's Singles: Ashley Kitchen (Auburn) def. Alexandra Lee (UNC), 6-2 (UNC leads 8-6)

Men's Doubles: Marshall Brown/William McWhirt (Auburn) def. Seth Pinosky/Nelson Hughes (UNC), 6-4 (Score tied 12-12)

Men's Singles: Connor Cook (UNC) def. Mitchell Vegas (Auburn), 6-3 (UNC leads 18-15)

Mixed Doubles: Vegas/Kitchen (Auburn) def. Phil Mayer/Roxanne Henshall (UNC), 6-4 (UNC leads 22-21)

Overtime Mixed Doubles: Vegas/Kitchen (Auburn) def. Mayer/Henshall (UNC), 1-0 (Score tied 22-22)

Super Tiebreaker: Vegas/Kitchen (Auburn) def. Mayer/Roxanne Henshall (UNC), 7-5
 
Earlier in the day, the University of Florida took home third place honors as the Gators defeated Cornell University, 22-18. In the semifinals, Florida fell to North Carolina, 25-23, and Cornell lost to Auburn, 27-20, in the other semifinal.
 
At the Awards Ceremony, the College of William and Mary was announced as the winner of the National Club of the Year award for this season. The award is presented annually to the college or university club tennis team that has achieved a level of sustained excellence while also demonstrating a commitment to giving back to its local community. Pittsburgh senior Brian Rubin was named the 2016 Tennis On Campus National Leader of the Year and Delaware University was presented with the tournament's Sportsmanship Award.
 
The USTA Tennis On Campus program features nearly 45,000 college students competing nationwide in intramural and intercollegiate coed club play. Since its inception in 2000, Tennis On Campus has grown significantly and today is on more than 700 college campuses across the country.
 
A match using the World TeamTennis format includes sets of men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles, each game during the match counts as a point towards the overall team score.
 
Developed by the USTA in partnership with NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation; World TeamTennis and the USTA, the Tennis On Campus program gives college students the opportunity to build leadership skills, network in a coed sports environment and compete on a college team without the rigors of playing in a varsity program.  With year-round match play, and regional and national championship competition, students maintain active and healthy lifestyles through their college years.
 
Visit the Tennis On Campus website at TennisOnCampus.com
for complete results, stories and photos.
Nine teams earn bid to Nationals
in first Mylan WTT Rec National Qualifier of 2016
 
The Mylan WTT Rec League held its first contest of the year on March 4-6 in Charleston, S.C., with 37 teams competing in seven divisions. In the end, nine teams won titles, five of which will be first-time competitors at the Mylan WTT Nationals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif., November 4-6.
 
Charleston 2016 3.0 Champions 
The ACAC Acers of Midlothian, Va., won the 3.0 Division title in Charleston to advance to the Mylan WTT Nationals in Indian Wells this November.
Competing teams represented ten states at the tournament held at the Wild Dunes Resort in Charleston, S.C. Those advancing to the Nationals include ACAC Acers, of Midlothian, Va.; Pandamonium, of Raleigh, N.C.; The Miss Hits, of Kansas City, Mo.; Takin' it to the Desert, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Sets on the Beach, of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Last Second Servers, of Virginia Beach, Va.; Early Bird Specials, of Cary, N.C.; Sets in the City, of San Diego; and Double Trouble, Daniel Island, S.C.
 
The remaining Qualifiers on the Mylan WTT Rec League schedule are as follows: May 6-8 in Las Vegas; May 20-22 in Albany, N.Y. and Virginia Beach, Va. (Senior divisions only); June 10-12 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (Senior divisions only); July 8-10 in Kansas City, Mo.; August 12-14 in Landisville, Pa., and Raleigh, N.C.; and September 16-18 in Irvine, Calif.
 
Read the full story on the Charleston event HERE.

For more information on WTT Rec League programs, visit
www.WTT.com/RecLeagues or visit the official Facebook Page at  www.facebook.com/wttrecleague.
TEAMTENNIS JUNIOR CIRCUITS EVENTS SET
IN PHILADELPHIA AND VIRGINIA

TeamTennis Junior Circuit events have been scheduled in Philadelphia and three cities in Virginia. See the schedules below and bring your children to experience the fun of the World TeamTennis format and team play. Participants also receive a tickets to their local Mylan WTT pro team match.

FREEDOMS WTT JUNIOR CIRCUIT:
May 14 
(10s and 12s) 
*Cynwyd Club
(Bala Cynwyd)
June 18
(10 and Under Only)
*Philadelphia Cricket Club
(Philadelphia)
July 9
(12 and Under Only)
Episcopal Academy
(Newtown Square)
July 23
(10s and 12s)
Hunting Park
(Philadelphia)
August 13
(12 and Under Only) 
This is an all Ages PlayDay at Villanova University followed by a Philadelphia Freedoms match!
*Philadelphia Cricket Club
(Philadelphia)

- Free USTA Membership included for first-time 10 and Under players.
- These events count as USTA Middle States Orange- or Green-ball events. 
- All participants receive a Philadelphia Freedoms ticket, t-shirt and prize!  
 
*Indicates players must wear all white (exception being sneakers)
 
Philadelphia Registration: HERE  
 
For more information on the Philadelphia area events, please contact Delaine Mast at 717-587-7184 or [email protected] 


 
KASTLES WTT JUNIOR CIRCUIT:
The Virginia Tennis Association is also hosting a number of events in Virginia Beach, Charlottesville and Richmond. Below are the scheduled dates in Virginia Beach. Please check the Virginia Tennis Association website at www.VirginiaTennis.com for updates and specific locations in Virginia Beach, Charlottesville and Richmond.
 
Kastles WTT Junior Circuit - Virginia Beach:
  • May 7
  • June 18
  • July 9
  • August 20
  • September 10
  • October 15
- All participants receive a Washington Kastles ticket. 
MORE MYLAN WTT NEWS . . . 

The 2016 Mylan WTT Finals presented by Citi
will be held at one of tennis' most iconic venues - Forest Hills Stadium at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y. The championship tilt is set for 4pm on Friday, August 26. The top two teams from the 2016 regular season will advance to the Finals to battle for the King Trophy. The Washington Kastles have won the last five consecutive league crowns.

New York Empire 2016

The New York Empire's top draft pick
Christina McHale helped lead the U.S. Fed Cup team to a big win over Australia this weekend. The U.S. defeated the Aussies down under 4-0 to move the Americans back into the World Group next year.

Individual tickets for the Empire's inaugural season go on sale Wednesday, April 20. For more information, please email [email protected], visit www.nyempiretennis.com or call the New York Empire office at (844) 5-EMPIRE (844-536-7473).

kastles logo
110 and still counting.
Bob and Mike Bryan (Washington Kastles) notched their first title of 2016 in Houston earlier this month, bringing their career total to an astounding 110 championship titles. This was the sixth time that the Bryans have won the Houston event.


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Wilson 2015 png
And the winner for best new racquet line
in 2016 is . . .

The new Ultra Series from Wilson! 

Here's what Tennis Magazine had to say about the new Ultra racquets, which was voted as Editor's Choice: Best New Line in 2016:

"A brand new line, the Ultra replaces the Juice in Wilson's racquet lineup. The frame's wide beam and Carbon Fiber composition, coupled with impressive handling, make for fast swings that pack plenty of punch. Serves and ground strokes have ample pace and spin with a respectable level of control.
 

But what testers noticed most was the more refined, solid feel (especially when compared to the Juice) provided by two pieces of technology:
(1) Parallel Drilling-grommets aligned directly across from one another to lessen vibration
(2) Cushion Foam handle.

"I really dislike any vibration on frames, and when I hit with the
Ultra 100, it was love at first strike" said one tester. It's on the light side, so harder hitters may want to add weight for better stability and plow through on shots.

And as with most frames in this category, subtlety is not its strongest suit. But
the Ultra 100 still has enough substance for solid net play, and the playability to balance aggressive tactics with some guile. As one tester concluded: "The Ultra combines all the qualities of the best crisp, modern-player frames with a little softer feel."

Mylan WTT co-founder Billie Jean King and Chris Evert held a press conference during the Miami Open to talk about equal pay and other issues. Photo: CameraworkUSA
2016 MYLAN WTT REC LEAGUE SCHEDULE

2016 NATIONAL QUALIFIERS 
DATE
VENUE
LOCATION 
May 6-8 
Darling Tennis Center
Las Vegas, Nev. 
May 20-22 
(Sr. Divisions only)
Albany Tennis Club 
Albany, N.Y. 
May 20-22 
(Sr. Divisions only)
 Owl Creek Tennis Center
Virginia Beach, Va.
June 10-12 
(Sr. Divisions only) 
Crandon Park Tennis Center 
Key Biscayne, Fla. 
July 8-10 
Plaza Tennis Center 
Kansas City, Mo. 
 August 12-14
Hempfield Sports Complex 
Landisville, Pa.
 August 12-14 
Millbrook Exchange
Tennis Center 
Raleigh, N.C. 
 September 16-18 
Heritage Park 
Irvine, Calif. 
  
 
2016 MYLAN WTT FINALS: 
November 4-6 at Indian Wells Tennis Garden - Indian Wells, Calif.  
 
For more information, visit www.WTT.com/recleagues or call 800-832-6836.
 
NATIONAL SPONSORS:
Wilson 2015
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