Washington Kastles Claim Third Successive Mylan WTT Eastern Conference Championship

Written by: Staff on 25th July 2013

Washington Kastles Claim Third Successive Mylan WTT Eastern Conference Championship

epa03281092 Anastasia Rodionova of Russia returns to compatriot Maria Sharapova during their first round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 25 June 2012. EPA/GERRY PENNY |

WASHINGTON (July 25, 2013) – The Washington Kastles are one win away from clinching a King Trophy three-peat after claiming their third successive Mylan World TeamTennis Eastern Conference Championship presented by GEICO on Thursday with a 25-12 victory over the Boston Lobsters at their home venue, Kastles Stadium at The Wharf in Washington, DC.

The Kastles will host the Mylan WTT Finals on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. ET against the winner of the Mylan WTT Western Conference Championship between the Springfield Lasers and Texas Wild. The Lasers and the Wild are the only two teams to beat the Kastles this year, with the Wild ending Washington’s major pro sports record 34-match win streak and the Lasers handing the Kastles its first home loss at The Wharf. The Kastles went on to avenge both losses later in the season and have run up 10 straight wins since suffering back-to-back defeats.

Taking the court against the Lobsters for the second day in a row, the Kastles never trailed in the match. The Kastles made their first move in the opening set of mixed doubles, as newly crowned Mylan WTT Female MVP Martina Hingis and team captain Leander Paes broke Eric Butorac’s serve for a 4-2 lead and closed out the American and Katalin Marosi in the ensuing game. Hingis stayed on court to partner Anastasia Rodionova to a commanding 5-1 victory against Marosi and Jill Craybas in women’s doubles.

In the third set, Paes and Bobby Reynolds kept the momentum with the Kastles in men’s doubles, proving to be too strong for Butorac and Amir Weintraub. Paes and Reynolds took the set 5-2 to give the Kastles a 15-5 lead at halftime.

Hingis returned to defeat Craybas 5-2, proving her MVP status by winning her third set of the night. Hingis lead the regular season with a 70 percent success rate in games won and lost in women’s singles.

With the home fans chanting “Bobby! Bobby!”, the Kastles turned to their closer, Reynolds. Weintraub edged Reynolds 5-4 to force Overtime, before Reynolds broke Weintraub in the first game to cap off victory for the Kastles.

“It was a great match,” said Hingis. “I started out with Leander, who is a great mixed partner and we kept our winning streak going. In doubles with Anastasia, we did much better than last night (against the Lobsters). Our team tried to get the same flow going as yesterday, as we knew we had to be ready, and we were.”

On Sunday, the Kastles will bid to become just the second team to win three King Trophies in a row. The Sacramento Capitals lifted four straight from 1997-2000.

For more information on Sunday’s final or to purchase tickets, visit www.WashingtonKastles.com.