Preview show, live telecasts highlight 2011 WTT TV schedule

Written by: Staff on 27th May 2011

Preview show, live telecasts highlight 2011 WTT TV schedule

Kim Clijsters of Belgium returns to Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus during their first round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 24 May 2011. EPA/KERIM OKTEN |

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 26, 2011) – Five live broadcasts and a season preview show highlight the television broadcast schedule for the 2011 World TeamTennis Pro League presented by GEICO.

In June, WTT will debut World TeamTennis GameChanger, a preview show that will showcase the past, present, and future of the League which begins its 36th season this summer. This 30-minute show will take fans through the League’s history, its place in the game today, an explanation of World TeamTennis’ unique format and rules, as well as chronicle the players, profiles and match-ups that can be expected this upcoming season.

Harry Cicma hosts the preview show, which includes interviews with Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Kim Clijsters and many more stars. World TeamTennis GameChanger will premiere on Comcast Mid-Atlantic on June 8 at 9:30 p.m. ET, then air in the other six Comcast Sports Net regions throughout June. Tennis Channel airs the preview special on June 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET with multiple showings during the month.

Tennis Channel will feature World TeamTennis Wednesdays, throughout June and July. Classic WTT matches will air each Wednesday in June at 12 p.m. ET. The live primetime broadcasts begin the week after Wimbledon with a lead off match on Tuesday, July 5 when Venus Williams and the Washington Kastles open up their season in their new venue, Kastles Stadium at The Wharf. The Kastles, who won the WTT title in 2009, will host the defending League champion Kansas City Explorers. Match start time is 7 p.m. ET.

Venus Williams and the Kastles travel to Philadelphia to take on the Freedoms at Villanova University in the second live telecast of the summer on Wednesday, July 6. Other TV matches include July 13, featuring Melanie Oudin and her Philadelphia Freedoms team hosting the New York Sportimes led by John McEnroe. On July 20, Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis team up for the first time as their New York Sportimes host the Washington Kastles at Sportime Stadium Randall’s Island in New York. All regular season matches air at 7 p.m. ET.

The live TV series concludes on Sunday, July 24, when the WTT Finals are contested from the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C., at 5 p.m. ET. The Kansas City Explorers are the defending WTT Pro League Champions.

All matches will air live on Tennis Channel and on all Comcast Sports Net stations. Commentators for the live broadcasts are Leif Shiras and Katrina Adams. The WTT matches are expected to reach more than 60 million households each week. Other partner networks where WTT matches can be viewed include MSG, Mediacom and other regional and local stations. Visit WTT.com/TV for a complete listing of match air dates and times.

The WTT Pro League presented by GEICO, co-founded by Billie Jean King, is a professional sports league featuring three generations of tennis stars playing in a coed team format. The 2011 WTT Pro League begins July 4, concluding with the WTT Finals on July 24.

2011 WTT TV SCHEDULE

Pro League matches to be televised on Tennis Channel and Comcast Sports Net system

Wednesday, June 8, 15, 22, 29 — WTT Classics on Tennis Channel – 12 p.m. ET

*Tuesday, July 5 – Kansas City Explorers @ Washington Kastles (Venus Williams) – 7 p.m. ET – LIVE

*Wednesday, July 6 – Washington Kastles (Venus Williams) @ Philadelphia Freedoms 7 p.m. ET – LIVE

*Wednesday, July 13 – New York Sportimes (John McEnroe) @ Philadelphia Freedoms (Melanie Oudin) – 7 p.m. ET – LIVE

*Wednesday, July 20 – Washington Kastles @ NY Sportimes (Martina Hingis/Kim Clijsters) 7 p.m. ET – LIVE

*Sunday, July 24 – WTT Finals (Eastern Conference Champion vs. Western Conference Champion) – from Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C. – 5 p.m. ET – LIVE