Black Tennis Pros

The Washington Kastles's home schedule this season will feature uncommon star wattage, including a match between former world No. 1 players Venus Williams and Martina Hingis, who faced off for the 1997 U.S. Open title, clashing for the first time since 2006.

Venus was added to the roster of the defending World TeamTennis champion Kastles in the offseason, joining sister Serena, who has played for Washington's franchise its first two years.

As the Kastles' designated "marquee players," the Williams sisters make just one home appearance, each on different nights.

Venus will lead the Kastles against Hingis and the New York Buzz in a home match on July 7 and play for the squad the next night in Philadelphia.

Serena will join the Kastles at home for a July 14 match against the Kansas City Explorers and play three matches on the road.

Anchored by the strong doubles play of Leander Paes and Rennae Stubbs, the Kastles won the World TeamTennis championship in their second season last year.

Team owner Mark Ein re-signed Paes, ranked sixth in the world in doubles, and Stubbs, ranked 7th in doubles, along with current world No. 1 Serena Williams. To round out the roster, Ein traded for the No. 1 pick in Tuesday's draft. The Kastles used that pick to select Bobby Reynolds, who ranked as high as 63rd in the world in 2009, to shoulder the men's singles duties. Ein also acquired the rights to Angela Haynes from Sacramento.

All told, Kastles players have won 61 Grand Slam event titles among them.

The Kastles will play seven away matches and seven at home from July 5 through July 22, with John McEnroe and Anna Kournikova as the headliners scheduled to visit Washington.

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In just its second season fielding a World TeamTennis franchise, Washington will host the professional tennis league's championship finals this summer.

The Washington Kastles once again will play their seven home matches on the site of the city's former convention center, 11th and H streets NW, at a 3,000-seat stadium that's roughly 30 percent bigger than the one constructed for the team's inaugural season.

In addition, Washington will host the 2009 Advanta WTT Championships finals on July 26.

The Kastles' seven-game home stand opens July 7 with a visit from former world No. 1 Venus Williams, who competes for the Philadelphia Freedom. That's just three days after Wimbledon women's final is schedule to be played. Venus is a five-time and defending champion of the grass-court classic.

For a second consecutive year, Serena Williams headlines the Kastles' roster, but she won't be in the lineup for a head-to-head meeting with her elder sister. Serena's lone home match for the Kastles will be July 14.

Other top names visiting Washington to take on this Kastles this summer include John McEnroe and Anna Kournikova.

Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m., available through the team's Web site, www.washingtonkastles.com and Ticketmaster. Group and box seats can be bought by phone, 202-483-6647.

The Kastles home schedule is below:

July 7 -- Philadelphia Freedom (Venus Williams)

July 8 -- St. Louis Aces (Anna Kournikova)

July 12 -- N.Y. Buzz

July 14 -- Newport Beach Breakers (Serena Williams' only home match)

July 16 -- N.Y. Sportimes (John McEnroe)

July 21 -- N.Y. Buzz

July 22 -- Springfield Lasers

July 26 -- Advanta WTT Championship Finals

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WASHINGTON, DC – The Kastles, who will be coached by Murphy Jensen, drafted Leander Paes, Angela Haynes, Coco Vandeweghe and Scott “Boom Boom” Oudsema during the league’s Roster Draft in Miami.

The four players will join Serena Williams, who is returning for her second season as a Washington Kastle. Williams makes her only home appearance for the Kastles on July 14 against the Newport Beach Breakers.

With their second pick in the draft, the Kastles selected Haynes, hailing from Compton, California, and previously ranked in the world’s top 100 in both singles and doubles competition.

She is currently ranked 137 in singles and 112 in doubles in the world.

Haynes reached the third round of the BNP Paribas tournament at Indian Wells in March 2009, and won the 2007 ITF Hilton Head championship.

Washington Kastles owner Mark Ein said, “We have a great schedule of world-class tennis stars coming to the nation’s capital this July and we can’t wait for the season to begin. We are grateful for the amazing fan support last year and for all the anticipation about the upcoming season.”

With the fourth overall pick, the Washington Kastles selected Paes, the world’s fifth-ranked doubles player and an eight-time Grand Slam champion.

Battling against the Kastles in DC this season are Venus Williams of the Philadelphia Freedoms (July 7), Anna Kournikova of the St. Louis Aces (July 8) and John McEnroe of the New York Sportimes (July 16). The July 7 match marks Venus Williams’ DC tennis debut.

The full schedule and more information about the Kastles and World Team Tennis can be found at www.washingtonkastles.com.

The Washington Kastles begin their second season of Advanta World TeamTennis (WTT) in July 2009. The Kastles, owned by Ein, a local entrepreneur, will be led by 10-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams.

The 34^th season of World Team Tennis, founded in 1974 by tennis legend Billie Jean King, runs from July 2-26 and concludes with the Advanta WTT Championship Weekend.

Throughout the season, the Kastles will actively work with local charities and community organizations to share the mission of WTT and bring the game of tennis to the broader community.

For more information about the Kastles or to purchase tickets, visit www.washingtonkastles.com or call 202-4TENNIS/483-6647.

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FINAL RESULTS: Advanta WTT Roster Draft – March 31 – Miami, Florida


Round 1

New York Buzz - Sloane Stephens

Round 2

Washington Kastles - Angela Haynes

Boston Lobsters - Stephanie Foretz

Round 3

Philadelphia Freedoms - Madison Keys

(Joins Venus Williams)

Kansas City Explorers - Milagros Sequera

New york Buzz - Evan King

Round 4

Springfield Lasers - Raven Klaasen

Boston Lobsters - Raquel Kops-Jones (protection)

About Advanta WTT Pro League:

WTT is well known for introducing innovative elements to tennis including instant replay, co-ed format, multi-colored courts, cumulative and no-ad scoring, on-court coaching, Supertiebreakers and player names on back of their shirts.

Team matches consist of five events, with one set each of men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. The first team to reach five games wins each set. A nine-point tiebreaker is played if a set reaches four-all. One point is awarded for each game won. If necessary, Overtime and a Supertiebreaker are played to determine the winner of the match.

Advanta is the title sponsor of the Advanta WTT Pro League and the official business credit card of WTT. Official Advanta WTT Pro League sponsors for the 2009 season include FirmGreen Energy, GEICO and Wilson Racquet Sports.

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Serena Williams, who last weekend claimed her 10th major title by winning the Australian Open, will return to Washington this summer to play for the city's World TeamTennis franchise, the Washington Kastles.

And Venus Williams will also visit Washington to face the Kastles as the marquee player for the Philadelphia Freedoms.

Serena's selection as the top pick in the marquee player draft was announced yesterday, and it represents a coup for team owner Mark Ein, who brought the franchise to town last summer.

Other top names visiting Washington this summer include John McEnroe and Anna Kournikova.

As the Kastles' featured player, Serena, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, will play one home match and three on the road. She won't be on the roster when Venus visits the Kastles, so the sisters won't face each other in Washington.

The 2009 season runs July 2-26. Dates of the Kastles' home matches will be announced in February.

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The Washington Kastles first Head Coach is Thomas Blake, former US Open participant and doubles partner of his world no. 8 brother James Blake. Thomas is coaching Serena Williams and teammates Justin Gimelstob, Scott Oudesma, Sacha Jones, and Mashona Washington in the Kastles’ inaugural season.

Thomas, who attended Harvard University, earned All-American honors in both singles and doubles. After graduating in 1996, he turned professional.

According to the Washington Post, although The Kastles lost to the Boston Lobsters (22-19), no one really cared because all the pros hung around to sign autographs for every fan 15 or younger. Then all the beautiful people headed off to the Park nightclub to unwind. (Except Williams, who showed up at Blue Duck Tavern in a flowery summer dress with a large group of pals.) Highlights: Kastles Head Coach Thomas Blake, older brother of tennis pro James Blake, looked even better up close -- the 31-year-old bachelor is "completely, unattached, single"; a girl got too close to a candle and her hair caught on fire (she's fine, just a little singed), and we found Ein (team owner) -- nursing a Heineken, tie finally off -- looking pretty pleased. "So far, so good," he said with a grin.

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American Venus Williams visits the Bloomingdale's Atrium at the King of Prussia Mall for a press conference prior to playing World Team Tennis.


Venus stretches during warmup prior to playing doubles with the Philadelphia Freedoms against the Delaware Smash in a World Team Tennis Match on July 9, 2008 in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania

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Mayor Adrian M. Fenty joined tennis legend Billie Jean King to announce that the Washington Kastles, a new professional tennis team, will build a 2,000-seat temporary stadium downtown to host a month's worth of matches featuring Serena Williams and Anna Kournikova in July.

"Washington's a great sports town," Mayor Fenty said. "The Wizards, Capitals and Mystics are a huge reason Gallery Place has become a bustling entertainment hub. We think the Kastles will give sports fans one more reason to come downtown - or stay downtown - during the evening."

The Kastles, owned by local venture capitalist Mark Ein, is the newest team to join the World Team Tennis league, which was founded by King in the 1970s. The team will play seven games during the 2008 season at the temporary stadium throughout the month of July. Williams will represent the Kastles in their first match on July 8th. The team will finish the season in late July, but not before hosting Anna Kournikova.

The District is working with development partner Hines Archstone- Smith to redevelop the 10- acre old Convention Center site at 11th and H streets - in the heart of downtown - into an $850 million retail-anchored city center. Since the project will not break ground until early 2009, the District has been working with the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District to make the site a dynamic place for special events. Past events include performances by Cirque du Soleil and a holiday market.

As a gesture of goodwill, the Kastles will provide more than 1,000 tennis rackets to District kids.

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