Season recap 2008 Washington Kastles season

1 season recap

1.1 founding of franchise
1.2 drafts
1.3 kastles home
1.4 gimelstob suspension
1.5 season-opening road trip
1.6 home opener
1.7 first home victory sparks winning streak

season recap
founding of franchise

the founding of washington kastles expansion franchise announced wtt ceo/commissioner ilana kloss on february 14, 2008. team founded group led venture capitalist , entrepreneur mark ein, resident of washington metropolitan area. @ press conference announcing team s creation, ein said, thrilled bring world teamtennis our area. wtt tennis great entertainment emphasizing fan interaction, , major sport men , women playing on same team. washington kastles season exciting summertime addition our local economy , fun activity our entire community. team named after kastle systems, llc, provider of building , office security systems, of ein majority owner , managing member. kastles became first franchise in wtt history based in washington.

drafts

serena williams became first player in history sign kastles, when selected team in first round of wtt marquee player draft on march 19, 2008.

in roster player draft on april 1, 2008, kastles selected justin gimelstob, sacha jones, scott oudsema , mashona washington.

kastles home

at press conference on april 30, 2008, included kastles owner mark ein, wtt ceo/commissioner ilana kloss, wtt co-founder billie jean king , washington mayor adrian fenty, kastles announced plans construction of temporary 2,020-seat stadium on parking lot on citycenterdc expected built in future. washington convention center had formerly stood on site. temporary stadium feature both courtside premium box seating , affordable bleachers close action. located @ 11th , h streets, stadium reached fans using washington metro. after extolling virtues of stadium , location, ein said, we’re going take parking lot , turn home worth defending.

the team announced season tickets three-match packages included inaugural home match in serena williams scheduled appear , visits john mcenroe , new york sportimes , anna kournikova , st. louis aces on sale. ein said kastles committed integrating charitable , community-based initiatives of activities. there designated charity beneficiary each home match, , kastles planned host community-based programs @ stadium. team expected provide internship , volunteer opportunities area youth. kastles planned give away more 1,000 tennis racquets local children attending matches , @ community clinics sponsored team.

gimelstob suspension

justin gimelstob appeared on junkies, local radio sports , lifestyle talk show, in june 2008. during hour-long interview, gimelstob made several disparaging comments female tennis players. said, female tennis players lack social skills. don’t go high school; don’t go parties. gimelstob used term sexpot describe both tatiana golovin , alizé cornet. commented there fewer lesbians on women s tour there had been 15 years earlier because re russian chicks, , there cute ones out there. regarding anna kournikova of st. louis aces, alongside whom once trained, gimelstob said, s bitch. hate s strong word. despise maximum level below hate. looking ahead upcoming meeting on court kournikova in mixed doubles, gimelstob said wanted hit hard in midriff when serving in direction. added, if she’s not crying time walks off court, did not job. asked hosts if ever date kournikova, gimelstob responded, not. have no attraction her. has great body face five. have no interest in ... wouldn’t mind having younger brother, who’s kind of stud, nail , reap benefits of that.

following gimelstob s comments, on june 25, 2008, wtt suspended him 1 match without pay violating league s player code of conduct. in statement released league, gimelstob apologized , said there no excuse comments. expressed heartfelt remorse , said comments did not represent , respect has women. gimelstob said making donation women s sports foundation hope positive action can speak louder words.

on july 3, 2008, kastles signed vince spadea substitute player replace gimelstob in inaugural match.

season-opening road trip

the kastles met philadelphia freedoms in inaugural match on july 4, 2008, @ king of prussia mall in upper merion township, pennsylvania. vince spadea first player on court kastles, , won opening set of men s singles, 5–3. mashona washington followed 5–3 set win in women s singles. after spadea teamed scott oudsema take third set of men s doubles, kastles had 15–9 lead. freedoms won fourth set of women s doubles in tiebreaker , followed taking final set of mixed doubles, 5–3, send match overtime kastles leading, 22–19. washington , oudsema won first game of overtime seal kastles victory.

the following day, kastles signed tripp phillips substitute player fill in justin gimelstob match in delaware evening. gimelstob unavailable, because working television analyst @ wimbledon. washington , oudsema carried kastles second straight win start season. opened match 5–2 set win in mixed doubles. oudsema teamed phillips in third set of men s doubles 5–3 set win. washington paired sacha jones take fourth set of women s doubles in tiebreaker gave kastles 18–14 lead. after oudsema dropped final set of men s singles cut kastles lead 20–19, won first game of overtime clinch 21–19 triumph on delaware smash.

home opener

the kastles inaugural match @ home climax of all-day event. team conducted youth tennis clinic @ kastles stadium, , serena williams, fresh off loss in wimbledon ladies final sister, venus, , transatlantic flight arrived hour late. participated in clinic 19 minutes, giving advice both tennis , life , hitting volleys of 50 children present. after interview tennis channel, williams held press conference 20 reporters on hand, quizzed loss sister. later in day, williams stopped kastles vip tent speak guests.

kastles owner mark ein joined sellout crowd, taking courtside seat, flanked washington mayor adrian fenty , wtt co-founder billie jean king, prepared watch undefeated team. however, when players hit court, visiting boston lobsters erased festive mood. in opening set of men s doubles, amir hadad , jan-michael gambill thumped scott oudsema , justin gimelstob, making season debut, 5–1. williams , gimelstob followed dropping second set of mixed doubles, 5–2. after gimelstob lost third set of men s singles in tiebreaker, lobsters had 15–7 lead. williams , mashona washington managed take fourth set of women s doubles in tiebreaker cut lead 19–12. williams converted break point in sixth game , won closing set of women s singles, 5–2, on marie-Ève pelletier send match overtime lobsters leading, 21–17. williams won first 2 overtime games, before pelletier held serve in third secure 22–19 victory lobsters.

on day of home opener, kastles announced had signed robby ginepri substitute player fill in gimelstob on july 11, 2008.

first home victory sparks winning streak

after home debut, kastles embarked on two-match new york road trip , lost both new york buzz , new york sportimes. kastles returned home face buzz on july 11, 2008, looking secure first home victory , break three-match losing streak, having dropped 3 matches in serena williams appeared. after kastles dropped opening set, sacha jones , mashona washington evened match @ 8 5–3 set win in women s doubles. buzz took next 2 sets , held 18–13 lead heading final set of men s singles. robby ginepri, making kastles debut, won set, 5–3, on nathan healey send match overtime. ginepri won 3 straight overtime games on healey tie match @ 21 , force super tiebreaker. ginepri completed dramatic comeback taking super tiebreaker, 7–4, give kastles first home victory in franchise history.

the following day, kastles announced had signed kevin kim substitute player replace justin gimelstob in july 13 match @ newport beach.

williams , kim key players in kastles victory on newport beach breakers. opened match 5–2 set win in mixed doubles. after breakers took both women s , men s doubles sets, held 12–8 lead. williams dominated lilia osterloh, 5–0, in women s singles put kastles in front, 13–12. kim faced eventual 2008 wtt male valuable player ramón delgado in final set of men s singles. delgado entered match leading wtt in men s singles winning percentage having taken 31 of 47 games played , had not yet dropped set in event season. delgado went break in set , pushed 4–1 lead while giving breakers 16–14 lead in match. kim used strong baseline play hold in sixth game, break in seventh , hold in eighth game. set went tiebreaker kastles leading, 17–16. kim won set tiebreaker, 5–2, avoid super tiebreaker , give kastles 18–16 win.