New York Sportimes Look to Build Off Successful 2010 Season and Gear Up for a Summer of World TeamTennis in New York
Coming off an outstanding 2010 campaign in which they advanced to the World TeamTennis Finals, the New York Sportimes have announced their 2011 schedule, with seven home matches in July, including five at Sportime Randall’s Island Tennis Center in Manhattan and two at SEFCU Arena at the University of Albany. Sportimes Marquee Players John McEnroe and Martina Hingis will compete in several matches, while visiting teams’ stars who will visit the Big Apple this summer will include Anna Kournikova, Jimmy Connors, and Bob & Mike Bryan.
Hingis, who competed last year for the Albany, N.Y.-based New York Buzz, is scheduled for all seven home dates, beginning with the Sportimes’ home opener against Boston on Randall’s Island on Wednesday, July 6. McEnroe will play in home matches on Thursday, July 14 versus Philadelphia, and Friday, July 15 versus Springfield, both at Sportime Stadium, while Clijsters will play on Tuesday, July 19 against Washington in Albany, and Wednesday, July 20 versus Washington at Sportime Stadium.
The schedule also includes a home date at Sportime Stadium versus St. Louis on Monday, July 11, which features Hingis playing for the Sportimes, and Kournikova playing for the Aces, as well as a match with Kansas City on Monday, July 18, featuring the Bryan Brothers in Albany. On July 14 at Sportime Stadium, a battle of legends will take place when Jimmy Connors comes to Randall’s Island to face off with John McEnroe. Home matches at Sportime Stadium begin at 7:00 p.m., with the exception of the Friday July 15 match, which will begin at 2:00 p.m., while first serve for the events in Albany, N.Y. is 7:30 p.m.
“Our schedule is outstanding as it will feature a season of number ones," said Sportimes General Manager John Dato. "McEnore, Clijsters and Hingis have been number one in the world, as well as visiting players Davenport, Connors, Kournikova (in doubles with Hingis) and the Bryan Brothers. With at least one marquee player–and often more–on each date, we know that Sportimes fans are looking forward to another great season.”
The Sportimes won the WTT Eastern Conference title last year with a 9-5 record and won their semifinal match against Boston before falling in the 2010 WTT Finals to Kansas City.
Long Island Tennis Magazine will be at all home matches supporting the Sportimes and we hope the Long Island community will take advantage of this rare look at the stars up close. Tickets for SPORTIME matches are available by calling (888) WTT-NYC1 or by visiting www.nysportimes.com.
New York Sportimes 2011 Roster
Kim Clijsters
This season, the current number two-ranked women’s player in the world Kim Clijsters will don a New York Sportimes jersey. The reigning U.S. Open Champion became the first mother to win a Grand Slam in over 25 years in 2009. In addition to her brilliant singles career, Kim has also has won doubles titles at the French Open and Wimbledon. Kim was drafted to the Sportimes for the 2011 season, but has been forced out due to a recovering foot injury.
Martina Hingis
The Sportimes boast three former number one players, John McEnroe, Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis. Hingis returns to the Sportimes after winning the WTT Championship with them in 2005. Hingis has won five Grand Slam singles titles and nine doubles titles. In 1998, she became the fourth woman in tennis history to win all four Grand Slams in the same year. She is also one of only five players in WTA history to simultaneously be ranked number one in singles and doubles.
Robert Kendrick
The year 2011 will be Robert Kendrick’s fifth season playing for the Sportimes . He was a member of the Sportimes 2005 WTT Championship team. His career high singles ranking is 69. Kendrick has wins over many of the world’s top players, and is a former All-American at both the University of Washington and Pepperdine University.
John McEnroe
Long Island’s own John McEnroe will be back with the Sportimes this summer. This will be Johnnie Mac’s 10th season with his hometown team the Sportimes. John won seven Grand Slam single’s titles and 10 doubles titles in his career. After a long and stellar career, he was inducted into the ITF Hall of Fame in 1999.
Katie O’Brien
This season will the be the first WTT season for Katie O’Brien, a young, up and coming player from Beverly, England. She is a former British number one-ranked singles player and has a career high ranking of 84th. Since turning pro in 2004, Katie has four ITF singles and two ITF doubles titles in her career.
Jesse Witten
Participating in his fifth season with the New York Sportimes, Jesse Witten is now a seasoned veteran of World TeamTennis. His career high singles ranking is 163rd and his best performance in a Grand Slam came in 2009 where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the third round. Last year, he qualified for both Wimbledon and the French Open. Jesse is a former All-American with the University of Kentucky.
2011 WTT rosters
Boston Lobsters
Coach: Bud Schultz
James Blake, John Isner, Coco Vandeweghe, Jan-Michael Gambill, Eric Butorac and Mashona Washington
Kansas City Explorers
Coach: Brent Haygarth
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Alex Kuznetsov, Kveta Peschke, Ricardo Mello and Madison Brengle
Newport Beach Breakers
Coach: Trevor Kronemann
Pete Sampras, Anne Keothavong, Lester Cook, Travis Rettenmeier and Marie-Eve Pelletier
Philadelphia Freedoms
Coach: Pascal Collard
Melanie Oudin, Lisa Raymond, Beatrice Capra, Brendan Evans and Nathan Healey
Sacramento Capitals
Coach: Wayne Bryan
Mardy Fish, Vania King, Mark Knowles, Dusan Vemic and Yasmin Schnack
Springfield Lasers
Coach: John-Laffnie de Jager
Carly Gullickson, Lilia Osterloh, Paul Hanley and Rik de Voest
St. Louis Aces
Coach Rick Leach
Anna Kournikova, Mark Philippoussis, Liezel Huber, Jean-Julien Rojer and Roman Borvanov
Washington Kastles
Coach: Murphy Jensen
Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Sam Querrey, Arina Rodionova, Leander Paes, Bobby Reynolds and Rennae Stubbs
2011 New York Sportimes schedule
Call (888) WTT-NYC1 for information on New York Sportimes tickets or visit www.NYSportimes.com. Marquee players subject to change.
| Date | Opponent | Marquee Players | Court |
| Wednesday, July 6 | Boston Lobsters | Martina Hingis (Sportimes) | Sportime Stadium at Randall’s Island |
| Monday, July 11 | St. Louis Aces | Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis (Sportimes) | Sportime Stadium at Randall’s Island |
| Thursday, July 14 | Philadelphia Freedoms | Jimmy Connors (Freedoms) and John McEnroe & Martina Hingis (Sportimes) | Sportime Stadium at Randall’s Island |
| Friday, July 15 | Springfield Lasers | John McEnroe & Martina Hingis (Sportimes) | Sportime Stadium at Randall’s Island |
| Monday, July 18 | Kansas City Explorers | Bob & Mike Bryan (Explorers) and Martina Hingis (Sportimes) | SEFCU Arena at University of Albany |
| Tuesday, July 19 | Washington Kastles | Martina Hingis (Sportimes) | SEFCU Arena at University of Albany |
| Wednesday, July 20 | Washington Kastles | Martina Hingis (Sportimes) | Sportime Stadium at Randall’s Island |
