Sportimes Fall to the Washington Kastles as Hingis Returns to Randall’s Island

July 24, 2013 | By Erin Brown
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Photo credit: Adam Wolfthal

For the second straight night, the New York Sportimes came up short in World TeamTennis (WTT) play, but that didn’t deter the home fans from enjoying all the action and atmosphere at Sportime Stadium at Randall’s Island. On Tuesday night, the Washington Kastles defeated the Sportimes 23-15, as the matches were very competitive with the Sportimes giving the Kastles a hard time in each encounter. Between each set, there were games and contests for lucky kids to get to participate in with the pros. One night after the New York crowd was treated to two former world number ones battling (John McEnroe and Jim Courier), Martina Hingis, playing the 2013 WTT season for the visiting Kastles, showed the crowd why she was once ranked number one in the world as well and more than deserving of her recent induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

The night started with a men’s doubles match, won by the team of Frederik Nielsen & Bobby Reynolds of the Kastles 5-3 over the Sportimes’ Robert Kendrick & Jesse Witten. The Kastles then won both singles matchups as Anastasia Rodionova of Kastles defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld of the Sportimes 5-1, and Bobby Reynolds of the Kastles was a 5-3 winner over Jesse Witten of the Sportimes. These victories gave the Kastles an overall 15-7 lead, as the Kastles continued their winning ways in mixed-doubles as Hingis & Frederik Nielsen were 5-3 winners over the Sportimes’ Kveta Peschke & Jesse Witten. The Sportimes got their first win in the evening’s last match, as Anna-Lena Groenefeld & Kveta Peschke of the Sportimes defeated Martina Hingis & Anastasia Rodionova 5-2 in women’s doubles.

The crowd was involved in the matches all night and rooted on their home team as New Yorkers were treated to a nice night of professional tennis.

Credit all photos to Adam Wolfthal

New York Sportimes Coach Claude Okin (center) with Robert Kendrick (left) and Jesse Witten (right) during World TeamTennis action against the Washington Kastles

 

Former Sportimes player and recently-elected Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Hingis in action for her new team, the Washington Kastles

 

Kveta Peschke of the Sportimes in mixed-doubles action

 

The Sportimes’ Robert Kendrick & Jesse Witten opened the night with men’s doubles action

 

Martina Hingis in mixed-doubles action for the Washington Kastles against her former WTT squad, the New York Sportimes

 


Erin Brown
Intern

Erin Brown is an intern at Long Island and New York Tennis Magazine. She graduated from George Washington University with a degree in English, where she was also a member of the Club Tennis team. She may be reached by e-mail at erinb@litennismag.com.

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