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Washington Kastles (2008-), WTT Champions 6 out of the Last 8 Years, Featuring Venus, Hingis, Querry, Kyrgios, and The Bryans


Steve R.

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On 5/6/2014 at 5:23 PM, daveo said:

Possibly to spice things up and add an element of team success we need a thread on the Washington Kastle's tennis team.  They have a phenomenal record and are local.  Anyone been to their matches??? 

Yes, but only when they've played away against the NY Sporttimes over the past couple of years.  These matches are very informal, lots of fun and yet highly competitive.  Well worth going.

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Prior to them teaming up both Paes and Hingis were each already on my short list of players I run to watch whenever I can.  Hingis played for the NY Sportimes (now defunct) when I was a member of that club and had season tickets to the team's matches (only 4 years ago).  She was incredible to watch, both in singles and doubles.  My favorite was the evening she teamed up with Johnny Mac in doubles… she was the stronger partner.  As for Paes, my wife and I go to the US Open every year and we always manage to watch one of his doubles matches.  Years ago it was with the "other" Martina, then (up until last year) Mens Doubles w/Stepanek.  Always great to watch.  What a touch.

This year, we have our tickets and will keep an eye out to see if Hingis/Paes are teamed up (I assume they will be) &, if so, we'll be parked in the stands watching.  Doesn't matter who else may be playing at the time, that's where we'll be.

Thank you above for the comments.  Paes plays for the local tennis team.  You have wet my appetite to watch.  Doubles are fun.

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11 hours ago, DaveO said:

Thank you above for the comments.  Paes plays for the local tennis team.  You have wet my appetite to watch.  Doubles are fun.

You gotta go watch in person though.  Paes has a touch game that doesn't lend itself well to tv coverage.  Professional league tennis matches are usually inexpensive, not well attended & you get a set of all 5 types of matches (each with a no-ad scoring system).  Two hours of fun.

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I got that.  Attending is the  plan, not TV.  Doubles and touch and a net game are fun to watch.    I've never watched this league in person.  

Just looked them up. Kastles have Hingis and Paes plus the Bryan brothers.  But they aren't all scheduled to play all the time.  ...so based on above advice I'll watch for when Hingis and Paes are scheduled to play.   Thanks.

 

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On June 7, 2016 at 9:13 AM, Steve R. said:

You gotta go watch in person though.  Paes has a touch game that doesn't lend itself well to tv coverage.  Professional league tennis matches are usually inexpensive, not well attended & you get a set of all 5 types of matches (each with a no-ad scoring system).  Two hours of fun.

Just reading your review of the Open and doubles reminded me of The Kastles.  I completely missed their season....and if there was coverage of it in the local media I also missed that.  Sheesh. Wonder where my head was?  Meanwhile caught much of Serena's loss on tv.  It appeared as if Serena was facing a similarly powerful opponent, which is very rare.

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30 minutes ago, Tweaked said:

Kastles look like they are stacked, Bryan Brothers, Venus, Hingis, Nick Kyrgios, Sam Querrey.  

This is absolutely incredible!

The Kastles have the most successful men's doubles team in history, a 2017 Wimbledon Women's Singles finalist, a 2017 Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Champion and former #1 Women's Singles player in the world for 209 weeks, arguably the most talented young player in the world, and a 2017 Wimbledon Men's Singles Semifinalist

Are you kidding me?!

Special mention of roster member Treat Huey, who was the #1 player in the Mid-Atlantic region at one time - when they were juniors, it was between him and Jason Pinsky of Churchhill HS in Potomac. Huey was the Washington Post HS Player of the Year in 2002 (Alex Hume was awesome as well - that was a great year for high school tennis talent in the DC area).

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On 6/7/2016 at 9:13 AM, Steve R. said:

You gotta go watch in person though.  Paes has a touch game that doesn't lend itself well to tv coverage.  Professional league tennis matches are usually inexpensive, not well attended & you get a set of all 5 types of matches (each with a no-ad scoring system).  Two hours of fun.

Two years later and I checked the Kastles schedule this year while noting that they play at GWU’s Smith Center, a venue I’ve come to appreciate and frequent.  I’ll probably take you up on your advise this season although I’ve missed Paes and Hinges, no longer on the team.  

 Agggghhhh.   Paes is 45 and evidently still playing though not for DC this season

Oh well better late than never.  I’ve never seen a team tennis competition.

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On 7/17/2018 at 11:04 PM, DaveO said:

I’ve never seen a team tennis competition.

I saw my first WTT match - ooof - 44-years ago, in 1974 (*). It was a  Baltimore Banners match featuring Jimmy Connors. I don't care what Wikipedia says, it was absolutely the summer of 1974 when I went - I distinctly remember a banner that said, "Our Jimmy's the Champ!" - he had just won Wimbledon - and I went with my fellow campers from Don Budge Tennis Campus which dates it by definition. 

(*) DIShGo was at the Borg-McEnroe Wimbledon final with the long tiebreaker!

DAMN, there's an article cited on Wikipedia written by Jim Cummings - he penalized me a point in the Montgomery County Men's Open finals because I cursed - my opponent totally hosed me on a crucial line call. (I won anyway.)

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