Wimbledon, Fireworks, and the Launch of the 35th Season of WTT By: Matt Fitzgerald

This weekend, many of us will be traveling to celebrate our independence with friends and family.  It’s a special time that brings people together – from sea to shining sea, to the hot dog vs. hamburger debate, there’s always something to discuss on 4^th of July.  Tennis fanatics will look for ways to check match updates, as the Gentlemen’s Singles Final falls on Independence Day this year.  Our friends across the pond hope their main attraction, Andy Murray, will find a way to defeat matador Rafael Nadal today to put a British man in the final of the Championships for the first time in 72 years.  We at WTT will be more focused on tomorrow’s Ladies’ Singles Final, as loyal WTT veteran Serena Williams (Washington Kastles star pictured to the left) is aiming to win her 4^th Wimbledon Title.  Serena’s success, along with sister Venus and Maria Sharapova (Newport Beach Breakers star pictured to the right) at Wimbledon, has provided WTT an incoming Ladies’ Singles Wimbledon Champion five out of the last six years.  A win over first time grand slam singles finalist Vera Zvonareva would give Serena 13 major championships.

With the completion of all these great Wimbledon matches, all of our focus will be geared towards opening day of the 35^th Pro League Season which begins Monday, July 5!  It’s a jam-packed night, as eight teams will begin their campaign for a WTT Team Championship.  Three marquee players will take the courts for their respective teams.  Lindsay Davenport, fresh off a surprising appearance in the mixed doubles tournament at Wimbledon with Bob Bryan (Kansas City Explorers), will play her first match for the St. Louis Aces when they take on the Springfield Lasers in Springfield. The New York Buzz will host Martina Hingis, who is currently playing the Wimbledon Ladies’ Invitation Doubles with Anna Kournikova (St. Louis Aces).  She and the Buzz will square off at home against the Philadelphia Freedoms.  The third marquee player in action is Michael Chang, who is playing his second season of WTT with the Sacramento Capitals.  The Caps face California rival and Western Conference foe the Newport Beach Breakers in Sacramento.

For now, we wish all of our WTT players who are still vying for titles at Wimbledon the best of luck! Here’s a recap of who we have left in London.

Ladies’ Singles

- Serena Williams, finals

Ladies’ Doubles

- Vania King (Sacramento Capitals), finals

Mixed Doubles

- Leander Paes (Washington Kastles), finals

Ladies’ Invitational Doubles

- Martina Hingis, round-robin stage

- CEO/Commissioner Ilana Kloss, round-robin stage