Buzz Pick All-USTA-Juniors Squad in World TeamTennis Draft
Posted on March 31, 2009Players from 17 countries highlighted today's Advanta WTT Roster Draft but it's a team of young Americans that will make World TeamTennis history this summer. The defending WTT Champion New York Buzz selected World TeamTennis' youngest team ever with a lineup of four up-and-coming American junior prospects, a WTT first.
The new-look New York Buzz will be Alex Domijan, 17; Evan King, 17; Christina McHale, 16; and Sloane Stephens, 16. Although the Roster Draft is where teams complete their lineup for the 3-week season with their full-time players, the League also announced that Maria Sharapova will play one home match for the Newport Beach Breakers on July 22.
The 2009 Advanta WTT Pro League regular season runs July 2-22 in 10 U.S. markets, with the top two teams from both the Western and Eastern Conference advancing to the Conference Finals on July 24. The Conference Champions will compete in the Advanta WTT Finals on Sunday, July 26 (location TBD).
Players selected during the Advanta WTT Roster Draft will join Sharapova and previously announced marquee players including Venus Williams and Andre Agassi (Philadelphia Freedoms); Serena Williams (Washington Kastles); Kim Clijsters and Anna Kournikova (St. Louis Aces); Martina Navratilova (Boston Lobsters); John McEnroe (New York Sportimes), Michael Chang (Sacramento Capitals) and Mike and Bob Bryan (Kansas City Explorers) to complete the lineup for the 2009 WTT season.
The lineup for the U.S. team was put together by Patrick McEnroe, General Manager, USTA Player Development and his USTA coaching staff.
"An integral part of our new player development philosophy is to foster a team concept among our rising junior talent, while providing them the best opportunities to face tough competition," said McEnroe. "The New York Buzz will provide the perfect opportunity to fulfill both these goals for the boys and girls working with the USTA."
Buzz owner Nitty Singh has a long history of supporting young tennis talent.
"We are extremely excited to showcase America's finest juniors on our New York Buzz team this season," said Singh. "This keeps with our tradition of presenting the game's future stars such as Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Lindsay Davenport who also played tournaments here in the Capital Region during the early part of their careers."
2009 Advanta WTT Pro League full rosters (including marquee and roster players):
BOSTON LOBSTERS: James Auckland, Stephanie Foretz, Jan-Michael Gambill, Raquel Kops-Jones, Martina
Navratilova. Coach: Bud Schultz
KANSAS CITY EXPLORERS: Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Kveta Peschke, Mike Russell, Milagros Sequera, Dusan
Vemic. Coach: Brent Haygarth
NEW YORK BUZZ: Alex Domijan, Evan King, Christina McHale, Sloane Stephens. Coach: Roger Smith
NEW YORK SPORTIMES: Christina Fusano, Ashley Harkleroad, Robert Kendrick, John McEnroe, Jesse Witten.
Coach: Chuck Adams
NEWPORT BEACH BREAKERS: Ramon Delgado, Julie Ditty, Kaes Van�t Hof, Marie-Eve Pelletier, Maria
Sharapova. Coach: Trevor Kronemann
PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS: Andre Agassi, Nathan Healey, Madison Keys, Travis Parrott, Lisa Raymond, Venus
Williams. Coach: Craig Kardon
SACRAMENTO CAPITALS: Michael Chang, Mark Knowles, Olga Puchkova, Rennae Stubbs, Sam Warburg. Coach:
Wayne Bryan
SPRINGFIELD LASERS: Martin Damm, Liezel Huber, Vania King, Raven Klaasen, Chani Scheepers. Coach: John-
Laffnie de Jager
ST. LOUIS ACES: Kim Clijsters, Liga Dekmeijere, Olga Govortsova, Mislav Hizak, Anna Kournikova, Tripp Phillips,
Sam Querrey. Coach: Roger Follmer
WASHINGTON KASTLES: Angela Haynes, Scott Oudsema, Leander Paes, Coco Vandeweghe, Serena Williams.
Coach: Murphy Jensen
The new-look New York Buzz will be Alex Domijan, 17; Evan King, 17; Christina McHale, 16; and Sloane Stephens, 16. Although the Roster Draft is where teams complete their lineup for the 3-week season with their full-time players, the League also announced that Maria Sharapova will play one home match for the Newport Beach Breakers on July 22.
The 2009 Advanta WTT Pro League regular season runs July 2-22 in 10 U.S. markets, with the top two teams from both the Western and Eastern Conference advancing to the Conference Finals on July 24. The Conference Champions will compete in the Advanta WTT Finals on Sunday, July 26 (location TBD).
Players selected during the Advanta WTT Roster Draft will join Sharapova and previously announced marquee players including Venus Williams and Andre Agassi (Philadelphia Freedoms); Serena Williams (Washington Kastles); Kim Clijsters and Anna Kournikova (St. Louis Aces); Martina Navratilova (Boston Lobsters); John McEnroe (New York Sportimes), Michael Chang (Sacramento Capitals) and Mike and Bob Bryan (Kansas City Explorers) to complete the lineup for the 2009 WTT season.
The lineup for the U.S. team was put together by Patrick McEnroe, General Manager, USTA Player Development and his USTA coaching staff.
"An integral part of our new player development philosophy is to foster a team concept among our rising junior talent, while providing them the best opportunities to face tough competition," said McEnroe. "The New York Buzz will provide the perfect opportunity to fulfill both these goals for the boys and girls working with the USTA."
Buzz owner Nitty Singh has a long history of supporting young tennis talent.
"We are extremely excited to showcase America's finest juniors on our New York Buzz team this season," said Singh. "This keeps with our tradition of presenting the game's future stars such as Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Lindsay Davenport who also played tournaments here in the Capital Region during the early part of their careers."
2009 Advanta WTT Pro League full rosters (including marquee and roster players):
BOSTON LOBSTERS: James Auckland, Stephanie Foretz, Jan-Michael Gambill, Raquel Kops-Jones, Martina
Navratilova. Coach: Bud Schultz
KANSAS CITY EXPLORERS: Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Kveta Peschke, Mike Russell, Milagros Sequera, Dusan
Vemic. Coach: Brent Haygarth
NEW YORK BUZZ: Alex Domijan, Evan King, Christina McHale, Sloane Stephens. Coach: Roger Smith
NEW YORK SPORTIMES: Christina Fusano, Ashley Harkleroad, Robert Kendrick, John McEnroe, Jesse Witten.
Coach: Chuck Adams
NEWPORT BEACH BREAKERS: Ramon Delgado, Julie Ditty, Kaes Van�t Hof, Marie-Eve Pelletier, Maria
Sharapova. Coach: Trevor Kronemann
PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS: Andre Agassi, Nathan Healey, Madison Keys, Travis Parrott, Lisa Raymond, Venus
Williams. Coach: Craig Kardon
SACRAMENTO CAPITALS: Michael Chang, Mark Knowles, Olga Puchkova, Rennae Stubbs, Sam Warburg. Coach:
Wayne Bryan
SPRINGFIELD LASERS: Martin Damm, Liezel Huber, Vania King, Raven Klaasen, Chani Scheepers. Coach: John-
Laffnie de Jager
ST. LOUIS ACES: Kim Clijsters, Liga Dekmeijere, Olga Govortsova, Mislav Hizak, Anna Kournikova, Tripp Phillips,
Sam Querrey. Coach: Roger Follmer
WASHINGTON KASTLES: Angela Haynes, Scott Oudsema, Leander Paes, Coco Vandeweghe, Serena Williams.
Coach: Murphy Jensen