SAN DIEGO, Calif. (July 24, 2014) – A season that started with three straight losses and season-ending injuries to three of their four roster players is ending in an improbable trip to the 2014 Mylan WTT Finals after the Springfield Lasers upset the San Diego Aviators 22-17 on Thursday night to win the Mylan WTT Western Conference title.
The Lasers will host the defending Mylan WTT Champion Washington Kastles on Sunday, July 27 at 4:00p.m. Central at Mediacom Stadium at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo.
The Kastles are trying for a record-tying fourth straight King Trophy after defeating the Philadelphia Freedoms 21-16 on Thursday evening. The Kastles and Lasers faced off in the 2013 Mylan WTT Finals with Washington posting a 25-12 win.
“This whole season has been an amazing experience,” said longtime Lasers coach John-Laffnie de Jager. “This teams believes in and plays for each other. Now we have to go home and get the win.”
Springfield’s Michael Russell edged San Diego’s Somdev Devvarman in the opening set 5-4. Both held serve for the first eight games, taking the set to a 9-point tiebreaker. Russell, who saved three break points during the set, also held off three set points before wrapping up the win.
Springfield had several opportunities in women’s doubles as Liga Dekmeijere-Thomas and Olga Govortsova rallied from 4-1 down to even the set at 4-4. The Aviators converted their third set point when Peschke hit a shot out of Govortsova’s reach to give San Diego the 5-4 win and even the overall score at 9-9.
In an entertaining set full of highlight worthy action, Bob Bryan and Kveta Peschke were too strong for Govortsova and Ross Hutchins. The Lasers broke Peschke’s serve to go up 2-1 but the Aviators broke back on Govortsova’s serve to even up the set at 2-2. Peschke and Bryan pulled away 5-3 to give San Diego a 14-12 halftime lead.
In women’s singles, Govortsova stunned Hantuchova with a 5-0 win. Govortsova won all three 3-all points and broke Hantuchova’s serve twice to give the Lasers a 17-14 lead heading into the final set.
Russell and Hutchins closed out the victory with a 5-3 win over Bob and Mike Bryan in men’s doubles to send the Finals to Springfield for the first time.
The 2014 Mylan WTT Finals will be on ESPN3 at 5:00 p.m. ET with ESPN2 joining the live coverage at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Mylan World TeamTennis - Results for Thursday, 7/24 (Home teams in capital letters)
FINAL RESULTS - All matches complete:
Mylan WTT Western Conference Championship: Springfield Lasers def. SAN DIEGO AVIATORS 22-17
Men's Singles - Michael Russell (Lasers) def. Somdev Devvarman (Aviators) 5-4
Women's Doubles - Kveta Peschke\Daniela Hantuchova (Aviators) def. Olga Govortsova\Liga Dekmeijere (Lasers) 5-4
Mixed Doubles - Bob Bryan\Kveta Peschke (Aviators) def. Ross Hutchins\Olga Govortsova (Lasers) 5-3
Women's Singles - Olga Govortsova (Lasers) def. Daniela Hantuchova (Aviators) 5-0
Men's Doubles - Michael Russell\Ross Hutchins (Lasers) def. Bob Bryan\Mike Bryan (Aviators) 5-3
Mylan WTT Eastern Conference Championship: WASHINGTON KASTLES def. Philadelphia Freedoms 21-16 (OT)
Men's Singles - Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) def. Frank Dancevic (Freedoms) 5-3
Women's Singles - Taylor Townsend (Freedoms) def. Martina Hingis (Kastles) 5-2
Mixed Doubles - Martina Hingis\Leander Paes (Kastles) def. Liezel Huber\Marcelo Melo (Freedoms) 5-2
Women's Doubles - Martina Hingis\Anastasia Rodionova (Kastles) def. Liezel Huber\Taylor Townsend (Freedoms) 5-1
Men's Doubles - Frank Dancevic\Marcelo Melo (Freedoms) def. Leander Paes\Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) 5-3
Overtime - Men's Doubles - Leander Paes\Bobby Reynolds (Kastles) def. Frank Dancevic\Marcelo Melo (Freedoms) 1-0
For live scoring and complete player/match statistics, please visit www.WTT.com.