McEnroe Squares Off Against Courier as Sportimes Fall to Texas in WTT Action

July 23, 2013 | By Kristina Hyland
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Photo credit: Adam Wolfthal

Last night, World TeamTennis (WTT) returned to Randall’s Island as the New York Sportimes played their first home match of the season at Sportime Randall’s Island. A nice crowd, including former Mayor David Dinkins and the General Manager of USTA Player Development Patrick McEnroe, turned out to see two former world number ones square off as John McEnroe led the Sportimes against Jim Courier and the Texas Wild. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn’t help out on this evening as rain forced the match indoors, but that didn’t deter from the fun and intensity.

On the court, things didn’t start too well for the Sportimes. In men’s doubles, Alex Bogomolov Jr. & Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of the Wild defeated the team Robert Kendrick & John McEnroe of the Sportimes 5-2. Next up was women’s singles where young Canadian player Eugenie Bouchard of the Wild defeated the Sportimes’ Anna-Lena Groenefeld 5-2, giving the Wild a 10-4 overall lead.

The third match of the night was marquee encounter as John McEnroe and Courier squared off. Both players exhibited the type of play they used to once become the world’s top ranked players with McEnroe’s serve and volley, and Courier’s blasting of cross-court forehands. The set was tight throughout, with no breaks of serve. At 4-4, they played a nine-point tie-breaker was won 5-3 by McEnroe getting the Sportimes their first win of the night.

The fourth match was mixed-doubles, which was arguably the most intense of the night. The team of Darija Jurak & Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of the Wild defeated Kveta Peschke & John McEnroe of the Sportimes 5-4 in a tie-breaker. This gave the Wild an overall 19-13 lead.

In the fifth match of the night, it was the women’s doubles team of Anna-Lena Groenefeld & Kveta Peschke getting another win for the Sportimes, defeating Eugenie Bouchard & Darija Jurak 5-2 to secure the win for the Wild.

With the win, the Wild secured a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Sportimes are still battling for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, as they return to the court tonight again at Sportime Randall’s Island for a matchup against their rivals, the Washington Kastles. Former world number one, recent International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee and former Sportimes player Martina Hingis will play this evening for the Kastles.

Credit all photos to Adam Wolfthal

The New York Sportimes prep for their World TeamTennis match against the Texas Wild at Sportime Stadium

 

Jim Courier with a backhand against John McEnroe at Sportime Stadium

 

Former NYC Mayor David DInkins was joined by NYJTL President and CEO Deborah MacFarlane Antione  for the McEnroe-Courier match

 

With the victory, the Texas Wild locked up a playoff spot in the WTT playoffs

 

Robert Kendrick in men’s doubles action against the Texas Wild


Kristina Hyland
Intern, Long Island Tennis Magazine

Kristina Hyland is from Lynbrook, NY. She is a senior at the University of Dayton in Ohio, majoring in public relations and minoring in political science. Kristina is interning for Long Island Tennis Magazine during the Summer of 2013. She can be reached at kristinah@litennismag.com.

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