After Washington Kastles owner Mark Ein made a few bold pronouncements at a recent match, a fan yelled, “Buy the Redskins, Mark.”
While doing business in the eight-team WTT isn’t nearly as competitive as in the high-stakes NFL, fans of Washington’s tennis franchise are certain of one thing: This hands-on owner knows what he’s doing.
It was never more evident than this week when the Kastles won two matches with what amounted to replacement players. With Venus Williams, Leander Paes and Anastasia Rodionova headed to London for the Olympics and Arina Rodionova sidelined with an injury, the Kastles were left with Bobby Reynolds as the lone starter.
But when Washington clipped the New York Sportimes 21-16 on Wednesday night in New York City, it extended its league-record winning streak to 28 matches. The victory was propelled by the Kastles’ unfamiliar doubles partners. In women’s, Edina Gallovits-Hall and Raquel Kops-Jones handled Martina Hingis and Ashley Harkleroad 5-2. In men’s, Treat Huey and Reynolds defeated John McEnroe and Robert Kendrick 5-3. In mixed, the relatively anonymous duo of Huey and Kops-Jones beat former No. 1s McEnroe and Hingis 5-3.
So much for needing time to develop chemistry.
According to Ein, acquiring the new players has more to do with character than ability. Ein said he includes everyone in the process, from general manager Kevin Wynne to coach Murphy Jensen to the players.
“I came up with some options, and then we all talked about it,” Ein said. “The most interesting thing about it, in the end, the players didn’t pick the highest-ranked players. They picked the players that they thought were the best fit for the organization.”
Ein said that selecting Huey, 26, was “obvious” with his local ties (St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes and University of Virginia grad) and stellar reputation. Gallovits-Hall and Kops-Jones were known similarly as even-keeled grinders.
“The key in this format is you need people who are always going to fight,” Ein said. “You want players who never lose an easy match. That kills you in this format.”
In other words, no tennis versions of Albert Haynesworth.
– Kevin Dunleavy
