Venus Williams dominated the final set in the World TeamTennis Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night to deliver the Washington Kastles a 19-15 victory over the New York Sportimes and a berth in the championship match Sunday afternoon at Family Circle Stadium in Charleston, S.C.
Washington (15-0) will face the Sacramento Capitals (8-7), trying to complete its second straight perfect season in the WTT. Before the Kastles went 16-0 on their way to the 2011 title, no team had gone undefeated since the league was established in 1974.
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With the Kastles entering the final set tied, 14-14, Williams was broken in the opening game of women’s singles by Ashley Harkleroad. But Williams swept the final five games. It was the second time this year Williams ignited a rally against the Sportimes. In July, Williams won eight of nine games from WTT female MVP Martina Hingis, as Washington extended its winning streak, now at 31 games.
“It was all on me at the end,” Williams told reporters. “I have never played in a final after playing World TeamTennis for the past 12 years.”
The other hero for Washington on Saturday night was Bobby Reynolds. This year’s WTT male most valuable player won his men’s singles match over Jesse Witten 5-2 and combined with 2011 male MVP Leander Paes to win the men’s doubles 5-2.
Those wins, however, were offset by defeats by Paes and Williams in mixed doubles, 5-2, and Williams and Anastasia Rodionova in women’s doubles, 5-2.
Sacramento, despite its mediocre record, is likely to be a formidable foe in the title match. The Capitals needed to go overtime to subdue the Capitals, 21-19, in the regular season.
In addition, Sacramento was an overwhelming winner in the Western Conference finals on Saturday capturing all five sets on its way to a 25-15 victory over the Orange County Breakers. Kevin Anderson, a 6-foot-8 bomber from South Africa, led the rout.
he championship match will be played at 3:30 p.m.
