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Advanta WTT Smash Hits airs on Tennis Channel on Sunday, Nov. 18
Elton John is a pretty good tennis player. Seriously!
If you still have any doubts, tune into the Tennis Channel on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 8 pm EST, to catch the Rocket Man's annual transformation into the Racquet Man.
John and longtime friend Billie Jean King co-hosted their annual charity event last month in Villanova, Pa. Lindsay Davenport, Andy Roddick and Anna Kournikova were among the friends who made the trip to the City of Brotherly Love to help raise more than $400,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Philadelphia-based ActionAIDS.
 "The quality of the tennis was fabulous and we raised a lot of money for charity," King said. "It was a really great night."
Sunday, Nov. 18 - 8 pm EST -- Tennis Channel
Photo: Camerawork USA |
Rec teams win titles in 10 divisions at WTT Nationals
Here is a full list of champions from the 2007 WTT Nationals held Nov. 2-4, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garde in Indian Wells, Calif. To read the release from the finals, visit the news section at www.WTT.com.
In addition to earning a national title, each championship team will also have the opportunity to help out tennis programs in their hometowns. Presenting sponsor Advanta will donate 70 tennis racquets to local programs designated by each winning team as part of Advanta's "Ready, Set, Racquet!" program.
3.0 Division
Champion: Paraiso of San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Runner-up: The Grand-OK "let" homies, Broken Arrow, Okla.
3.5 Division
Champion: We Hate Late, Woodland Hills, Calif.
Runner-up: High Strung Nutts, Las Vegas, Nev.
4.0 Division
Champion: The Magic Show, Kansas City, Mo.
Runner-up: Just 4 Fun, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
4.5 Division
Champion: Aces Up, Studio City, Calif.
Runner-up: Team Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Calif.
Senior 3.5 Division
Champion: Fun Fun Fun, Silver Spring, Md.
Runner-up: Fresno Tennis Club, Kingsburg, Calif.
Senior 4.0 Division
Champion: Beach Nuts, Virginia Beach, Va.
Runner-up: Bay Park Breakers, San Diego, Calif.
Corporate 3.5 Division
Champion: Grand Slammers, Boca Raton, Fla.
Runner-up: Boston Scientific - Latitude, Brooklyn Park, Mn.
Corporate 4.0 Division
Champion: Sports Explorer 4.0, Los Angeles, Calif.
Runner-up: Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruises, Miami, Fla.
Corporate 4.5 Division
Champion: Boston Scientific Heart Strings, Minneapolis, Minn.
Runner-up: Pallenburg Wealth Management, Ottawa, Canada
Open Division
Champion: Las Vegas Longshots, Las Vegas, Nev.
Runner-up: Merrill Lynch International, Miami, Fla.
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WTT Pro League sets schedule for 2008
 The schedule is set for the 2008 WTT Pro League season presented by Advanta. The regular season runs July 3-23, with WTT Championship Weekend set for July 25-27. Five teams will qualify for the playoffs.
Bids are currently being accepted from League teams to host the WTT Championship Weekend and a site will be announced in early 2008. The Sacramento Capitals are the defending WTT Champions.
Important WTT Pro League Dates:
- early February - WTT Pro League schedule released
- April 1 - WTT Player Draft (Miami)
- July 3-23 - WTT Regular Season
- July 25-27 - WTT Championship Weekend
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WTT REC BLOGS:
Vegas Longshots a sure thing in Indian Wells
Rob Kinas led his Las Vegas Longshots to the Open Division Championship. The Longshots dominated, outscoring opponents 104 to 29 over three matches. Kinas posted about his experience on WTT.com.
"We continue to pump the Advils but are walking without a grimace for the first time in days (the trophy seems to eliminate some of the soreness, however . . .)
 We enjoyed meeting the squads from around North America. All had an intense passion for the sport and the friendliness which makes the World TeamTennis experience so unique. Remind our squad next year not to accept any pool challenges (8 ball) from our Canadian neighbors. A few thought the lopsided result was skewed by the beer but the Canadians just rocked. Thankfully, the looney is now stronger than the dollar so our friends from the North should have fun with the coins after experiencing the exchange rate.
You and your team hosted a wonderful event !!! We hope you enjoy a well-deserved, post-event vacation and look forward to seeing you, Billie Jean King and the rest of the competitors in Indian Wells in 2008."
Robert Kinas
Captain, Las Vegas Longshots
2007 Open Division Champions
Las Vegas, Nev.
Photo: Tom Brewster |
2008 WTT Rec League Schedule
2008 WTT Rec League National Qualifiers (tentative)
 February 22-24 - Bradenton, Fla.
- April 18-20 - Las Vegas
- July 18 -20 in Kansas City
- August 22-24 - Raleigh, N.C.
- September TBD - Irvine, Calif.
- September TBD - Wilmington, Del.
- FINALS - Oct. 31-Nov. 2 - Indian Wells, Calif.
Photo: Tom Brewster |
Wold and Williams named top League Directors,
receive Delaine Mast Award at WTT Nationals
Sue Wold of Schenectady, N.Y., and Bob Williams of Minneapolis, Minn., are the 2007 recipients of the Delaine Mast Award. The annual award recognizes a male and a female World TeamTennis Rec League director who contributes to the growth of tennis and WTT, as well as being a leader and role model in their local tennis community.
 The awards are named after Delaine Mast, National Director for WTT Recreational League programs, and a recognized inner-city high school boy's and girl's tennis coach since 1986. Mast is the founder and executive director for the Junior Tennis Corporation of America, which is a non-profit organization that raises money to provide free tennis lessons to more than 10,000 youngsters in 14 cities across the US. Mast is an active member of the USPTR and USPTA National Tennis Teachers Organizations.
Williams and Wold received their awards from Mast and WTT co-founder Billie Jean King at the WTT Rec League National Finals earlier this month at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif.
 Wold started with WTT as a recreational team player. Her interest grew as she became a level coordinator before advancing to a WTT League Director. Wold, who currently serves at the Vice President of the Northern Region of USTA/Eastern, has been a WTT League Director for more than a decade. Albany now has more than 50 rec teams in 12 different divisions in their WTT league each season. She started a Corporate League in the Albany/Schenectady area in 2005 and works closely with the Schenectady-based WTT Pro League team, the New York Buzz.
In addition to her work in tennis, Wold teaches in the Troy, New York school district and has introduced tennis programs to several schools in the area.
Williams has run WTT Corporate Leagues in the Minneapolis area since 2005 and has doubled the number of teams and players in his WTT League over the past three years. He has recruited Corporate League players from major companies including Honeywell, Boston Scientific, Ernst and Young, Land O'Lakes, General Mills and MTS Systems. As a retired computer programmer, Williams has also volunteered his time and talents to assist World TeamTennis with a new online program for players and coordinators.
Williams, who only took up tennis in his mid-forties, was honored in 2005 as the recipient of the Jack Dow Adult Development Award from USTA Northern.
Bob Williams photo (above): Tom Brewster |
Advanta launches Ideablob,
offers $10,000 for best small business ideas
Got a great business idea? Advanta, presenting sponsor of the World TeamTennis Pro and Rec Leagues, is looking for the biggest ideas for small business with the recent launch of Ideablob.
Advanta launched Ideablob.com in September. The website is where small businesses and entrepreneurs can share and grow their business ideas - and have a chance to win $10,000 towards fulfilling them.
Business ideas are posted on the Ideablob website and site users vote for their favorite ideas. Each month the idea that generates the most votes from the community wins $10,000.
"We haven't had any tennis-related business ideas yet but we're looking forward to receiving some," said Ami Kassar, Advanta's Chief Innovation Officer.
The website is off to a great start with hundreds of ideas submitted for community review. Ideablob also won the DEMOgod™ People's Choice Award at the DEMOfall 07 conference in September.
The contest runs through March 31, 2008. |
WTT REC PLAYER BLOGS:
A little magic helps Kansas City team win
4.0 Division title at WTT Nationals
Whoever said "it's not how you start but how you finish" could have been talking about Scott Hanover and his Magic Show teammates' trip to the WTT Rec League National Finals.
 Missed planes, mechanical delays and misplaced luggage on their trip to Nationals in Indian Wells, Calif., weren't enough to keep the Kansas City-based squad from capturing their first WTT National Championship in the 4.0 Division.
Although Magic Show was one of 10 teams from across the U.S. that captured national championship titles, few probably had a more adventuresome trip. Team captain Hanover recounts his experiences in a blog on WTT.com
The trip to Indian Wells may have been rocky, but Hanover says that day one more than made up for it. "Waking up for day one of the nationals was probably the tennis highlight of my playing career. Knowing we had a chance to play for a national championship in a league founded by the legendary Billie Jean King was beyond my wildest tennis playing dreams."
Hanover says that King's philosophy of "play in the now has always been my theme. You cannot control the last point or the next, but you can the one you are playing. Be sure to have fun and don't think ahead. It seemed like simple words, but when you are all playing for your first ever national title, I wanted to not focus on the prize, but on the moment."
And focus they did. The Magic Show ran through the 4.0 Division with a perfect 5-0 mark to earn their first national title.
"I think for each individual player it was a dream come true. Some folks may only get one shot to come to Nationals, I know I felt that way, so I wanted to make sure I had made the most of it, and we did."
To read Scott Hanover's complete blog about his experiences at WTT Nationals, visit www.WTT.com.
Photo: Tom Brewster |
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Wilson hosts Billie Jean King clinic at WTT Nationals
During the WTT Nationals in Indian Wells, Wilson hosted a pre-event clinic for tournament participants. WTT co-founder Billie Jean King was on hand to offer tips and meet the more than 400 competitors. Tom Fey, Director of Tennis at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, helped lead the clinic.
Photo: Tom Brewster | |
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LIEZEL HUBER
(Photo: Camerawork USA)
It's been a big year for Delaware Smash standout Liezel Huber. Although her Smash finished out of the running during the 2007 WTT season, Huber found time in July to become an U.S. citizen. She closed out her tennis season in November by teaming with Cara Black to win the Sony Ericsson Championships title and finish the year as the top-ranked doubles team in the world.
Huber and Black held off Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama in a 3-set thriller, 7-6(3), 4-6, 10-6(TB). It was the 9th win of 2007 for the duo, including Grand Slam victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
For more on Huber, visit www.blackandhuber.com.
For more information
on the WTT Pro League, visit www.WTT.com.
Photos: Camerawork USA |
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HOLIDAY SHOPPING?
Bälle de Mätch offers holiday special for World TeamTennis members
Bälle de Mätch is proud to be associated with WTT as the official apparel sponsor. Our goal is to outfit as many WTT teams as possible in the latest in fashionable and technological clothing so that players can not only look good but feel like they can play their best wearing Bälle de Mätch.
We are making a special HOLIDAY package available for you and your families. Between now and Dec. 15, Bälle de Mätch will make available any of its 2007 Fashion merchandise for
35% discount off Suggested Retail! (while supplies last)
Call 800-356-1021 to make your purchase (credit card only).
Please identify yourself as a WTT player/ captain/ coordinator and our Customer Care Team will be happy to tell you what is available in Men's, Kid's and Women's. We are also able to send you electronically a file of existing styles.
Visit www.balledematch.com to view SOME of the product available but there is much more that can be purchased which is not shown on the site.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE SPECIAL HOLIDAY SAVINGS!!
We know you will enjoy wearing Bälle de Mätch apparel. Thanks for your support of Bälle de Mätch and for your enthusiasm for WTT. |
Official Sponsors
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