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Myskina goes out on top She contributes two wins in her last Lasers JCRESS@NEWS-LEADER.COM |
Halfway there.
The hottest club in World TeamTennis ended the first half of the regular season perfect Friday night, and sent there marquee player off in grand style in the process.
The Springfield Lasers swept all five events in whipping the St. Louis Aces 25-14 in front of a season-high crowd of 1.988 at Cooper Tennis Complex. Springfield is 7-0, 2 ½ games ahead of Sacramento in WTT’s Western Conference.
Only one team in league history-Newport Beach in 1994-has finished a perfect 14-0 in the regular season. Lasers coach Trevor Kronemann played for that Newport Beach team, and says this team reminds him of that one.
“This feels like that did, I have to say,” Kronemann said. “These guys are giving it everything every night. … The common denominator is hard work.”
Anastasia Myskina completed her abbreviated stay with the team with two more victories. The No. 11 player in the world teamed with Alex Vlaski for a 5-2 win in mixed doubles, then, fittingly, closed out the match with a 5-2 singles victory over Maria Emilia Salerni, a member of Argentina’s Fed Cup and Olympic teams.
Myskina struggled with her firs serve and wasn’t really happy with her play in singles, but she took a moment after signing dozens of tennis balls, T-shirts and caps to reflect on her return to the Ozarks.
“It’s really great to come back,” she said. “The fans didn’t forget me, and I appreciate that.”
All modesty aside, Myskina was a key contributor-on and off the court-during her four matches in five days with the Lasers.
“To get to be around her and see her level of professionalism was great,” teammate Nick Monroe said. “We have a great team, great spirit.”
Monroe got the match started with a hard-fought 5-4 (5-1 tiebreaker) single win over John Paul Fruttero. Victoria Azarenka and Andreea Vanc then rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat Salerni and Aleke Tsoubanos 5-3.
Comfortably ahead 15-9 after mixed doubles, Springfield’s Vlaski and Monroe were penalized one point to start their doubles match for hitting a ball after time was called in warm-ups.
Vlaski and Monroe clearly took offense to the charge, and won a spirited 5-3 set over Fruttero and Brian Wilson.
“Not that we needed any extra motivation,” Monroe said, grinning. “But it didn’t hurt either.”
Myskina then closed out the match, and her fourth WTT season with the Lasers. She leaves today for Cincinnati, then continues on until the U.S. Open. She won’t be available to play in the WTT finals this year if the Lasers advance that far, but she did say she would like to play again next season.
“But only for Springfield,” she added.
The Lasers play five of their final seven matches on the road, beginning Sunday night at Newport Beach. Springfield’s next home match is July 21, also against St. Louis.