Lasers Newsletter

Myskina headed back to Lasers
By Joe Cress
JCESS@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Anastasia Myskina kept her word.

With Fed Cup commitments keeping her away from World TeamTennis the last two years, Myskina said that when she did come back to the league, it would be with the Springfield Lasers.

As of Tuesday, Myskina is back in WTT and, true to her word, back with the Lasers.

The 2004 French Open champion was selected by Springfield in the first round of the WTT draft in Miami. Myskina played for the Lasers from 2001-03, coinciding with her rise to the elite of the women's game.

"We're just thrilled to have her back with us," Lasers general manager Tom Adams said. "To think that her career took off (as) she was playing for us, and to see what she's done, it's really exciting."

Myskina, a 25-year-old right-hander from Russia, was ranked as high as No. 2 in the world in September 2004, and is No. 12 in the latest rankings. Adams said she will play four matches for the team, including at least two home matches.

The full WTT schedule will be released in the next two weeks.

Myskina is currently playing in the Nasdaq-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. In Sunday's second round, she claimed a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win over 16-year-old Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

Adams and other Lasers front-office members, in Florida for the draft, were so impressed with Victoria Azarenka, they picked her in Tuesday's second round. A 5-foot-10 right-hander, Azarenka won the Australian and U.S. Open junior singles titles last year, then turned pro this season. She already is No. 128 in the WTA standings.

"(Azarenka) was recommended to us," Adams said. "She's a big hitter. She's one of the top young stars in the game."

Also drafted by the Lasers:
*Andreea Vanc, a 32-year-old left-hander from Romania. She is ranked No. 43 in doubles, and picked up her first career title last year in Stasbourg. Vanc and Jennifer Russell lost in the first round of doubles at the Nasdaq-100.

*Alex Vlaski, a three-time All-American who graduated from the University of Washington in 2005 with a school-record 111 singles victories. This will be the first WTT season for the 23-year-old left-hander, who is ranked No. 170 in doubles and No.332 in singles.

*Nick Monroe, a three-time all-ACC selection at North Carolina, and native of Olathe, Kan. Monroe, 23, is currently playing the USTA Challenger Tour and is ranked No. 285 in doubles and No. 397 in singles.