The defending Mylan World TeamTennis champion San Diego Aviators will open their 2017 campaign by hosting former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova and the Orange County Breakers on Sunday, July 16 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, 2100 Costa Del Mar Road, Carlsbad, Calif., 92009. The match is slated to begin at 6 p.m. (PT).
Sharapova, who is one of just six WTA players in the Open Era to complete a Career Grand Slam, has 35 career WTA singles titles to her credit. The 30-year-old Russian will be returning to Carlsbad where she won singles titles in 2007 and 2006 when the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa hosted a WTA event.
San Diego’s home opener will mark the first meeting between the two teams since last year’s Mylan WTT Finals in Forest Hills, N.Y., when the Aviators defeated the Breakers 25-14 to capture the 2016 Mylan World TeamTennis championship.
“Our home opener against the Breakers is going to be a great start to an exciting World TeamTennis season. The Aviators are looking to defend the title, but it won’t be easy with every team in the league being so competitive,” said General Manager Jim Ault. “We want fans to come out and support their team. The matches are very entertaining and it’s a great atmosphere for the whole family.”
The Mylan WTT reigning champion Aviators and Coach John Lloyd will have Ryan Harrison, Raven Klaasen, Shelby Rogers and Darija Jurak returning from last year’s championship team.
After earning Mylan WTT Male MVP honors last year, Ryan Harrison has put together his strongest year on the ATP World Tour this year, winning his first ATP singles title in Memphis, Tenn., and reaching a career-high No. 41 in the singles rankings. Harrison, a 25-year-old from Austin, Texas, also won the French Open doubles title earlier this year.
Klaasen, who hails from Cape Town, South Africa, will be playing with the Aviators for the fourth-straight season. The 34-year-old doubles specialist has won 13 career ATP Would Tour doubles titles and is currently ranked No. 12 in the ATP doubles rankings (as of 7/3/17).
Rogers, a 24-year-old resident of Charleston, S.C., is currently ranked No. 70 in the WTA singles rankings (as of 7/3/17). She reached the singles quarterfinals of the French Open in 2016.
Jurak, a native from Zagreb, Croatia, played a key role for the Aviators in doubles and mixed doubles during last year’s championship run. The 33-year-old doubles specialist achieved a career-high WTA doubles ranking of No. 27 earlier this year.
This year’s roster also includes two new additions – Rajeev Ram, a 33-year-old resident of Carmel, Ind., and Naomi Broady of Stockport, England. Ram, who will play his first full season of Mylan WTT for the Aviators, currently partners with Klaasen on the ATP World Tour where they won titles this year in Indian Wells, Calif., and Delray Beach, Fla. Broady will serve as a substitute player for the Aviators. She reached a career-high No. 76 in the WTA singles rankings in March, 2016.
For additional player information, please go to: http://www.sandiegoaviators.com/players
The Aviators 2017 home schedule at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa will be as follows:
Sunday, July 16 San Diego Aviators vs. Orange County Breakers 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 18 San Diego Aviators vs. Springfield Lasers 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 22 San Diego Aviators vs. Springfield Lasers 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 23 San Diego Aviators vs. New York Empire 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 25 San Diego Aviators vs. Orange County Breakers 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 1 San Diego Aviators vs. Philadelphia Freedoms 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 2 San Diego Aviators vs. Washington Kastles 7 p.m.
For the complete schedule, please go to: http://www.sandiegoaviators.com/schedule. Tickets start at $25 per match. VIP and season tickets are also available. For ticket information, contact (888) 774-0110 or Tickets@sandiegoaviators.com.
The top two teams from the 2017 regular season will advance to the Mylan WTT Finals, which is scheduled for 8 p.m. (PT) on Saturday, August 5, at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. The Mylan WTT Finals will air live on ESPN3 with ESPN2 also joining the coverage.
About the San Diego Aviators: The San Diego Aviators, which are owned by local residents Fred Luddy and Jack McGrory, return for their fourth Mylan World TeamTennis season. For the third consecutive year, they will make their home venue at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. After posting an 8-6 record to finish the 2016 season in first place, the Aviators captured their first Mylan World TeamTennis championship, defeating the Orange County Breakers 25-14 in the Mylan WTT Finals at the historic Forest Hills Stadium at The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, N.Y.
For additional information on the San Diego Aviators, visit www.sandiegoaviators.com.
About Mylan World TeamTennis: Mylan World TeamTennis showcases the best in professional tennis with the innovative team format co-founded by Billie Jean King in the 1970s. Recognized as the leader in professional team tennis competition, Mylan WTT features many of the world's best players competing annually for the King Trophy, the League's championship trophy named after King.
Since the League's debut, virtually every major champion of the Open era has played Mylan WTT, including Andre Agassi, Venus and Serena Williams, Pete Sampras, Stefanie Graf, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters, Bob and Mike Bryan, Martina Hingis, Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert.
In July 2015, Mylan WTT became the fifth major professional team sports league in the U.S. to reach the 40th season milestone. In 2017, team owners Mark Ein and Fred Luddy acquired majority ownership of the organization. Learn more about the history and league champions of World TeamTennis at http://www.wtt.com/history
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