Capitals schedule, capsules; WTT rosters

   The Sacramento Capitals begin their 26th season in World TeamTennis on Wednesday night against the host St. Louis Aces.

   Sacramento is coming off consecutive 6-8 seasons, only their second and third losing records. The Capitals have won a record six WTT titles, most recently in 2007.    

CAPITALS’ SCHEDULE

(Home matches at Capitals Stadium, Sunrise Mall)

Wednesday, July 6, at St. Louis, 5:15 p.m.

Thursday, July 7, at Kansas City, 5:35 p.m.

Friday, July 8, vs. New York, 7:30 p.m. (Martina Hingis plays for Sportimes)

Saturday, July 9, vs. Washington, 7:30 p.m. (Serena Williams plays for Kastles)

Sunday, July 10, vs. Newport Beach, 7:30  p.m.

Tuesday, July 12, vs. Kansas City, 7:30 p.m. (Bob and Mike Bryan play for Explorers)

Wednesday, July 13, at St. Louis, 5:15 p.m.

Thursday, July 14, at Kansas City, 5:35 p.m. (Bryans play for Explorers)

Friday, July 15, vs. Newport Beach, 7:30 p.m. (Mardy Fish plays for Capitals)

Saturday, July 16, at Newport Beach, 7:15 p.m.

Monday, July 18, at Washington, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, July 19, at Springfield, 5:05 p.m.

Wednesday, July 20, vs. Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 21, vs. Springfield, 7:30 p.m.

2011 CAPITALS CAPSULES

   Mardy Fish, 29, Tampa, Fla., fourth World TeamTennis season (first with Capitals). Will play one match for Capitals on July 15 against Newport Beach Breakers at Sunrise Mall. ... Top-ranked American man at career-high No. 8 in world. ... Equaled best Grand Slam result by reaching Wimbledon quarterfinals for first time last week as last American in tournament. ... Has won five career ATP World Tour titles in singles and eight in doubles (including San Jose in 2004 with James Blake and last year with Sam Querrey). ... In U.S. victory on clay at Colombia last September, became first American to win all three of his matches (two singles and one doubles) in single Davis Cup series since Pete Sampras in 1995 final in Moscow. ... Won singles silver medal in 2004 Olympics in Athens, losing to Nicolas Massu of Chile 6-4 in the fifth set after leads two sets to one. ... Named 2006 Comeback Player of Year after undergoing two operations on left wrist.  ... Has booming serve, excellent return of serve. ... Moved from Minnesota to Florida at age 4 and lived with Andy Roddick in 1999 during high school. ... Returns to WTT after five-year absence. Played for Hartford FoxForce in 2004 and Houston Wranglers in 2005 and 2006. Both teams later folded.  

   Vania King, 22, Boynton Beach, Fla., third WTT season (second with Capitals). Ranked No. 7 in world in doubles (No. 2 in U.S.) and No. 90 in singles (No. 4 in U.S.). ... Won first Grand Slam titles last year, prevailing in women's doubles at Wimbledon and U.S. Open with Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan. ... Has won 12 career WTA Tour titles in doubles and one in singles (2006 Bangkok). ... Member of U.S. Fed Cup team 2006-09, 2011. ... Led Springfield (Mo.) Lasers to 2009 WTT Western Division championship and was named WTT Female MVP. ... Acquired from Springfield in 2010 draft-day trade. ... Fell from first in WTT women's singles (among 10 regulars) in 2009 to sixth last season against tougher competition. ... Quick at only 5-foot-5. ... Attended same high school, Long Beach Poly, as Billie Jean King (no relation). ... Talented singer performed "American the Beautiful" in Arthur Ashe Stadium at 2006 U.S. Open.

   Mark Knowles, 39, Bahamas, 10th WTT season (all with Capitals). Doubles specialist ranked No. 28 in world after reaching No. 1 in 2002 and 2004. … Finished in top 10 for eight straight years (2002-09). … In April 2010, became fifth player in ATP World Tour history to record 700 doubles match wins. … Has won four Grand Slam titles: three in men’s doubles with ex-partner Daniel Nestor (2002 Australian Open, 2004 U.S. Open and 2007 French Open) and one in mixed doubles with Anna-Lena Groenefeld (2009 Wimbledon). … Overall, has won 53 men’s doubles crowns (20th in Open Era, which began in 1968). … Three-time WTT Male MVP (2001, 2005 and 2007), tied with ex-Capital Brian MacPhie (1996-98) for men’s record. ... Has textbook volley and return of serve.  

   Yasmin Schnack, 23, Elk Grove, WTT rookie. Ranked No. 221 in doubles and No. 379 in singles in first full year as pro. … Won doubles title at $25,000 tournament in Redding last September in pro debut with fellow Sacramento-area pro Christina Fusano. … Has reached three doubles finals in tennis' minor leagues this year, falling each time. ... Powerful, athletic at 5-10. ... Close friend of teammate King. … Graduated from UCLA in sociology last year after All-America career. … Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year and NCAA doubles semifinalist in 2010. … Member of Bruins’ 2008 national championship team.

   Dusan Vemic, 35, Serbia, sixth WTT season (second with Capitals). Ranked 290th in doubles (career-high No. 31 in 2009) and 1,474th in singles (career-high No. 146 in 2008). ... Reached doubles semifinals of 2008 French Open (with Bruno Soares of Brazil) and 2010 Australian Open (with Ivo Karlovic of Croatia) and doubles quarterfinals of 2008 U.S. Open (with Soares). ... Powerful, flashy player finished fifth among nine regulars in WTT men's singles last season. ...  Played WTT for St. Louis in 2002 and Kansas City Explorers from 2007 to 2009.    

   Wayne Bryan, coach, Camarillo, 11th WTT season (10^th with Capitals). Longest-tenured coach in the league. … Earned third consecutive WTT Coach of the Year in 2006. … Has led Capitals to two of their record six league titles (2002 and 2007). … Father of identical twins Bob and Mike Bryan, world’s top-ranked men’s doubles team. … Tennis’ unofficial ambassador. … Non-practicing attorney. … Author of 2004 book “Raising Your Child to be a Champion in Athletics, Arts and Academics.” … Front man for Bryan Bros. Band.

OTHER WTT ROSTERS

(Players available for all 14 matches unless otherwise noted in parentheses)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

   Kansas City Explorers (WTT defending champions) – Bob and Mike Bryan (six), Alex Kuznetsov, Kveta Peschke, Ricardo Mello, Madison Brengle. Coach: Brent Haygarth.

   Newport Beach Breakers – Pete Sampras (one), Anne Keothavong, Lester Cook, Travis Rettenmaier, Marie-Eve Pelletier. Coach: Trevor Kronemann.

   St. Louis Aces – Mark Philippoussis (three), Liezel Huber, Maria Sanchez, Jean-Julien Roger, Roman Borvanov. Coach: Rick Leach.

   Springfield (Mo.) Lasers – Carly Gullickson, Lilia Osterloh, Paul Hanley, Raven Klaasen, Rik de Voest. Coach: John Laffnie de Jager (two-time reigning WTT Coach of the Year).

EASTERN CONFERENCE

   Boston Lobsters – James Blake (one), John Isner (one), Coco Vandeweghe, Jan-Michael Gambill, Eric Butorac, Mashona Washington. Coach: Bud Schultz.

   New York Sportimes – John McEnroe (four), Kim Clijsters (two), Martina Hingis (seven), Robert Kendrick, Jesse Witten, Katie O’Brien. Coach: Fritz Buehning.

   Philadelphia Freedoms – Jimmy Connors (one), Melanie Oudin (three), Lisa Raymond, Beatrice Capra, Brendan Evans, Nathan Healey. Coach: Pascal Collard.

   Washington Kastles – Serena Williams (two), Venus Williams (two), Sam Querrey (one), Arina Rodionova, Leander Paes, Bobby Reynolds (2010 WTT Male Rookie of the Year), Rennae Stubbs. Coach: Murphy Jensen.

   For more information, call (916) 488-5000 or visit www.saccaps.com.