Barty to skip U.S. Open; WTT playoffs set

Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty said she will bypass the U.S. Open because
of coronavirus concerns. 2019 photo by Harjanto Sumali

   Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty announced today that she will skip the U.S. Open because of the coronavirus pandemic.

   "My team and I have decided that we won't be traveling to the U.S. for the Western and Southern Open and the U.S. Open this year," the 24-year-old Australian said in a statement. "I love both events, so it was a difficult decision, but there are still significant risks involved due to COVID-19, and I don't feel comfortable putting my team and (myself) in that position. I wish the USTA all the best for the tournaments and look forward to being back in the U.S. next year."

   The U.S. Open is scheduled to be played Aug. 31 to Sept. 13 without fans in attendance at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y. The French Open is set for Sept. 27 to Oct. 11 at 50 to 60 percent of spectator capacity.

   "I will make my decision on the French Open and the surrounding WTA European tournaments in the coming weeks," said Barty, whose only Grand Slam singles title came last year at Roland Garros.

   Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka will play in the U.S. Open, the 2018 champion's management team told Reuters.

   WTT playoffs – The schedule for this weekend's World TeamTennis playoffs is set.

   In Saturday's semifinals on CBS Sports Network, the top-seeded Philadelphia Freedoms (12-2) will meet the fourth-seeded New York Empire (7-7) at 11 a.m. PDT, and the second-seeded Orlando Storm (10-4) will play the third-seeded Chicago Smash (9-5) at 2 p.m.

   The winners will meet for the King Trophy on Sunday at 9 a.m. on CBS.

   The teams feature reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin (Philadelphia), International Tennis Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters (New York), two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren (Orlando) and 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens (Chicago). Stephens grew up in Fresno, Calif., before moving to Florida.

Vegas ends skid in possibly Bryan brothers' last match

Bob Bryan, left, said he and Mike Bryan "are having
a blast playing tennis, maybe for the last time." File
photo by Paul Bauman 

   In possibly the last match of Bob and Mike Bryan's careers, the Vegas Rollers ended their season with a 19-16 victory over the Washington Kastles today at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.

   Asia Muhammad and Mike Bryan routed Venus Williams, 40, and Marcelo Arevalo 5-1 in the last set as Vegas (5-9) ended its losing streak at five matches.

   The 42-year-old Bryan twins said last November that they would retire after this year's U.S. Open. Their plans now are uncertain because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

   "We're having a blast playing tennis, maybe for the last time," Bob Bryan said in a post-match interview on Tennis Channel. "No better place to play than The Greenbrier for World TeamTennis."

   The 42-year-old Bryan twins, playing their 18th WTT season, saluted each other at the beginning of the third set, men's doubles. Mike Bryan and Sam Querrey, a 32-year-old San Francisco native, then dominated Arevalo and Nick Monroe 5-2 to give Vegas a 12-10 lead at intermission. Bob Bryan sat out with a quadriceps strain.

   Querrey beat Tommy Paul 5-3 in the previous set, marking the first time Vegas won back-to-back sets since its last win, on July 21 over Orange County. 

   Washington (6-7) was eliminated from contention for the playoffs, Saturday and Sunday at The Greenbrier. Advancing will be the Philadelphia Freedoms (11-2), expansion Chicago Smash (9-4), Orlando Storm (9-4) and New York Empire (7-6). The seedings will be finalized on Thursday, the last day of the regular season.

                                    VEGAS ROLLERS 19, WASHINGTON KASTLES 16

   Women's singles – Bernarda Pera (Wash.) def. Monica Puig 5-2.

   Men's singles – Sam Querrey (LV) def. Tommy Paul 5-3.

   Men's doubles – Mike Bryan and Querrey (LV) def. Marcelo Arevalo and Nick Monroe 5-2.

   Women's doubles – Pera and Venus Williams (Wash.) def. Asia Muhammad and Puig 5-2.

   Mixed doubles – Mike Bryan and Muhammad (LV) def. Arevalo and Williams 5-1.

Springfield hands Vegas its fifth consecutive loss

   The Vegas Rollers suffered their fifth consecutive loss today, falling to the two-time defending champion Springfield (Mo.) Lasers 24-19 (1-0 extended play) in a World TeamTennis match at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   Vegas (4-9) has lost seven of its last eight matches. Since starting the season 2-1, the Rollers have gone 2-8.
   Springfield (4-8) won the middle three sets 5-3 to take a commanding 19-14 lead entering the last set. Vegas' Sam Querrey, a 32-year-old San Francisco native, edged Mitchell Krueger 5-4, sending the match to extended play, but Krueger held serve for the overall victory.
   After an off-day on Tuesday, the Rollers will end their season on Wednesday at 3 p.m. PDT (Tennis Channel) against Venus Williams, 40, and the Washington Kastles at The Greenbrier.
   Washington defeated Vegas 24-18 on July 19 at The Greenbrier in the teams' only previous meeting this season.

SPRINGFIELD (MO.) LASERS 24, VEGAS ROLLERS 19 (1-0 EP)

   Men's doubles – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (LV) def. Robert Lindstedt and Jean-Julien Rojer 5-4.
   Women's singles – Catherine McNally (Spr.) def. Ajla Tomljanovic 5-3.
   Mixed doubles – Lindstedt and McNally (Spr.) def. Mike Bryan and Monica Puig 5-3.
   Women's doubles – Olga Govortsova and McNally (Spr.) def. Puig and Tomljanovic 5-3.
   Men's singles – Sam Querrey (LV) def. Mitchell Krueger 5-4.
   Extended play – Krueger (Spr.) def. Querrey 1-0.

Vegas falls again, eliminated from playoff contention

   The Vegas Rollers of World TeamTennis suffered their fourth consecutive loss and sixth in seven matches today, eliminating them from playoff contention.
   Vegas, featuring ex-Stanford All-Americans Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan and San Francisco native Sam Querrey, lost to the expansion Chicago Smash 22-18 at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., to fall to 4-8 with two matches remaining.
   Chicago, with Fresno product Sloane Stephens and University of California, Berkeley volunteer assistant coach Rajeev Ram, improved to 9-2 with its fourth consecutive win.
    The Rollers' Ajla Tomljanovic, ranked No. 56, beat Eugenie Bouchard, ranked No. 332 after reaching a career-high No. 5 in 2014, 5-3 to cut the Smash's lead to 17-16 entering the last set.
   However, Bouchard and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, formerly ranked No. 1 in doubles, dominated Monica Puig and Tomljanovic 5-2 for the victory.
   Vegas will meet the two-time defending champion Springfield (Mo.) Lasers (3-8) for the second time this season on Monday at noon PDT (Tennis Channel) at The Greenbrier. The Rollers beat the Lasers 20-18 (1-0 extended play) on July 17.

CHICAGO SMASH 22, VEGAS ROLLERS 18

   Men's doubles – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (LV) def. Rajeev Ram and Brandon Nakashima 5-4.
   Men's singles – Nakashima (Chi.) def. Sam Querrey 5-4.
   Mixed doubles – Ram and Sloane Stephens (Chi.) def. Mike Bryan and Monica Puig 5-2.
   Women's singles – Ajla Tomljanovic (LV) def. Eugenie Bouchard 5-3.
   Women's doubles – Eugenie Bouchard and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (Chi.) def. Puig and Tomljanovic 5-2.

Clijsters, New York hand Vegas third straight loss

   The Vegas Rollers' slim playoff hopes suffered another blow today.
   The New York Empire, featuring International Tennis Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters, won all five sets in its 25-17 victory over Vegas, with ex-Stanford All-Americans Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan and San Francisco native Sam Querrey, in a World TeamTennis match at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   It was Vegas' third consecutive loss and fifth in its last six matches. The Rollers have lost 14 of their last 15 sets, including all seven tiebreakers.
   Vegas fell to 4-7, sixth in the nine-team league. Even if the Rollers win all three of their remaining matches, they might not qualify for the four-team playoffs, Aug. 1-2 at The Greenbrier.
   Clijsters, a 37-year-old mother of three, launched a comeback in February after retiring in 2012. She and 45-year-old Kveta Peschke outclassed Monica Puig, the gold medalist in women's singles in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and Ajla Tomljanovic 5-2 to give New York (5-4) a 10-5 lead. Clijsters then won tiebreakers in mixed doubles and women's singles.
   After an off-day on Saturday, Vegas will face the expansion Chicago Smash (7-2) for the second time on Sunday at noon PDT (Tennis Channel) at The Greenbrier.
   Chicago defeated Vegas 24-18 (1-0 in extended play) in the season opener for both teams on July 12 at The Greenbrier.

NEW YORK EMPIRE 25, VEGAS ROLLERS 17

   Men's singles – Jack Sock (NY) def. Sam Querrey 5-3.
   Women's doubles – Kim Clijsters and Kveta Peschke (NY) def. Monica Puig and Ajla Tomljanovic 5-2.
   Mixed doubles – Clijsters and Sock (NY) def. Tomljanovic and Mike Bryan 5-4.
   Women's singles – Clijsters (NY) def. Puig 5-4.
   Men's doubles – Neal Skupski and Sock (NY) def. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (LV) 5-4.

All WTA, ATP tournaments in China canceled for 2020

   All WTA and ATP fall tournaments in China, including the WTA Finals and ATP Shanghai Masters, have been canceled, tour officials announced today.
   China will not host any international sporting events this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation's General Administration of Sport recently decided.
   Affected are WTA tournaments in October and November in Beijing, Wuhan, Nanchang, Zhengzhou, Shenzhen (WTA Finals), Zhuhai and Guangzhou and ATP events in Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Zhuhai.
   The WTA and ATP are considering adjustments to their provisional fall calendars. Still planned are WTA tournaments in Tokyo, Seoul, Linz and Moscow and ATP events in Moscow, Antwerp, Stockholm, Vienna, Basel, Paris, Milan and London (ATP Finals).
   The tours are scheduled to resume on Aug. 3 in Palermo (WTA) and Aug. 22 in New York (ATP). The calendars include the U.S. Open (Aug. 31-Sept. 13) and the French Open (Sept. 27-Oct. 11).
   Here are the 2020 WTA and ATP provisional calendars.

Vegas tailspin continues with loss to Orlando

   The Vegas Rollers' playoff hopes are fading fast.
   Vegas – with ex-Stanford All-Americans Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan and San Francisco native Sam Querrey – lost to the Orlando Storm 22-16 today in a World TeamTennis match at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. It was the Rollers' fourth loss in five matches and fifth in seven.
   Vegas fell to 4-6, sixth in the nine-team league. The Rollers must win at least three of their remaining four matches to have a chance of qualifying for the four-team playoffs, Aug. 1-2 at The Greenbrier.
   Today's match was tied 12-12 at intermission, but Orlando (5-4) won the last two sets by a combined score of 10-4 to even the season series against Vegas at 1-1.
   The Rollers will face the New York Empire (4-4), featuring International Tennis Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters, on Friday at 8 a.m. PDT (ESPN+).

ORLANDO STORM 22, VEGAS ROLLERS 16

   Men's singles – Tennys Sandgren (Orl.) def. Sam Querrey (LV) 5-3.
   Women's singles – Jessica Pegula (Orl.) def. Ajla Tomljanovic 5-4.
   Mixed doubles – Mike Bryan and Monica Puig (LV) def. Ken Skupski and Pegula 5-2.
   Women's doubles – Darija Jurak and Pegula (Orl.) def. Puig and Tomljanovic 5-1.
   Men's doubles – Sandgren and Skupski (Orl.) def. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 5-3.

Kenin, first-place Philadelphia coast past Vegas in WTT

Sofia Kenin won her two sets by a combined score of 10-4
today. 2018 photo by Paul Bauman

   The Vegas Rollers found out why the Philadelphia Freedoms have the best record in World TeamTennis this season.
   Philadelphia, led by Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, swept the five sets in its 25-16 victory today at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   Three sets went to tiebreakers, but Kenin won 5-3 in women's singles and 5-1 in women's doubles (with Caroline Dolehide).
   Philadelphia improved to 7-1, and Vegas fell to 4-5, fifth in the nine-team league. The top four teams advance to the playoffs, Aug. 1-2 at The Greenbrier.
   Vegas, which has dropped three of its last four matches, will play Tennys Sandgren and the Orlando Storm (4-4) for the second time this season on Thursday at noon PDT (Tennis Channel). The Rollers pounded Orlando 24-15 on July 13 at The Greenbrier.

PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS 25, VEGAS ROLLERS 16

   Men's doubles – Fabrice Martin and Donald Young (Phil.) def. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 5-4.
   Women's singles – Sofia Kenin (Phil.) def. Ajla Tomljanovic 5-3.
   Mixed doubles – Martin and Taylor Townsend (Phil.) def. Bob Bryan and Tomljanovic 5-4.
   Women's doubles – Caroline Dolehide and Kenin (Phil.) def. Monica Puig and Tomljanovic 5-1.
   Men's singles – Taylor Fritz (Phil.) def. Sam Querrey 5-4.

Bryans lift Vegas over Orange County in WTT

Ex-Stanford All-Americans Bob Bryan, left, and Mike Bryan won the last set
 to give the Vegas Rollers a 21-19 win over the Orange County Breakers today
in World TeamTennis. File photo by Paul Bauman

   Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan and the Vegas Rollers gained revenge today.
   The 42-year-old Bryan twins (Stanford, 1997-98) dominated Steve Johnson and Austin Krajicek 5-2 to give Vegas a 21-19 victory over the Orange County Breakers in a World TeamTennis match at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   It was the teams' second meeting of the season. Johnson and Krajicek defeated the Bryans 5-2 as the Breakers swept all five sets and handed Vegas its worst loss of the season, 25-13, on Thursday at The Greenbrier.
   In today's match, Vegas led 14-12 at intermission. But Gabriela Dabrowski and Andreja Klepac beat Monica Puig and Ajla Tomljanovic, making her WTT debut, 5-2 to give Orange County a 17-16 entering the last set.
   Tomljanovic, a 27-year-old Australian ranked No. 56, won her other two sets. She replaced Asia Muhammad, who is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. Stanford graduate Kristie Ahn did not play against Orange County.
   Vegas improved to 4-4, tied for third place with the Orlando Storm, and Orange County fell to 3-5. The top four teams in the nine-team league advance to the playoffs, Aug. 1-2 at The Greenbrier.
   The Rollers will take on the first-place Philadelphia Freedoms (6-1), led by Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, on Wednesday at 4 p.m. PDT (CBS Sports Network).
   TV ratings – CBS' broadcast of the Washington Kastles' 24-18 victory over Vegas on Sunday attracted 484,000 viewers, the most in WTT's 45-year history. It didn't hurt that Venus Williams played for Washington.
   The previous WTT record of 409,000 viewers was a match between Philadelphia and Vegas last July in the league's debut on CBS.
   WTT's championship match will air on broadcast TV for the first time on Aug. 2 at 9 a.m. PDT on CBS.

VEGAS ROLLERS 21, ORANGE COUNTY 19

   Mixed doubles – Bob Bryan and Ajla Tomljanovic (LV) def. Gabriela Dabrowski and Austin Krajicek 5-3.
   Women's singles – Tomljanovic (LV) def. Jennifer Brady 5-4.
   Men's singles – Steve Johnson (OC) def. Sam Querrey 5-4.
   Women's doubles – Dabrowski and Andreja Klepac (OC) def. Tomljanovic and Monica Puig 5-2.
   Men's doubles – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (LV) def. Johnson and Krajicek 5-2.

U.S. Open tuneup in Washington, D.C., canceled

   In an ominous sign for the U.S. Open, the 2020 Citi Open in Washington, D.C., has been canceled.
   The tournament, which had been scheduled to begin Aug. 14, would have restarted the men's tour.
   "With only 23 days left until the start of the tournament, there are too many unresolved external issues, including various international travel restrictions as well as troubling health and safety trends, that have forced us to make this decision now in fairness to our players, suppliers and partners, so that they can have certainty around their planning," Citi Open chairman Mark Ein said on citiopentennis.com.
   Barring more cancellations, the men will have one hardcourt tournament before the U.S. Open and the women two. The women's inaugural Top Seed Open in Lexington, Ky., is scheduled for Aug. 10-16. The men's and women's Western & Southern Open, traditionally held in the Cincinnati area, is set for Aug. 21-28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
   The U.S. Open remains scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 13 at the National Tennis Center with no spectators.
   The USTA said in a statement that the Citi Open cancellation "in no way impacts the U.S. Open or the Western & Southern Open. The USTA will create a safe and controlled environment ... "

Orlando's Collins dismissed after breaking protocols

Danielle Collins broke World TeamTennis' COVID-19 protocol by leaving
The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., and the state. 2018
photo by Mal Taam

   Danielle Collins of the Orlando Storm was dismissed for the rest of the World TeamTennis season after breaking the league's COVID-19 protocols by leaving The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., and the state, WTT CEO Carlos Silva announced today.
   "The protocols have been put in place and communicated numerous times to protect the health and safety of our players, coach and staff, which (is) of utmost important to WTT," Silva said in a statement.
   Collins reached the semifinals of the 2019 Australian Open, catapulting her to a career-high No. 23, and the inaugural Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic at San Jose State University in 2018.
   No replacement for Collins, a two-time NCAA singles champion (2014 and 2016) at Virginia who has fallen to No. 51, has been named. Orlando (3-4) has another 26-year-old American, Jessica Pegula, and doubles specialist Darija Jurak, 36, of Croatia.
   Pegula, the daughter of Buffalo Bills and Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula, is ranked No. 80.

Vegas starts slowly, falls to Venus, Washington

Venus Williams, 40, and the Washington Kastles beat the Vegas Rollers 24-18
today in World TeamTennis. 2018 photo by Mal Taam

   A bad start doomed the Vegas Rollers today.
   Vegas fell 5-1 in women's doubles to open the World TeamTennis match, leading to a 24-18 loss to Venus Williams and the Washington Kastles at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. The other four sets of the match, televised on CBS, went to tiebreakers as Washington snapped a three-match losing streak.
   Williams, 40, and Arina Rodionova routed Stanford graduate Kristie Ahn and Asia Muhammad in women's doubles. Williams lost her other set, 5-4 to Ahn in women's singles.
   Vegas' Monica Puig, the gold medalist in women's singles in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, did not play against Washington (3-3) because of an undisclosed injury.
   The Rollers lost for the third time in their last four matches and finished the first half of the regular season at 3-4, tied for sixth place in the nine-team league. The top four teams advance to the playoffs, Aug. 1-2 at The Greenbrier.
   After an off-day on Monday, Vegas will seek revenge against the Orange County Breakers (2-4) on Tuesday at 4 p.m. PDT (CBS Sports Network). Orange County handed the Rollers their worst loss of the season, 25-13, on Thursday at The Greenbrier.

WASHINGTON KASTLES 24, VEGAS ROLLERS 18

   Women's doubles – Arina Rodionova and Venus Williams (Wash.) def. Kristie Ahn and Asia Muhammad 5-1.
   Mixed doubles – Bernarda Pera and Marcelo Arevalo (Wash.) def. Ahn and Mike Bryan 5-4.
   Women's singles – Ahn (LV) def. Williams 5-4.
   Men's singles – Tommy Paul (Wash.) def. Sam Querrey 5-4.
   Men's doubles – Arevalo and Nick Monroe (Wash.) def. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 5-4.

Ahn struggles as Vegas loses to San Diego in WTT

Stanford graduate Kristie Ahn lost her three sets by a combined
score of 15-5 today. 2019 photo by Paul Bauman

   After seeing limited action this season, Kristie Ahn played the maximum three sets for the Vegas Rollers today.
   It did not go well.
   The Stanford graduate lost badly in all three sets as Vegas fell to the San Diego Aviators 20-15 in extended play in a World TeamTennis match at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   Ahn lost 5-2 in the first set (mixed doubles with ex-Stanford All-American Mike Bryan), 5-1 in the next set (women's singles against Christina McHale) and 5-2 in the fourth set (women's doubles with Monica Puig). Both Ahn and McHale are 28-year-old residents of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., in the New York area.

   San Diego (2-3) built a virtually insurmountable 18-10 lead after four sets. Vegas' Sam Querrey, a 32-year-old San Francisco native, dominated Ryan Harrison 5-1 in the fifth set to cut the Aviators' lead to 19-15 and send the match to extended time. But Harrison held serve for the victory.
   Asia Muhammad has not played for the Rollers (3-3) since being replaced in women's doubles in a 25-13 loss to Orange County on Thursday.
   Vegas will meet the Washington Kastles (2-3), with Venus Williams, on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. PDT. The match will be shown on CBS Sports App and Facebook Watch and joined in progress on CBS at 10:30 a.m.

SAN DIEGO AVIATORS 20, VEGAS ROLLERS 15 (EP)

   Mixed doubles – Jonny O'Mara and CoCo Vandeweghe (SD) def. Mike Bryan and Kristie Ahn 5-2.
   Women's singles – Christina McHale (SD) def. Ahn 5-1.
   Men's doubles – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (LV) def. Ryan Harrison and O'Mara 5-3.
   Women's doubles – Nicole Melichar and Vandeweghe (SD) def. Ahn and Puig 5-2.
   Men 's singles – Sam Querrey (LV) def. Harrison 5-1.
   Extended play – Harrison (SD) def. Querrey 1-0.

New Mexico assistant named Pacific men's head coach

   The University of the Pacific today named University of New Mexico assistant coach Robin Goodman as the new men's head coach.
   Goodman will become a head coach for the first time after recently hired Jeff Wilson withdrew for personal reasons, according to UOP.
   "We are honored to welcome Robin to Pacific as our new head men's tennis coach," Pacific athletic director Janet Lucas said on pacifictigers.com. "He is the right person to lead this program to new heights while incorporating the values and mission of the university.
   "Coach Goodman brings an unsurpassed energy and passion to both the academic and athletic aspects of this experience. His personal philosophy, recruiting ability and approach to developing talent will work together to create a dynamic opportunity within a compelling team culture."
   The Lobos went 46-39 in Goodman's four years at New Mexico, going undefeated in Mountain West Conference play in 2019 and winning the league title.
   "I'd like to thank director of athletics Janet Lucas, (associate athletic director) Tim Dickson and the entire search committee for giving me this opportunity," said Goodman, a native of Cambridge, England, and 2014 graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. "I am grateful and honored to become a member of the Tiger family, and I will work tirelessly to instill a culture of pride and excellence within this program. I cannot wait to get started in leading this group of talented young men to winning on and off the court."
   Pacific went 1-13 in the shortened 2019-20 season under interim head coach Mike Palacio, who took over after longtime men's head coach Ryan Redondo resigned last December.
   Before coming to New Mexico, Goodman spent two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Baylor in Waco, Texas. The Bears advanced to the NCAA Tournament both years, reaching the semifinals in 2015 and ending the season at No. 3 nationally. Baylor's Julian Lenz ascended to No. 1 during the 2015 season and finished the year at No. 4. 
   As a player, Goodman compiled 111 career singles wins at Drake and was a two-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection. He finished with the fifth-most career victories in program history and twice was named to the all-MVC scholar-athlete first team.

Vegas survives scare, tops Springfield in extended play

Sam Querrey overwhelmed Mitchell Krueger 5-1 in
Vegas' 20-18 victory over Springfield (Mo.) today.
File photo by Paul Bauman  

   After jumping out to a big lead, the Vegas Rollers held on to beat the two-time defending champion Springfield (Mo.) Lasers 20-18 in extended play today in a World TeamTennis match at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   Sam Querrey, a 32-year-old San Francisco native, drubbed Mitchell Krueger 5-1 to give Vegas (3-2) a 14-8 cushion at intermission. But Springfield (1-3) won women's singles and mixed doubles by a combined score of 10-5 to trail 19-18 and send the match to extended play.
   The Rollers' Mike Bryan, a Stanford All-American in 1997 and 1998, and Monica Puig, the gold medalist in women's singles in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, then held serve for the victory.
   Vegas will play the San Diego Aviators (1-3) for the second time this season on Saturday at 6 a.m. PDT (Facebook Watch and CBS Sports Digital) at The Greenbrier. The Rollers beat the Aviators 23-21 (2-0 extended play) on Tuesday.

VEGAS ROLLERS 20,
SPRINGFIELD (MO.) LASERS 18 (EP)

   Men's doubles – Jean-Julien Rojer and Robert Lindstedt (Spr.) def. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 5-4.
   Women's doubles – Kristie Ahn and Monica Puig (LV) def. Olga Govortsova and Caty McNally 5-2.
   Men's singles – Sam Querrey (LV) def. Mitchell Krueger 5-1.
   Women's singles – Govortsova (Spr.) def. Puig 5-3.
   Mixed doubles – Lindstedt and McNally (Spr.) def. Mike Bryan and Puig 5-2.
   Extended play – Mike Bryan and Puig (LV) def. Lindstedt and McNally 1-0.

Vegas dominated by previously winless Orange County

Recent additions Austin Krajicek (above) and Gabriela
Dabrowski sparked the Orange Country Breakers over
the Vegas Rollers today. File photo by Paul Bauman 

   The Vegas Rollers of World TeamTennis seemed to have everything in their favor today.
   They were rested after Wednesday's day off and faced the winless Orange County Breakers.
   But Orange County, sparked by recent additions Gabriela Dabrowski and Austin Krajicek, swept all five sets and pummeled Vegas 25-13 at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   After Vegas (2-2) reeled off four consecutive games to tie the match 8-8, Orange County (1-3) won 17 of the last 22 games.
   Steve Johnson and Krajicek dominated Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (both Stanford, 1997-98) 5-2 to give the Breakers a commanding 15-10 lead at intermission.
   Dabrowski, ranked seventh in the world in women's doubles, and Andreja Klepac then crushed Kristie Ahn (Stanford, 2011-14) and Asia Muhammad/Monica Puig 5-0, all but clinching the match for Orange County.
  Vegas will return to action on Friday at 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+) against the two-time defending champion Springfield (Mo.) Lasers (1-2).

ORANGE COUNTY BREAKERS 25, VEGAS ROLLERS 13

   Men's singles – Steve Johnson (OC) def. Sam Querrey 5-4.
   Mixed doubles – Gabriela Dabrowski and Austin Krajicek (OC) def. Bob Bryan and Monica Puig 5-4.
   Men's doubles – Johnson and Krajicek (OC) def. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 5-2.
   Women's doubles – Dabrowski and Andreja Klepac (OC) def. Kristie Ahn and Asia Muhammad 5-0 (Puig replaced Muhammad at 0-2).
   Women's singles – Jennifer Brady (OC) def. Puig 5-3.

Querrey rolls to first win, leads Vegas in WTT

Sam Querrey routed Ryan Harrison of the San Diego Avia-
tors 5-1 in the first set today. File photo by Paul Bauman

   Not only did Sam Querrey win for the first time in the young World TeamTennis season, he did so emphatically.
   The 32-year-old San Francisco native routed Ryan Harrison 5-1 in the opening set, leading the Vegas Rollers to a 23-21 (2-0 extended play) victory over the San Diego Aviators today at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   Querrey, 6-foot-6 (1.98 meters), blasted five aces and committed no double faults as Vegas improved to 2-1. Harrison, who underwent elbow surgery last October, had two aces and two double faults.
   Querrey had lost to 18-year-old Brandon Nakashima 5-1 in Vegas' season opener on Sunday and 5-4 (5-3) to Tennys Sandgren on Monday.
   In today's second set, Monica Puig edged Christina McHale, Harrison's sister-in-law, 5-4 to give Vegas a commanding 10-5 lead.
   San Diego (1-1) won the last three sets 5-4, but the Rollers' Bob Bryan (Stanford, 1997-98) held serve at 15 in the second game of extended play to end the match.
   After an off-day on Wednesday, Vegas will meet the Orange County Breakers (0-2 entering Wednesday's match against the Chicago Smash) on Thursday at 8 a.m. (ESPN+) at The Greenbrier.

VEGAS ROLLERS 23, SAN DIEGO AVIATORS 21 (1-1 EXTENDED PLAY)

   Men's singles – Sam Querrey (LV) def. Ryan Harrison 5-1.
   Women's singles – Monica Puig (LV) def. Christina McHale 5-4.
    Mixed doubles – Nicole Melichar and Jonny O'Mara (SD) def. Asia Muhammad and Bob Bryan 5-4.
   Women's doubles – Melichar and CoCo Vandeweghe (SD) def. Kristie Ahn and Muhammad (SD) 5-4.
   Men's doubles – Harrison and O'Mara (SD) def. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 5-4.
   Extended play – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (LV) tied Harrison and O'Mara 1-1.

Vegas routs Orlando to even WTT record at 1-1

   Sam Querrey lost the opening set again, but the Vegas Rollers dominated the rest of today's World TeamTennis match.
   Vegas defeated the Orlando Storm 24-15 at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., to even its record at 1-1.
   Querrey, a 32-year-old San Francisco native, lost to Tennys Sandgren 5-4 (5-3) after falling to 18-year-old Brandon Nakashima of the expansion Chicago Smash 5-3 on Sunday at The Greenbrier.
   But Monica Puig, the women's singles gold medalist in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, kick-started Vegas' victory with a 5-3 decision over Danielle Collins, a semifinalist in the 2019 Australian Open and inaugural Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic at San Jose State University in 2018.
   Puig rebounded from a 5-1 loss to Fresno product Sloane Stephens in Sunday's second set. It was Puig's first competitive match since she had elbow surgery in December.
   Collins missed Orlando's 21-18 win over the two-time defending champion Springfield (Mo.) Lasers on Sunday with an undisclosed illness. She beat three top-20 players – No. 5 Elina Svitolina, No. 7 Belinda Bencic and No. 15 Sofia Kenin – in January.
   Vegas swept today's three doubles sets behind Asia Muhammad and ex-Stanford stars Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan and Kristie Ahn.
   The Rollers will return to the court on Tuesday at 8 a.m. (ESPN2) against the San Diego Aviators (1-0).

   VEGAS ROLLERS 24, ORLANDO STORM 15 

   Men's singles – Tennys Sandgren (Orl) def. Sam Querrey 5-4 (5-3).
   Women's singles – Monica Puig (LV) def. Danielle Collins (Orl) 5-3.
   Mixed doubles – Asia Muhammad and Mike Bryan (LV) def. Darija Jurak and Sandgren 5-3.
   Women's doubles – Kristie Ahn and Muhammad (LV) def. Jurak and Jessica Pegula 5-3.
   Men's doubles – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (LV) def. Sandgren and James Ward 5-1.

Vegas, with NorCal stars, loses TeamTennis opener

Sam Querrey, a 32-year-old San Francisco native, lost to
18-year-old Brandon Nakashima of the Chicago Smash
5-3 in men's singles today. File photo by Paul Bauman 

   The Vegas Rollers, featuring four players with strong Northern California ties, were unable to overcome a dismal start in their World TeamTennis season opener today.
    Vegas trailed 10-4 after the first two sets, accounting for the difference in its 24-18 (1-0 extended play) loss to the expansion Chicago Smash at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. The match was televised on the CBS Sports Network while the ATP and WTA tours are shut down until next month because of the coronavirus pandemic.
   Chicago's Brandon Nakashima, 18, of San Diego upset Sam Querrey, a 32-year-old San Francisco native, 5-3 in the first set. The 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) Querrey, who ranks eighth in aces since ATP Match Stats began in 1991, double-faulted on break point at 3-3.
   Fresno, Calif., product Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion and 2018 French Open runner-up, then routed Monica Puig, the singles gold medalist in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 5-1 to give Chicago a 10-4 lead. Puig, who underwent elbow surgery in December, has not played on the WTA tour since October.
   Each of the three doubles sets went to a tiebreaker, with Vegas winning two. Competing for the Rollers were former Stanford stars Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (both 1997-98) and Kristie Ahn (2011-14). Playing for the Smash was Rajeev Ram, a 36-year-old volunteer assistant coach at the University of California, Berkeley during breaks from the pro tour.
   Players and coaches replaced ballkids, and fans, wearing masks, were separated in the 2,500-seat stadium at The Greenbrier, which is hosting the entire three-week season. A chair umpire officiated, but there were no line judges.
   Vegas will play the Orlando Storm (1-0), led by two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren, on Monday at 10 a.m. PDT on ESPN2. Orlando beat the two-time defending champion Springfield (Mo.) Lasers 21-18 (1-0 extended play) today.

CHICAGO SMASH 24, VEGAS ROLLERS 18 (1-0 EXTENDED PLAY)

   Men's singles – Brandon Nakashima (Chi) def. Sam Querrey 5-3.
   Women's singles – Sloane Stephens (Chi) def. Monica Puig 5-1.
   Mixed doubles – Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Rajeev Ram (Chi) def. Asia Muhammad and Mike Bryan 5-4 (5-3).
   Women's doubles – Kristie Ahn and Muhammad (LV) def. Eugenie Bouchard and Mattek-Sands 5-4 (5-3).
   Men's doubles – Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (LV) def. Nakashima and Ram 5-4 (5-2).
   Extended play – Nakashima and Ram (Chi) def. Bryan and Bryan 1-0.

Wimbledon awards prize money despite cancellation

After Wimbledon announced it will pay 10 million British pounds
($12.62 million) in prize money despite the cancellation of this year's
tournament, Nicole Gibbs (Stanford, 2011-13) tweeted, "Wow. Incred-
bile stuff @Wimbledon (thank you emoji)." 2018 photo by Paul Bauman

   Wimbledon gave players some welcome news today.
   Even though the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the tournament, the All England Lawn Tennis Club announced today that its insurance policy will allow it to pay 10 million British pounds ($12.62 million) in prize money.
   "Wow. Incredible stuff @Wimbledon (thank you emoji)," tweeted Nicole Gibbs (Stanford, 2011-13).
  The AELTC will pay the 620 players whose world ranking would have enabled them to gain entry into Wimbledon, which was scheduled for June 29 to July 12. On April 1, the tournament was canceled for the first time in 75 years and the first time ever during peacetime.
   Based on their world ranking, players will receive either 12,500 pounds ($15,780) for singles qualifying, 25,000 pounds ($31,552) for main-draw singles or 6,250 pounds ($7,890) for main-draw doubles.
   "Immediately following the cancellation of The Championships," AELTC chief executive Richard Lewis said on wimbledon.com, "we turned our attention to how we could assist those help make Wimbledon happen. We know these months of uncertainly have been very worrying for these groups, including the players, many of whom have faced financial difficulty during this period and who would have quite rightly anticipated the opportunity to earn prize money at Wimbledon based on their world ranking.
   "We are pleased that our insurance policy has allowed us to recognize the impact of the cancellation on the players and that we are now in a position to offer this payment as a reward for the hard work they have invested in building their ranking to a point where they would have gained direct entry in The Championships 2020."
   World TeamTennis – Tommy Paul will replace Frances Tiafoe, who is ineligible after testing positive for COVID-19, on the Washington Kastles. Both are 22-year-old Americans who have won a Northern California Challenger. Paul is ranked No. 57 (sixth in the United States), and Tiafoe is No. 81 (eighth in the U.S.).
   Also, Milos Raonic of the Orange County Breakers and Mardy Fish of the New York Empire will not play this season. Raonic, the Wimbledon runner-up in 2016, opted out for personal reasons, and Fish has an undisclosed injury. Neither will be replaced.
   The WTT season is scheduled for Sunday through Aug. 2 at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.

Tiafoe ineligible for WTT after testing positive

Frances Tiafoe won the 2016 Stockton (Calif.) Challenger at 18
to crack the top 100 for the first time. 2016 photo by Paul Bauman

   Frances Tiafoe of the Washington Kastles was declared ineligible for the World TeamTennis season after testing positive for COVID-19 "within the advance travel testing window," league CEO Carlos Silva said in a statement today.
   The season is scheduled for Sunday through Aug. 2 at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   Tiafoe, 22, is ranked No. 81 in the world (No. 8 in the United States) after climbing as high as No. 29 in February 2019. He won the 2016 Stockton (Calif.) Challenger at 18 to crack the top 100 for the first time.
   No replacement for Tiafoe was named. Also on the Kastles' roster are doubles specialists Marcelo Arevalo and Nick Monroe, plus Venus Williams, Bernarda Pera and Arina Rodionova. Arevalo, who reached a career-high No. 139 in singles in 2018, could play in that event instead of Tiafoe.

San Jose canceled; French Open fans; Djokovic negative

   Next month's Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers announced Thursday.
   The WTA tournament, which moved from Stanford in 2018, was scheduled for Aug. 3-9 at San Jose State.
   Withdrawals and upsets marked the first two Mubadala tournaments. In the finals, Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania crushed Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-1, 6-0 in 2018, and Zheng Saisai of China defeated Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-3, 7-6 (3) last year. Those are the only career WTA singles titles of Buzarnescu, a 32-year-old left-hander, and Zheng, 26.
   French Open to allow spectators – The French Open can accommodate as many as 20,000 fans per day if the public health situation in France does not deteriorate, The New York Times reported today.
   The tournament, now scheduled for Sept. 27 to Oct. 11, plans to operate at "50 to 60 percent" of capacity, Bernard Giudicelli, the president of the French Tennis Federation, said in a videoconference with reporters.
   Tentatively, masks will be mandatory when moving about the grounds but not when seated at a court. There are no plans to check spectators' temperatures before entry or to require that they be tested for the coronavirus, according to The Times.
   The U.S. Open is scheduled for Aug. 31 to Sept. 13, as planned, in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., but without fans.
   World TeamTennis will allow up to 500 fans per day, 20 percent of capacity, during its season from July 12 to Aug. 2 at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
   Djokovic tests negative – Ten days after contracting the coronavirus, Novak Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, tested negative, his media team said in a statement.
   The No. 1-ranked player tested positive after playing in an exhibition series in Serbia and Croatia that he organized. Fans packed the stands, and players socialized with each other and spectators on and off the court.
   Djokovic and his wife had no symptoms and were in self-isolation in Belgrade, Serbia, according to the statement.