Less than a week after she won the ladies singles title at Wimbledon for the third time, I got to watch Serena Williams play three sets of tennis at a small stadium right here in Manhattan, from about ten feet away. What was amazing about the experience is that despite the time proximity to her Grand Slam victory — and granted, the final versus her sister was less than thrilling, but the semi-final vs. Elena Dementieva was as well-played as tennis gets — there was a substantial number of empty seats in the stands.
Photos by Larry Getlen
The place was Randall’s Island, and the event was a match between the New York Sportimes and the Washington Kastles (seriously — who comes up with these names?) of the World Team Tennis league, which might just be, unfortunately, the best kept secret in tennis. World Team Tennis was invented in 1974 by Billie Jean King, and plays under an abbreviated and slightly bizarre set of rules. Every match is five sets, including one each of men’s and women’s singles, mens and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Five games wins the set, and games include no ads — the first team to four points wins the game. Also, second serves that hit the net are in play. All of this makes for a faster-paced, if less suspenseful game then regulation tournament play, but it’s clear from the presentation that while the players do take their charge to victory seriously, the emphasis is on fun, with jokey color commentary, balls thrown into the stands for the fans, and even a mascot called Tennis the Menace.
Tennis the Menace. And yes, his nose IS a tennis ball.
So while purists may cringe, the main attraction is still great play, and an assortment of legendary players mixed in with some that new viewers will likely be seeing for the first time. There are ten teams in the league, with New York represented by the Sportimes, which includes John McEnroe on its roster. The years have seen participants including King, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, and Jimmy Connors, this season’s greats include Andre Agassi (Philadelphia Freedoms), Anna Kournikova (St. Louis Aces), Martina Navratilova (Boston Lobsters), doubles specialists Bob and Mike Bryan (Kansas City Explorers), Michael Chang (Sacramento Capitals), Maria Sharapova (Newport Beach Breakers), and Serena’s sister Venus (Freedoms). 
Given the match-ups between legends and virtually unknown players, perhaps the most surprising aspect of World Team Tennis is the competitiveness of the matches. It was easy to get to expect Serena to wipe the floor with her competition, but while she did win all three of her matches, their was discernable skill displayed on both sides of the net. And that will be truer than ever tonight (July 15) at Randall’s Island, as McEnroe plays for the Sportimes against Boston and Navratilova — and yes, the two WILL be playing against each other.
Tickets range from $40 to $125 for courtside box for tonight, and this Friday, the Sportimes host Kansas City and the Bryan Brothers. For that match, tickets range from $30 to $90.
The World Team Tennis season only runs in July, so these are the last marquee matches of the season (although there is one more match on Sunday, then, hopefully for the Sportimes, the playoffs). But as this was the team’s first year at Randall’s Island — they were in Mamaroneck, New York previously — hopefully next year will see more people coming out for what, aside from the upcoming U.S. Open, is one of the only opportunities in New York to see tennis legends do their thing.
###
Last 5 posts by Larry Getlen
- It's All Good: Harry Connick’s Wide-Ranging Success - July 20th, 2010
- Killing Barney - July 20th, 2010
- Ready to Party? Andrew’s Your Man. - March 31st, 2010
- Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television: George Carlin Was A F***ing Comedy Genius - November 19th, 2009
- A Groundbreaking View of America Comes to the Met - November 19th, 2009
- Does Al Stewart think we're too stupid for historical folk rock? (catch him at the Rubin's Naked Soul Series, 8/21)
- Inner Monologue: The Multi-tasked Critic in the basement, in the park, soaking up a slow drag on Tin Pan Alley (on Broadway) and passing for adolescent in the east village: four plays, four days
- Wall to Wall Broadway (3): Frank Loesser Salute, New Musicals, Broadway Cabaret, Comedy in Revue, Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Elizabeth and the Scarlet Hunter: Sisters Are Doing It to Themselves
