Three Minutes with Tennis Great Murphy Jensen

Washington Kastles' head coach Murphy Jensen discusses strategy with Leander Paes, Denis Kudla, Anastasia Rodionova, and Madison Brengle before their Mylan(r) World Team Tennis match atVillanova, PA on July 17, 2015. 

This past Friday evening, at The Pavilion at Villanova University, the Washington Kastles earned a narrow 21-20 victory over the Philadelphia Freedoms in Mylan(r) World Team Tennis action. Following the match, which ended with Denis Kudla defeating Robby Ginepri 5-4 in the final set, I spent three minutes one-on-one with Kastles' head coach, Murphy Jensen...

Q: Following her withdrawal from the Swedish Open this week, with an apparent elbow injury, can we still be hopeful that she'll be with the Kastles when you return to Philadelphia on Monday, July 21st?

A: Well, that's a good question... that's a very good question. I'm the type of guy that lives in the moment. Today's Friday and, when I heard about her pulling out of the Swedish Open, I know she's played an extreme amount of matches lately. I think between the travel and a few days off, unless she says she's out, she's in. I'm preparing for her to be here. I really hope she can be here for Monday night because, Serena Williams in Philadelphia? Forget about it! That's a dream come true for the Freedoms and their fans.

Q: Moving forward, past World Team Tennis, of course, the US Open starts just a few weeks later in New York; what are your plans during the Open this year?

A: As soon as World Team Tennis is over, I'm back to training my 15-year-old son William... Billy the Kid, who's an aspiring rock star / tennis player. We'll do that in the Pacific northwest; head up to Kodiak Island, Alaska, then I've got a few events in Michigan, and we'll be up there salmon fishing and training hard, and I've got some TV and media work during the US Open. I help Martina (Hingis) and any of our guys that need our help during the US Open. Anything to help our team; I continue to help these guys 24/7, 365.

Q: Kodiak Island sounds like, maybe, a guest appearance on "Deadliest Catch."

A: You know what? I told someone yesterday. They asked, "What are you doing in the Pacific northwest?" I said I'd just moved up there. They told me they'd seen "Deadliest Catch" and we talked about how lucrative the money is if you can catch crab in the Bering Sea. They say the average life span of those guys is, like, 45. Since I'm 46, I've outlived the life span, so I'm starting my crabbing business now. I did drop some crab pots last week In Seattle, got my first Dungeoness crab. It was really, really, cool. I don't think I'll ever become a professional crabber, but my dream is to someday become a salmon-fishing guy. I'm so glad you asked. I moved to the Pacific northwest because I was put on this Earth to do some really cool things.

And really cool things he has done. The 1993 men's doubles champion - alongside his brother, Luke - Murphy has become a popular host on Tennis Channel and can be seen in episodes of Murphy's Guide, where he takes viewers on tours of the cities major tennis tournaments are held around the globe. Oh yeah, his son, Billy's, mother is Robin Givens. Not too shabby.

Close, but no Cigar -- Washington Kastles edge Philadelphia Freedoms (July 17, 2015)

KASTLES EDGE FREEDOMS IN FIFTH-SET TIEBREAK

VILLANOVA, PA

JULY 17, 2015

BY DAVID N ERNAY

The overall score was tied 20 points apiece after completed sets in mixed doubles, women's singles, men's doubles, and women's doubles, and 8 games played in men's singles between Robby Ginepri of the home team Philadelphia Freedoms and Denis Kudla of the Washington Kastles at Villanova University in Mylan(r) World Team Tennis action Friday night.

Kudla started the nine-point tiebreaker game with a service winner to Ginepri's backhand. What followed was a little give-and-take until Kudla went up 4-3 with Ginepri serving. Kudla's return to his opponent's body forced an error by Ginepri, ending the match, leaving the Freedoms on the losing side of a 21-20 match score, and a 1-4 record one week into the summer league season.

This night was filled with excitement and great tennis played by both teams. Philadelphia won sets in mixed doubles (5-2) and women's doubles (5-3); Washington took men's doubles (5-3) and women's singles (5-4) before closing with the victory in men's singles. 

Locally-grown talent Madison Brengle (below, frontcourt, Dover, DE) earned the victory for the Kastles in women's singles, narrowly defeating Taylor Townsend.

After the match, Brengle, who reached the fourth round of the 2015 Australian Open, told reporters that she loved returning to Philadelphia and looks forward to playing here as often as possible. When asked about her personal expectations at this year's US Open in New York, Brengle said she just wanted to, "play her best tennis and won't set any parameter for satisfaction, except to enjoy New York City." 

These same two squads will meet in Washington, DC on Saturday and will face-off again in Villanova on Monday, when Serena Williams is expected to be in attendance for the Kastles. 

The next Freedoms home match will be Sunday, July 19th at 7:00 PM versus the Springfield Lasers.

World Team Tennis is back on the Main Line - The 2015 Philadelphia Freedoms

Mylan (r) World Team Tennis is a summertime event designed to showcase the sport of professional tennis in more of, let's say, a family-themed evening, as opposed to the corporate environment of a Grand Slam tournament.

Co-founded 40 years ago by Billie Jean King (more about her in a bit) and her husband, the league has showcased tour champions and up-and-coming players on the same squads, on the same courts. After all, how else could players ranked outside the Top 128 have the opportunity to play side-by-side with the Williams sisters instead of against them?

The format of WTT (wtt.com) is a bit confusing to folks who play the game on a casual basis, or watch at home. There are five sets in each match: one each in men's and women's singles; one each in men's and women's doubles; and one each in mixed doubles - one man and one woman per team. To complete a set, one team must win 5 games, which are played to four points. There is no, "win by two" requirement; if a game is tied at 3-3, the next point is the, "deciding point." If a set is tied at 4 games apiece, a 9-point tiebreaker game is played. 

The overall match score is kept by aggregate method. Each time a team's player(s) win a game, they are credited with a POINT. The team with the most POINTS at the end of five sets is the winner... well, sort of. In order to ensure that the fifth set is worth hanging around for, WTT has included, "Extended Play (EP)." If the team whom was trailing after the fourth set (in overall score) wins set #5, a new twist is added to keep fans in their seats. EP will continue until A) the leading team wins one more game or, B) the trailing team wins enough extra games to come from behind and take the lead, er, the win. Confused yet?

This is why coaching decisions are important in WTT. The home team coach decides the order of play at the beginning of each match. He would want his strongest player(s) on the court in set five, in case extended play is achieved.

Last night, July 16th, was opening night at The Pavilion at Villanova for the 2015 Philadelphia Freedoms. Here was my submitted story...

LOBSTERS SPOIL HOME OPENER FOR FREEDOMS

VILLANOVA, PA

BY DAVID N ERNAY

JULY 16, 2015

Even the presence of tennis legend Billie Jean King at The Pavillion at Villanova could not help the Philadelphia Freedoms' World Team Tennis squad secure a victory in their first home match of 2015 against the visiting Boston Lobsters.

In the five-set aggregate scoring match, the Lobsters, anchored by men's doubles talent Scott Lipsky, emerged with a 21-17 win. Lipsky's skills at the net and well-placed lobs throughout the evening were simply too much for the home team.

One of the bright spots for the Freedoms is Marcelo Melo, whom is ranked third -in-the-world by the ATP in men's doubles. In 2014, Melo was the Most Valuable Men's Player on the World Team Tennis circuit.

At halftime, after the men's singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles sets, the Freedoms held a narrow 12-11 margin. Tennis great Billie Jean King - founder of World Team Tennis forty years ago - took center stage and received a tremendous ovation from the Villanova crowd for her achievements and the success of the summer league.

The Freedoms' home stand continues tomorrow - Friday, July 17 - with a match against the Washington Kastles at 7 PM on the Main Line. The Kastles will feature Martina Hingis, coming off her victory in the women's doubles at Wimbledon just one week ago.

Being in the same arena as Billie Jean King was a special treat for all in attendance last night. Having founded World Team Tennis in the city of Philadelphia is but a mere blip on the list of lifetime achievements for the legendary star. She was the first prominent openly gay female athlete, which was not celebrated in any manner near say, Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner. The first woman to win $100,000 on the professional tennis tour, Billie Jean smacked Bobby Riggs in their 1973 Battle of the Sexes - in straight sets - and, in the co-founding of World Team Tennis, she became the first "coach" of professional male athletes on the Philadelphia Freedoms.From Biography.com

The above aside, she is one of the friendliest, warmest people I have ever met. I was first introduced to Billie Jean in my young'un years, at about the age of 7. Any time I bumped into her at National Tennis Center, she always stopped to say, "Hi!" I've never seen her turn down an autograph opportunity for any youngster and now, frequently stops to be included in, "selfies." A truly remarkable human being.