Elton John, Billie Jean King Select Team Lineups for Mylan WTT Smash Hits
November 25, 2014 - World TeamTennis (WTT) News Release
New York, N.Y. (November 25, 2014) - Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King are serious about their coaching roles for their annual Mylan WTT Smash Hits presented by Walgreens and AmerisourceBergen, a charity tennis event set for Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. at Royal Albert Hall in London. The two longtime friends have selected their team lineups with Elton John tabbing Andy Roddick to head up his squad while former British No. 1 Tim Henman takes the lead for Team Billie Jean.
Joining Roddick on Team Elton are former world No. 1s and Hall of Famers John McEnroe and Martina Hingis, along with Great Britain's top-ranked woman Heather Watson.
Along with Henman, King rounded out her roster with former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters, 2013 Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki and Jamie Murray, who is replacing the injured Greg Rusedski. With 12 titles and a career-high ranking of No. 23, Murray has established himself as one of Great Britain's most consistent doubles players on the ATP World Tour.
The players will form two teams, coached by King and John, and will play a Mylan World TeamTennis match including one set each of men's and women's singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Sets are first to five games with a 9-point tiebreaker at 4-4. Game scoring is no-ad and cumulative throughout the match. The one-night event will be held during the final session of the IMG-owned and staged Statoil Masters Tennis tournament.
Team Elton has the players with the most Mylan WTT experience, including Roddick who plays for the Austin Aces, and Martina Hingis, a member of the 2014 champion Washington Kastles team. McEnroe also played 13 seasons of Mylan WTT. Clijsters is the only player on Team Billie Jean who has played Mylan WTT.
One of the night's highlights is expected to be the pairing of McEnroe and Roddick as Team Elton's doubles team to take on Henman and Murray for Team Billie Jean. McEnroe will also team with Hingis in mixed doubles against Murray and Clijsters.
Watson will take on Lisicki in women's singles. The 22-year-old Watson has played the 26th -ranked Lisicki three times on the WTA Tour, winning twice.
Watson and Hingis will pair up for Team Elton in women's doubles for a battle against Clijsters and Lisicki.
The evening will close with the anticipated singles set between Roddick and Henman.
Tennis action is set for 6:00 p.m. and Team Elton has the edge in the overall series 11-10 after defeating Team Billie Jean in Orlando, Fla., in 2013.
Tickets are available from =A318.50 through www.WTTSmashHits.com, www.statoilmasterstennis.com or through the Royal Albert Hall Box Office on +44 (0) 20 7070 4404.
Sponsorship and Group VIP packages are also available by contacting Natalee Jarrett at [email protected] or 212-586-3444 x. 111.
For more information on Mylan WTT Smash Hits, visit www.WTTSmashHits.com .
For more information about the Statoil Masters Tennis tournament, go to: www.statoilmasterstennis.com .
For more information on the Elton John AIDS Foundation and how you can help create an AIDS-free future, go to ejaf.org/London . Elton John AIDS Foundation is a registered UK charity - No. 1017336
2014 Mylan WTT Smash Hits presented by Walgreens and AmerisourceBergen -
TEAM LINEUPS & MATCH SCHEDULE
TEAM ELTON:
Martina Hingis, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Heather Watson. Coach: Sir Elton John
TEAM BILLIE JEAN
Kim Clijsters, Tim Henman, Sabine Lisicki, Jamie Murray. Coach: Billie Jean King
ORDER OF SETS
WOMEN'S DOUBLES: Hingis/Watson (Team Elton) vs Clijsters/Lisicki (Team Billie Jean)
MEN'S DOUBLES: McEnroe/Roddick (Team Elton) vs Henman/Murray (Team Billie Jean)
WOMEN'S SINGLES: Watson (Team Elton) vs Lisicki (Team Billie Jean)
MIXED DOUBLES: McEnroe/Hingis (Team Elton) vs Murray/Clijsters (Team Billie Jean)
MEN'S SINGLES: Roddick (Team Elton) vs Henman (Team Billie Jean)
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