INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – The Springfield Lasers and the Orange County Breakers picked up wins on day three of the 2021 World TeamTennis season thanks to fifth-set singles victories Monday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Springfield picked up its first win of the season after defeating the defending WTT champion New York Empire 21-18 while Orange County moved to 2-1 following a 21-17 over the 2020 WTT runner-up Chicago Smash.
With the score deadlocked at 18 a piece heading into the final set, Mackenzie McDonald delivered for Springfield in men’s singles. The 2016 NCAA singles and doubles champion from UCLA defeated Chris Eubanks, who won an ATP Challenger Tour title in Knoxville 24 hours earlier. Springfield coach John-Laffnie de Jager is now one win away from tying Greg Patton for the fifth-most wins in WTT history.
Four-time WTA Tour doubles finalist Sabrina Santamaria and 2017 French Open doubles finalist Donald Young broke the tie after two sets with a win in mixed doubles to give Chicago a 13-11 advantage. Orange County, however, won 10 of the final 14 games to clinch the match.
Steve Johnson, a 2021 US Open doubles semifinalist, defeated Young in men’s singles while 2019 French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova was victorious against 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens in women’s singles. Breakers’ coach Rick Leach moved into eighth on WTT’s all-time coaching wins list with Orange County’s victory Monday.
The first rematch of the 2020 WTT Finals kicks off Tuesday’s action, where the Chicago Smash seek revenge from a one-point super tiebreaker loss a year ago to the defending champion WTT New York Empire. No. 1 ranked American and Rancho Santa Fe native Taylor Fritz looks to help the San Diego Aviators move to 3-0 for the first time since the franchise moved to California. San Diego takes on 2021 US Open doubles finalist Caty McNally and the Springfield Lasers in the second match of the day.
All World TeamTennis matches will be held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Tickets are available for purchase online at wtt.com/tickets-2021. Due to requirements set by the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, all fans in attendance will need valid proof of full COVID-19 vaccination to enter the grounds for WTT matches.
