I went to the Washington Kastle's match last night at the Southwest waterfront and was pleasantly surprised. The action was steady, the atmosphere light, and the team is a winner. It's definitely worth a look.
The rule book is a must as the normal scoring mechanisms are thrown out in World Team Tennis. Total games won in five differently configured sets wins the match. The team behind in games going into the last set can still win if it wins the last set and forces overtime. There are no "advantages": 4 points win a game and 5 games wins a set. In addition, serves can hit the net and remain in play, substitutions can be made mid-set, and many other twists are put in to create an up tempo competition.
The atmosphere is delightfully non-Wimbledon, though Strawberries and Cream are available. The fans are encouraged to be boisterous, though not during points. There are cheerleaders, guys on stilts, and a host of other attractions fitting with the typical sports event motif that we've all come to appreciate (some of us more reluctantly than others).
Find out what's happening in Georgetownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
It was fun and silly and full of delight. The real kicker is that the Kastle's are actually quite good. They have now won 23 straight matches, and have won a number of championships, including last year. And, what are professional sports without stars: the William's sisters play for the team occasionally! For schedules and other info please visit www.washingtonkastles.com
