As some of you may already know, I am a big sports fan, especially a Washington sports fan. And local teams give me a lot to cheer about: Redskins, three-time Super Bowl Champions; Washington Bullets, 1977-1978 NBA Champions; D.C. United, four-time MLS Champions; Georgetown Hoyas, 1984 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champions; and the Maryland Terrapins, 2002 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champions and 2006 NCAA Women’s Basketball Champions. The Capitals and Nationals have yet to win a championship, but they are still two of my favorite teams. Oh, I almost forgot about the Washington Kastles.
The Kastles made American sports history on July 9. They beat the Boston Lobsters, 25-12, for their 34th consecutive victory. It’s the second longest winning streak in American professional sports history. The record is held by the San Diego Sockers. They won 48 consecutive games.
Who are the Washington Kastles? They are one of eight professional tennis teams that play in the World Team Tennis league. Team owner, Mark Ein, brought them to Washington in 2008. They have won three WTT Championships (2009, 2011, 2012). In 2011, the Kastles became the first WTT to go undefeated. They also went undefeated in 2012. They were the first American professional team to have back-to-back undefeated seasons. Their roster consists of eight players, four women and four men. Two of the eight players are alternates. The players are from six different countries and their two most notable players are Venus Williams and Martina Hingis. Williams was the 2012 Championship MVP and Hingis was the league’s 2012 Female MVP. Another player, Bobby Reynolds, was the league’s 2012 Male MVP.
Do we have a dynasty in DC? I would say yes. No other Washington area professional team has dominated their sport like the Kastles have. The Redskins and DC United also have multiple championships, but neither team has ever gone undefeated. So as the WTT season goes on, let’s see if the Kastles can win a third straight title
