Officiating leaves bitter taste for Breakers coach

Steve Virgen

If there was confirmation of Coach Dick Leach’s opinion that the

officiating was poor, it came shortly after his Newport Beach

Breakers lost, 20-19, to the Kansas City Explorers at Palisades

Tennis Center Friday.

Kansas City Coach Paul Smith actually apologized to Leach about a

pivotal no-call. With the Breakers leading, 19-18, Maria Sharpova

appeared to be rallying from a 2-3 deficit. In the four-point game,

Sharapova led Aniko Kapros, 3-2, but then came controversy.

Leach said Kapros’ second serve was out, but there was no call and

Sharapova returned the serve. Sharapova lost the point and Kapros won

the next point to win the game and went up 4-2. Kapros then broke

Sharapova’s serve to win the set and the match.

“Everyone on [the Explorers] said that the serve was out,” Leach

said. “the officiating was just awful. On the road we don’t get any

breaks and then we come home and really have a tougher job. I don’t

know where they find these people [officials] who can’t see.

“I guarantee they won’t be back next year if I’m back,” Leach

said.

Leach also said the match between Sharapova and Kapros was good

tennis, and thought Kapros played great. Kapros, who substituted for

Anna Kournikova, surprised Sharapova by winning the first two games.

But Sharapova was able to wow the crowd with her powerful ground

strokes and a few shots that hugged the baseline.

The Breakers led, 17-15, before Sharapova’s singles match.

Sharapova had teamed up with a Eva Dyrberg to defeat Kapros and

Rachel McQuillan, 5-2. Sharapova and Dyrberg provided momentum for

the Breakers with their victory and it seemed as if Sharapova was

poised to seal the victory in the night’s final match.

Josh Eagle and Brian MacPhie got the Breakers started with a 5-3

victory over David Wheaton and Rick Leach in the first match of the

night. Rick Leach is the son of Dick Leach.

“It’s always fun to watch him play,” said Dick Leach, who

entertained the crowd during a break when he returned his son’s

serve. “It’s hard to coach against him because as a Newport Beach

Breaker, I want us to win.”

The Breakers will close out their home schedule tonight in what is

expected to be a memorable night at Palisades Tennis Center, as

Martina Navratilova will lead the Philadelphia Freedoms. Billie Jean

King will also be in attendance.