Capitals edge Newport Breakers

The Sacramento Capitals distanced themselves a little more from their

closest pursuers, the Newport Beach Breakers, whom they defeated,

20-19, Monday night in a World Team Tennis Western Conference match.

The Capitals (10-1) defeated the Breakers (7-3) for the second

time in three matches this year and stayed atop the conference,

increasing their lead over Newport by 2 1/2 matches.

Mark Knowles contributed to wins in men’s singles and mixed

doubles for Sacramento while brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, the

top-ranked men’s doubles duo, earned a 5-3 victory over Knowles and

Jeff Tarango in men’s doubles Aniko Kapros lost her first women’s

singles match of the season to Nicole Vaidisova, 5-2.

The Bryan brothers will be on the court tonight for the Breakers,

who host Sacramento at 7 at the Palisades Tennis Club in Newport’s

final home match this year. After tonight, Newport has three matches

left.

Newport is 6-0 at home this season, including a 23-16 victory over

the Capitals Wednesday in Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova’s single

WTT appearance this year.

One need only look at rankings for both Newport and Sacramento to

see why both teams are at the top of WTT.

Through Sunday, Sacramento, which has had seven-time grand slam

winner Andre Agassi for two matches, ranked first in men’s singles,

winning 45 of a possible 72 games while Newport stood in second with

41 victories in 70 games. Ramon Delgado has shouldered most of the

load in men’s singles while teaming with Ellis Ferreira to lead

Newport in men’s doubles. The Breakers rank third in men’s doubles

while Sacramento sits in first.

The Breakers have also benefited from strong play in women’s

singles, almost entirely that of Kapros, who is 8-1 heading into

tonight’s match.

In their last home match, the Bryan brothers helped Newport finish

strong and defeat Delaware, 20-17.

Newport outscored Delaware, 15-7, in the final three sets (men’s

singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles). Bob Bryan and Kapros each

won their singles sets while the Bryan brothers capped the match with

a victory in men’s doubles.