New York Buzz vs. Delaware Smash
by Christopher Gerby
The threatening gray clouds overhead as the New York Buzz took the court for their third match of the 2004
World Team Tennis season felt all too appropriate. Already sporting an 0-2 record, the Buzz would be heavy
underdogs against the Delaware Smash, the league's reigning champions. The Smash, two nights removed from a
24-12 win over the Buzz, feature a mostly unchanged roster from their dominant title campaign. 2003 WTT MVP
Paul Goldstein, doubles stalwart Liezel Huber, and plucky Samantha Reeves wear Delaware's red and black again.
The only absentee is Scott Humphries, currently confined to his new career as Jennifer Capriati's hitting
partner. Taking his place is the redoubtable David Wheaton -- years past his prime, but coming off a title
victory of his own. Wheaton and "Matchpoint America" co-host T.J. Middleton managed to claim the 35 & Over
doubles title at Wimbledon last week. On the very same day, Huber played in the women's doubles final. The
visitors from Delaware are clearly hitting their stride.
First set: men's singles -- Justin Bower vs Paul Goldstein
Without the late arriving "Buzz Boys" on hand to boost his morale, Justin Bower got off to a sluggish start
against Paul Goldstein. The matchup would be a tricky one for him under the best of circumstances. The
brainy, scrappy Goldstein is just the kind of steady competitor who can be counted on to neutralize Bower's
flashy hit-or-miss attack. Goldstein broke serve in the evening's opening game and rolled to a 3-1 lead,
while teammates Samantha Reeves and David Wheaton fished through his bag for a new racket grip.
"Goldie" made the racket adjustment during the ensuing changeover and came out playing even better tennis.
Game 5 featured one absolutely extraordinary exchange of lobs, smashes, volleys, and drop shots.
Bower threw everything but the kitchen sink at a tireless Goldstein, who eventually knocked off a winning
volley. Paul's teammates (and enthusiastic Smash coach Brad Dancer) jumped to their feet in unison to celebrate.
Goldstein went ahead from there to break at love and hold at 30, securing a very tidy 5-1 win of the first
set. It was an early punch in the gut for the Buzz, whose charismatic team leader had been humbled in blistering
fashion.
OVERALL SCORE: SMASH 5, BUZZ 1
Second set: mixed doubles -- Bower/Stewart vs. Wheaton/Huber
With the rowdy back row Buzz Boys still absent, a perennial season ticket holder waved her trademark
bumblebee inner tube and tried to fire up the troops. "Get some sting into those serves!" she shouted to Justin
Bower and Bryanne Stewart. It was little help, as David Wheaton and Lizel Huber opened up an early 2-0
advantage. However, a rare chink in the Smash armor was revealed in the following game. After just one service
point, Liezel Huber asked for a substitution, deciding her taped up wrist was too tender for serving duty. "I'm
so nervous to do it that I'd rather not do it," she explained to Coach Dancer, who sent Samantha Reeves onto the
court in her place. Coincidentally (or not), Reeves had her serve broken just as the Buzz Boys were filing into
their traditional seats below the scoreboard.
Due in part to some really dodgy volleying by Stewart, the Buzz fell behind 1-4. As for Justin Bower, even
chants of "Bower Power" and "JB bringin' it home!" couldn't take the unforced errors out of his game. After
coughing up a double fault and yet another errant forehand in Game 6, he attempted to strike a deal with the
umpire. "Please can I break my racket? Just once. The crowd will love it." Bower's racket stayed intact,
but the request itself was enough to get him back on track. The Buzz held to 2-4 and forced a game point on
the Reeves serve. Wheaton had a chance to take the set, but muffed a backhand volley and let out an anguished
squeal, back on serve at 3-4. The big 35-year-old looked downright rusty in the following game, shanking
multiple returns as New York won their third straight game to force a tiebreak...
DW serving: Untimely double fault for Wheaton -- 1-0 BUZZ
DW: Wheaton nets a shoestring volley -- 2-0 BUZZ
JB: The lefty cranks a service winner -- 3-0 BUZZ
JB: Bower pushes a backhand volley long -- 3-1 BUZZ
SR: Stewart nets a routine forehand volley -- 3-2 BUZZ
SR: A mis-hit Stewart volley flutters and lands on the baseline -- 4-2 BUZZ
BS: Bower successfully drills a forehand volley at Wheaton's feet -- 5-2 BUZZ
Justin Bower pumped his fist triumphantly, having teamed with Bryanne Stewart for an unlikely comeback in
the mixed doubles. The tenuous state of Liezel Huber's wrist, increasing volume of the Buzz Boys, and
improving play from Bower gave the distinct impression that New York was still in this one.
OVERALL SCORE: SMASH 9, BUZZ 6
Third set: women's doubles -- Kutuzova/Stewart vs. Huber/Reeves
Chasing one erratic ball toss after another, Bryanne Stewart had her serve broken to open the third event.
Stewart's growing frustration (she feigned a racket toss after one double fault) and the very green doubles
play of young Viktoriya Kutuzova stalled whatever momentum the Buzz had coming off the mixed doubles win.
Kutuzova did manage one wicked, eye-popping backhand return winner late in the set, but it was one of few
highlights in a very sloppy showing from the Buzz ladies. Liezel Huber was able to serve without any
apparent discomfort, teaming with Samantha Reeves for an easy 5-1 win.
OVERALL SCORE: SMASH 14, BUZZ 7
Fourth set: women's singles -- Viktoriya Kutuzova vs. Samantha Reeves
Viktoriya Kutuzova's tiebreak win over Samantha Reeves on Monday night was the bright spot in the Buzz's
season-opening loss. Would lightning strike twice? It sure looked that way when Kutuzova sharply rattled off
three winners in a set-opening break of serve. Kutuzova unleashed a devastating backhand winner to close
out Game 2 and struck an even more impressive forehand pass on the dead run in Game 3. When a Reeves forehand
floated long to make the score 3-0, the young Ukranian let out a shout of "let's go!" The Buzz Boys stepped up
their own game from the stands, singing Viktoriya's first name to the tune of Duran Duran's "Notorious".
However, it was Reeves who rallied to win the next couple games.
Game 6 was one Kutuzova would rather forget.
She double faulted three times and had to put up with the Buzz Boys calling her "Kournikova." The second time
that happened, she turned around, looked right up at them, and sternly declared, "I'm not." After Reeves
guided a forehand winner into the corner to break for 3-3, Buzz coach Jolene Watanabe jogged out to the court
and had a few words with Kutuzova. That seemed to settle her down without dimming her intensity. "Yes!" she
hissed after breaking right back for a 4-3 lead.
Samantha Reeves is a solid, crafty baseliner who has taken up
residence in the world's Top 100. On top of that, she was getting a steady stream of encouragement from her
coach and all three teammates. Nevertheless, when Kutuzova was finding the range, Sam didn't have enough to
counter her weapons. One last Reeves backhand sailed long on set
point, prompting Viktoriya to whirl around and raise a clenched fist. She had prevailed over her far more
experienced opponent for the second time in three nights, this time by a 5-3 tally.
OVERALL SCORE: SMASH 17, BUZZ 12
Fifth set: men's doubles -- Bower/Rudman vs. Goldstein/Wheaton
"You can't break that serve, Wheaton," announced one of the Buzz Boys (who were, for whatever reason, no
longer wearing shirts) when Justin Bower stepped to the line to open the night's final event. He was right
about that, but the Buzz were having no luck against the Smash serves either. Finally making good on his
threat from earlier in the evening, Bower violently slammed his racket down, picking up a code violation
warning in the process. The set went with serve until Game 7, when Paul Goldstein got a passing shot to
skim off the tape and fall in for a break-clinching winner. Goldie had a bit of trouble serving it out,
but Wheaton made it official by punching home a backhand volley winner on game point. Perhaps indicating the
identity of the night's MVP, Wheaton pointed at Goldstein as the two savored their 5-3 victory.
FINAL SCORE: SMASH 22, BUZZ 15
Predictably, the unstoppable Smash ran their record to a perfect 2-0 as the Buzz sank to a still winless 0-3.
It was an entertaining night of tennis, however, and Buzz fans could take solace in the star-is-born
singles performance from Viktoriya Kutuzova. The preternatural poise this 15-year-old displays on the court
is just as evident when she's interviewed. Far from a giggly teenager, she makes direct eye contact while
giving serious, diplomatic answers in pretty fluent English. Asked about her second consecutive win over
Reeves, Viktoriya was matter of fact. "I just find my game. I was playing very good today. Sometimes I
just get luck." WTA age eligibility restrictions limit Kutuzova to eight tournaments this year and ten next
year, which is precisely why she signed on for a season of World Team Tennis. "That's why I play it, but it's
so fun, I will play it next year."
When I brought up the recent Wimbledon triumph by fellow teen phenom Maria Sharapova, Kutuzova said, "I know her
very good. She's a very good person, very nice girl, and she's a great player. And, you know, the Russians
are coming. We're very good." Asked why the Russians have been on that roll, she replied, "We're smart.
Very smart and just, you know, doing our job every game and every single ball." The mention of one particular
Russian seemed to rankle her during the match, but don't draw any conclusions about a juicy Kutuzova-Kournikova
rivalry. "I just try to be myself, you know? We're all Russians (who) look like each other and I just wanna
have my name, my surname. So I just don't want to be called Kournikova. I don't have nothing bad about her,
because she's a nice person. She's a very good girl, but I want to be myself." Hopefully the Buzz Boys will
keep that in mind on Thursday night, when the real Kournikova leads the Kansas City Explorers into
Schenectady.
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Last updated 26 September 2015
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