Monica Seles will make her 2001 Tyco World Team Tennis (WTT) Pro League debut this summer at home for the Hartford FoxForce on Thursday night, July 12 against the New York Buzz. She will then travel to Philadelphia on July 13 to battle the Freedom at Cabrini College, then onto the New York Hamptons on July 14 and wrapping up her Pro League play in Schenectady on July 15 against the Buzz.
The 2001 Tyco WTT Pro League will be played July 9-29 with the season-ending Tyco WTT Finals slated for August 25 (location TBA).
Monica on playing in Hartford last summer meant to her:
“Last year, I think anyone that came out to the matches saw how great of a time I had. I was only supposed to play four nights and I decided I wanted to play the fifth night because I was so enjoying it. It’s going to be a great place to come back after not playing for a while.”
On how Tyco WTT Pro League has evolved since she started playing:
“Since I started playing, which was two years ago, it has grown so much. It seems that it’s getting better and better players and marquee names, which I think it will need to keep growing. More and more players are wanting to play and it’s wonderful to see that.”
“It’s like more of a family type of feel than let’s say when you go to a big tournament it’s like a corporate type of feeling. That’s rare because nowadays tennis is growing at such a fast pace. It’s becoming all these big tournaments that are so impersonal.”
On the New Haven Kids Clinic that she will be participating in on July 11:
“It will be so exciting to spend time with them and just show them the game of tennis. It will be great to be able to inspire, or get kids who otherwise wouldn’t have picked up the tennis racket, but now would.”
On what she enjoys most about the team concept of WTT and the Federation Cup:
“I just in general love any type of team event that we have in tennis. It’s unfortunate that it’s very rare. That’s why I really love World Team Tennis because it gives me the chance. It’s a lot of fun having guys on the team too, getting their perspective on a lot of things.”
On potentially seeing the team format instituted at the Olympics:
“It would be great. I talked to Billie (Jean King) a lot about that at the Olympics last year, and I really, really would support that.”
On some of the career goals that she would still like to accomplish as a player:
“Realistically, it would be winning any of the grand slams. For me the main goal was each times, even when I was losing one match a year, was to play perfect tennis. Right now in my career, I haven’t done that yet. So that’s kind of what I’m striving forward to.”
On using the Tyco WTT Pro League as a tune-up for the U.S. Open:
“My main goal is going to be to come back strong and healthy and try to pace myself before the U.S. Open because I really would like to play well there after missing the last two grand slams.”