WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV (WOAY) – The New York Empire were major underdogs heading into their World TeamTennis semifinal match against the Philadelphia Freedoms. Philadelphia held the best record in the league at 12-2. Meanwhile, New York was the last team to clinch the playoffs, doing so on Wednesday with a 7-7 record.
But the Empire didn’t play like the underdogs. They seized a 14-9 lead through the first three sets, while head coach Luke Jenson did his best to hype up the crowd and his team.
The Freedoms certainly didn’t make it easy for the Empire, capturing a 5-3 win in women’s doubles to heighten the drama for the fifth and final set.
That set featured an intense battle in men’s singles between two heavyweights, Taylor Fritz for Philadelphia and Jack Sock for New York. Ultimately, Sock didn’t break serve in nine sets to catapult his team to the finals.
In the second semifinal match, the Chicago Smash crushed the Orlando Storm 24-13. Chicago will square off against New York at noon on Sunday at the Greenbrier Resort.
