NY Empire Win First Mylan WTT Match 19-15 Over Springfield Lasers

NEW YORK - Aug. 3, 2016 - PRLog -- Doubles standouts Neal Skupski and Maria Irigoyen won two events each and Long Island's own Noah Rubin (Rockville Centre/John McEnroe Tennis Academy) earned nine total games, pacing the New York Empire presented by Citi to their first Mylan World TeamTennis victory, a 19-15 triumph over the Springfield (Mo.) Lasers at Forest Hills Stadium at The West Side Tennis Club tonight. Skupski won men's doubles with Rubin, Irigoyen took women's doubles with Christina McHale, and the pair combined to win mixed doubles to clinch the victory.

The evening started with men's doubles, and Rubin teamed with Skupski to get the Empire off on the right foot, a 5-2 men's doubles triumph over Benjamin Becker and Jean Andersen. Pauline Parmentier responded by blanking McHale, 5-0, in women's singles to give the visitors a 7-5 lead after two events. Rubin then rallied from a 4-2 game deficit to even the third event at 4, and had a 4-2 lead in the tiebreak before Becker won the last three points to take men's singles, 5-4, for a 12-9 Lasers advantage.

Women's doubles was up next, and the team of McHale and Irigoyen returned the lead to the Empire with a 5-1 victory over Parmentier and Michaella Krajicek, setting up a dramatic mixed doubles final to determine the match. The duo of Irigoyen and Skupski closed it out for New York with a 5-2 win over Krajicek and Andersen for the final margin.

The Empire (1-3) now embark on a three-game road trip, first to California to take on the San Diego Aviators on Friday at 10 p.m. ET and the Orange County Breakers on Saturday at 10 p.m., before switching coasts for a battle at the five-time defending champion Washington Kastles on Monday at 7 p.m. in the front end of a home-a-home with the Kastles which concludes in a Tuesday matchup at Forest Hills Stadium on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Lasers (0-4) visit the Philadelphia Freedoms on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Mylan World TeamTennis presented by GEICO

New York Empire (1-3) d. Springfield Lasers (0-4), 19-15

Men's Doubles: Noah Rubin/Neal Skupski (NYE) Benjamin Becker/Jean Andersen (SPR), 5-2

Women's Singles: Pauline Parmentier d. Christina McHale (NYE), 5-0

Men's Singles:  Benjamin Becker (SPR) d. Noah Rubin (NYE), 5-4

Women's Doubles: Christina McHale/Maria Irigoyen (NYE) d. Michaella Krajicek/Pauline Parmentier, 5-1

Mixed Doubles: d. Maria Irigoyen/Neal Skupski (NYE) d. Michaella Krajicek/Jean Andersen 5-2

The Empire schedule and a full roster of players can be found at www.NYEmpireTennis.com. Fans can also follow the team on Twitter (@nyempiretennis) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/NYEmpireTennis). To become a sponsor, purchase individual or season tickets or to get more information about VIP packages, please email info@nyempiretennis.com, visit www.nyempiretennis.com or call the New York Empire office at (844) 5-EMPIRE (844-536-7473 (tel:%28844-536-7473)).

About the New York Empire

The New York Empire presented by Citi plays their first season at Forest Hills Stadium at The West Side Tennis Club. The restored facility has been configured to seat 2,500 for six home matches through August 13. Patrick McEnroe will serve as the coach of the Empire, former US Open champion Andy Roddick will be a marquee player on the team, and New Jersey native and one of the top American women, Christina McHale headline the roster. The Empire roster also features Guido Pella of Argentina, and doubles specialists María Irigoyen also of Argentina and Neal Skupski of Great Britain. The stadium hosted the US Open Tennis Championships a total of 60 times, first from 1915 to 1920, and then again from 1924 to 1977. In addition, the finals of the Davis Cup were held at the club 10 times, more than any other venue. Currently, the stadium is also used as a music venue for concerts such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon among many others.

About Mylan World TeamTennis

The New York Empire is one of six Mylan World TeamTennis presented by GEICO teams that will compete in the innovative professional team tennis league for the King Trophy, the championship trophy named after co-founder Billie Jean King. For more information on Mylan WTT, visit www.WTT.com.