Mylan World TeamTennis CEO & Commissioner Ilana Kloss said the league is a “great development tool for the young players to be mentored by some of the existing competing players.” Appearing on Tennis Channel’s Wimbledon coverage yesterday alongside WTT co-Founder Billie Jean King, Kloss noted the seven teams in the league include both male and female players, and they “really enjoy that camaraderie.” Kloss: “It’s just that chemistry and experience that you have as a team that you really don’t have very often in tennis. It’s very, very special.” King said, “There’s a lot of tension, constant tension to do the best you can and absolutely kill yourself (on the court). And we have a bonus system for individual and team money, so there’s a constant incentive every moment for the player to give it everything they’ve got. They do because of their team and also because they’re representing something bigger than themselves, their community, the city that they’re representing.” Kloss said when describing WTT, the “one word always that comes to mind is access.” She said, “We really want the fans participating. We give access to young kids. They are able to have a clinic with the players. They get free rackets. They can come on the court for autographs. It’s really about access and inclusion” (“Wimbledon Primetime,” Tennis Channel, 7/7).
