This article appeared on the online edition of the Daily Gazette on July 13, 1999.



Early lineup change 
Navratilova to play Thursday instead of Novotna 

By BILL BUELL
Gazette Sportswriter

T.J. Middleton was looking forward to playing doubles with Jana Novotna Thursday, but her 
replacement will do just fine.

Nitty Singh, owner and general manager of the Schenectady County Electrics, announced
Monday that Novotna has pulled out of her WTT commitment, along with her tournament 
appearance in Mahwah, N.J., this week, due to a tender ankle. Martina Navratilova, 
who was scheduled to join the team on Saturday, will come in two days early to take 
Novotna's place on Thursday at Central Park against the Kansas City Explorers.

"She's a great competitor, she has a great presence out on the court and she's a really
nice girl," said Middleton, who will play mixed doubles with Australian Louise Pleming 
when the Schenectady County Electrics go for their third straight win tonight against 
the St. Louis Aces. "I'm sure it will be a lot of fun."

Novotna hasn't fully recovered from an ankle sprain she suffered during the French Open, 
according to Singh. While she's disappointed about not bringing Novotna to Central Park, 
Singh was happy to hear Navratilova is willing to come to Schenectady two days earlier 
than originally planned.

"We actually got more phone calls asking us about Martina than we did Jana," said Singh. 
"The one good thing about this is that we'll have Martina for three home matches and one 
away match. It'll really feel like she's part of the team." 

Navratilova has long been a supporter of World TeamTennis, and sparked the New Jersey 
Stars to league championships in 1994 and '95. The year before, it was Middleton and 
the Wichita Advantage who defeated Navratilova's team in the semifinals on their way to 
the 1993 title.

On Thursday night against the Aces, Middleton expects to play the add court, with 
Navratilova playing the deuce court. 

"I usually play forehand in the men's, but in the mixed, the men almost always play the 
backhand side," said Middleton, who reached the 1994 Wimbledon mixed finals with Lori 
McNeil before losing to Helena Sukova and Todd Woodbridge. "That way, if you get a game 
point, the man usually can get two chances at the women's serve to win it."

After a slow start, Middleton and his Electrics teammates have been playing superb 
tennis. They opened up by losing two matches on the road, but avenged those setbacks a 
few days later at home, defeating both the the Idaho Sneakers and Sacramento Capitals.

"I had a great time, and that's what team tennis is all about," Middleton said after 
Sunday's win over the Sneakers. "You can let your hair down, play a little more loose, 
and that usually results in some pretty good tennis."

Middleton, who now lives in Atlanta with his wife and one child, was born in Auburn, 
N.Y., and remained in the state for nearly nine years before his family moved to Texas. 
He played at Central Park last year as a member of the Springfield Lasers, and feels 
right at home on the MVP Stadium Court.

"It's a great atmosphere here in the park," said Middleton, a member of Georgia's 1987 
NCAA championship team. "There's plenty of good oxygen here, and the fans seem to be 
really into it."

Middleton and Pleming had a rough WTT debut in the mixed doubles last Tuesday night in 
Sacramento, losing to the Capitals' Brian MacPhie and Elena Likhovsteva, 5-0. The next 
night in Boise, Idaho, against the Sneakers, they came out on the short end of a 5-3 
score.

They have avenged both of those losses, and played superb tennis in their last two 
matches, defeating MacPhie and Likhovsteva on Friday night, 5-3, and Mike Bryan and Brie 
Rippner on Sunday, 5-3.

"There are so many good teams in this league, but Louise and I feel we can hold our own 
with anybody," said Middleton. "She's a great volleyer, one of the best on the women's 
tour, and she has a lot of energy, so I enjoy playing with her. It's a lot of fun."

American Geoff Grant and Samantha Smith of Great Britain round out the Electrics' lineup 
tonight, while Murphy Jensen, Brent Haygarth, Debbie Graham and Tara Snyder are expected 
to play for the 0-3 Aces. Luke Jensen will be at the match, but is not expected to play 
due to a shoulder injury.


(Reply to Gazette Newspapers: gazette@dailygazette.com)