Obama family watches Serena's Kastles beat Lobsters

In her first match in the United States since advancing to the semifinals of the 2009 US Open, Serena Williams led the Washington Kastles to a 25-10 victory over the Boston Lobsters in good company.

First lady Michelle Obama watched with daughters Sasha and Malia as Serena punctuated her return on U.S. soil with strong performances in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Her last competitive match before making her Kastles debut for the season took place at the fourth round of Wimbledon, which she lost to Marion Bartoli in straight sets.

Igniting a media frenzy with Obama?s presence, a number of newspapers sought to set the mood of the match, played at the Kastles? new stadium on the banks of the Potomac. Writes Tom Schad of the Washington Times, ?Serena Williams was the main attraction of the Washington Kastles? match Thursday, but Michelle Obama may have stolen the show.?

According to another account, this time in the Washington Post, Liz Clarke sets the atmosphere with her strong descriptive style. ?At one end of the court, in a section dubbed the ?Dream Seats? -- essentially the Kastles? version of Center Court?s royal box at Wimbledon -- 10-year-old Sasha Obama held aloft a sign that read ?Let?s Go Kastles!? on one side and ?Refuse to Lose? on the other, pumping her arms in time to the blaring music,? she writes.

Serena talked to reporters about having the Obamas in attendance. ?I got a chance to go out back and say hey to her [Obama]. I?d met her before, so it was good to see her. She was like, ?you need to come out to the [White] House,? she?s quoted as saying in the Times article.

Coach Murphy Jensen also shared thoughts about Obama?s presence at the match.

?I said if you ever need a coach, you got it. And I was a little embarrassed because I blew her a kiss. I hope Mr. President isn?t [upset],? he said.

The Kastles continue to lead the way in the Eastern Conference as they seek another conference showdown en route to the WTT Finals presented by GEICO. This year, the championship action takes place on July 22 to 24 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C.

For more on the Kastles versus Lobsters match, read an account on the Kastles? website here.

?Benjamin Snyder

Photo: Vithaya Phongsavan

Originally published on WTT.com

Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-features/~3/DDLtcgTYXj4/

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