Hartford breaks streak

The one constant in the Newport Beach Breakers run to first place in

the Western Conference of the World Team Tennis Standings has ben

16-year-old Russian phenom Maria Sharapova.

Ranked second in women’s singles play in World Team Tennis,

Sharapova had helped the Breakers to five straight victories to jump

from last place to first place in the course of a week.

But Sharapova didn’t play Tuesday and Newport Beach felt the brunt

of that decision. The Breakers’ winning streak was snapped by

Hartford, which overcame an early deficit to post a 20-19 victory at

the Blue Fox Run Golf Course.

Jewel Peterson, Sharapova’s replacement, played with Eva Dyrberg

in women’s doubles, the last set of the night. The score was tied at

15 games each going into the set and Hartford’s Martina Muller and

Milagros Sequera won the set 5-4 for the one-game overall victory.

Newport Beach (6-5) got off to a fast start behind their men’s

doubles and mixed doubles teams, leading 10-5 after two sets. But

Hartford (7-3) captured the final three sets, including women’s

singles, where Sequera defeated Dyrberg 5-2.

The loss drops the Breakers into a tie with Sacramento (6-5) for

second place. Both teams are a half match behind Springfield (6-4).

The Breakers will play tonight at Delaware (9-1), the leaders of the

Eastern Conference.

The Breakers close out their season with home matches against

Kansas City Friday and Philadelphia Saturday. Martina Navratilova is

expected to play for Philadelphia.