Kudla Looks To Bring His 'Perfect Storm' To Mylan WTT

Mylan World TeamTennis celebrates its 40th birthday this year. For more on WTT, including this season's schedule, click here.

It’s safe to say Denis Kudla is riding high right now. You might even say he’s refusing to lose, after stringing together 13 wins in 15 matches and his best major result, a fourth-round showing at Wimbledon. It’s a mantra that fits perfectly with his hometown Washington Kastles, the four-time reigning Mylan World TeamTennis champions.

Kudla’s story was stuck in a completely different chapter a month ago. The rising American found himself ranked No. 139 after bowing out in the first round of Roland Garros qualifying. In dire need of a surface switch, Kudla slowly but surely regained his footing at two ATP Challenger Tour events to earn a Wimbledon main draw wild card, but it was his opening-round performance at the All England Club that sparked his inner-belief. Kudla battled back from two sets down to oust 28th seed Pablo Cuevas and drew on that performance to make a run in London, bringing himself back inside the Top 100 for the first time in 21 months.

“I had two really, really good weeks on grass right before. I never had that much confidence coming into a Grand Slam,” Kudla tells tennis.com. “To pull out the first match the way I did, I felt like I could win in any situation. It was just kind of the perfect storm for the last three weeks on grass.”

While Kudla is excited about his change in fortune, his priorities are not with himself this week, but rather his team, the Kastles. The Arlington, Va. native made his Mylan WTT debut Sunday evening in Boston.

“I’m really excited be a part of World TeamTennis for the first time. Having the confidence from Wimbledon and being able to bring that over to the States now, I’m just really looking forward to it,” Kudla says. “I’ve never played this well in my life on a consistent basis, on a high level. To finally get that opportunity now, to play in front of a lot of my family and friends in a packed stadium with the team that the city gets behind so much, you really couldn’t ask for a better situation in tennis.”

Kudla will star in front of his hometown fans Tuesday night and looks to make quick adjustments following his first match. The 22-year-old went down to Boston Lobster Alex Kuznetsov 5-0 in men’s singles, but regrouped with Rajeev Ram for a 5-4 comeback victory in men’s doubles to clinch the season opener for the Kastles.

“My debut in singles was nowhere close to what I wanted it to be, I think I played very well, but just maybe the atmosphere was just such a change for me that I wasn’t able to find my rhythm,” assesses Kudla. “I need to try and slow down a little bit and regroup, but it’s definitely high intensity. I was a little bit tense out there. But then in the doubles we were really in a hole, and with the energy, it’s the beauty of this system. I think going home it’ll help playing in front of my family and friends for sure.”

Tuesday will also see Venus Williams join the Kastles for her 11th Mylan WTT season. Kudla is humbled to represent the Kastles brand alongside a number of tennis greats, including the 7-time major singles champion.

“I think it’s going to be incredible to be on the same team as Venus Williams and everyone else who’s on this team,” says Kudla. “You’ve got Hingis and Paes who just won the Wimbledon mixed, and Serena’s playing too. To have the opportunity to be on the same bench as Venus will be really, really cool. Hopefully I can take it all in and enjoy the experience.”

As for what he hopes to get out of his rookie season, Kudla pointed to the great preparation Mylan WTT’s guaranteed match play will offer him heading into the US Open Series.

“I can get on a hard court now, in high-pressure situations, [so] I think it’s going to be great. I really believe that if I can play well these next six matches, it can really be a good start for me this summer.”