Every point counts in Mylan World TeamTennis, and the climax of any classic Mylan WTT match is the Supertiebreaker. When two teams find themselves tied after five sets, the combatants from the final event play a 13-point tiebreak; the first to seven breaks the tie and is declared the winner of the toughest sudden death in tennis.
“When you go into these Supertiebreakers, it’s really a question of who holds their nerve,” explained John Lloyd, coach of the San Diego Aviators.
The Aviators played and won the first Supertiebreaker of Mylan WTT’s 40th season. Trailing the Philadelphia Freedoms 17-16 after four sets, it all came down to mixed doubles. Darija Jurak was coming off a less-than-stellar set of women’s doubles—losing 5-3 to CoCo Vandeweghe and Taylor Townsend—and the Croatian doubles specialist found herself grappling with the gravity of playing at the Omni La Costa Resort.
“It’s always exciting to play at home and for the home crowd, but it’s also a lot of pressure because you feel like you have to do well,” Jurak told wtt.com. “If you don’t, you can feel that they’re all disappointed.”
Divine intervention came in the form of teammate Raven Klaasen. The South African, playing his second season for San Diego, had already won a set with Jurak the night before against the California Dream. Lifted by both crowd and Klaasen, Jurak helped the Aviators turn the tide by winning mixed doubles 5-4, tying the overall score at 21 games apiece.
“In the end, Raven was playing so good, and he picked me up so much… Thank God, he was there for me,” Jurak said. “He really supported me so much and we were like a team all the way!”
Cheering his players on from the bench, coach Lloyd saw both Jurak and Klaasen pull equal weight as the Supertiebreaker got underway; the two acquitted themselves well against stiff opposition in Vandeweghe and reigning French Open men’s doubles champion, Marcelo Melo.
“I thought Darija put in some fabulous returns and on big points, she came out with some clutch volleys,” Lloyd said. “Raven was all over the net like a rash; it was absolutely brilliant. They combined well and that is what you have to do in these matches.”
Deadlocked at 5-5, the Aviators cut through the tension to find an extra gear, winning the last two points to clinch a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
“It was one of the most exciting matches I’ve ever seen in tennis,” Lloyd said. “It literally could have been match point for both teams, but we just snuck in 7-5 in the Supertiebreaker. It was exhilarating. The crowd would go nuts, and I was on my feet every point. It was unbelievable.”
Playing two seasons for Texas Wild, Jurak had never before worked with Lloyd, but lauded his ability to mix fun with focus.
“I didn’t know him at all, but I find him very funny,” the Croat said. “He has some good jokes and thinks of fun things both on and off the court; this is really excellent before a match. He’s very creative, and he knows what to say so you know how to relax.
Following the Aviators’ big win, teammates Taylor Fritz and Chani Scheepers joined Klaasen and Jurak in the celebrations. Each had pushed Philly to 5-4 sets in men’s and women’s singles—keeping the team in such close contention. Mylan WTT provided a rare opportunity for Scheepers to play with a compatriot in Klaasen, and the veteran has enjoyed being able to represent South Africa as strongly as San Diego.
“Raven and I go all the way back to the juniors,” Scheepers said. “We’ve known each other for years. It’s nice to speak with someone in your first language, and it’s just been really a great experience.”
For Fritz, Mylan WTT is a crash course in the senior ranks of professional tennis. The top-ranked junior is back home after a long spell in Europe, where he reached the boy’s singles final at Roland Garros and the semis at Wimbledon. With a big game, the San Diego native is thriving in the high-pressure format, all the while gaining crucial experience with the help of his veteran teammates.
“It’s a great feeling to be on the team with these guys,” Fritz said. “I know I can learn so much from them, so it’s great to be around them and play with and against them. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to have more of a learning experience because I feel like I have a lot of stuff I can improve on. I think being on this team will help me a lot.”
Now tied for second place in the West, the Aviators have a solid chance to reach a second consecutive Conference Championships. Klaasen aims to help San Diego get there, but puts a premium on team dynamic, believing the results will follow.
“We’re comfortable together, that chemistry on the team is very important in getting the job done out there,” Klaasen said. “So we’ve clicked well and we’re off to a good start. So hopefully we can kind of ride this wave throughout the season.”