McEnroe, Navratilova to play at Palisades

Richard Dunn

The Newport Beach Breakers knew about Lindsay Davenport and her

two-match commitment to the 2003 World Team Tennis season this summer

at Palisades Tennis Club, but following Wednesday’s player draft, the

league’s newest franchise announced it will also host visiting

players John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova during the season.

The league schedule has yet to be released and the Breakers still

haven’t named a coach, but former USC men’s tennis coach Dick Leach

and Newport Beach Tennis Club Director of Tennis Scott Davis are the

final candidates, according to an insider.

In addition to Davenport, the Breakers selected Maria Shavapova,

the 16-year-old Russian phenom who was nominated by Teen Magazine in

the March issue as “one of 20 teenagers that will change the world.”

Sharapova, at 14 years old, was the youngest player ever to reach

Australian Open junior finals. In her young pro career, she has

already proven she can win by defeating top-50 players Amy Frazier

and Laura Granville.

The Breakers also feature Brian MacPhie, Josh Eagle and Shenay

Perry. Eagle, an Australian doubles specialist with five doubles

titles [three of which came in 2002], and MacPhie, a San Clemente

resident, are regular doubles partners on the men’s tour and

currently ranked 37th.