Springfield Lasers Gearing Up for Season

With the 2021 World TeamTennis (WTT) campaign less than three months away, the Springfield Lasers’ squad is beginning to take shape with a trio of high-caliber American players being named to the team so far.

Mackenzie “Mackie” McDonald, Jessica Pegula and Caty McNally will compete for the Lasers when the WTT season takes place November 13-28 at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in southern California. John-Laffnie “JL” de Jager returns as the team’s coach, and General Manager Paul Nahon said more players will be added to the roster in the coming months.

“When I look at our players on the court — their demeanor and just their whole approach — they seem very stable and balanced,” Nahon said. “They exhibit personalities that lend themselves to being great players, as they get better as time goes on. We like players who are exciting, too, and I know some of those components will come in.”

WTT’s 46th season — as well as the Lasers’ 26th — will be a unique one in both its timing and location. With Covid-19 uncertainty as well as the off-year Tokyo Olympics, the WTT schedule was pushed back from its typical summer start to November. Last year, the entire WTT slate was played at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia in July and August.

“One of the challenges is being away from home for that stretch of time,” Nahon said. “The flip side is once you get there, you don’t have all the logistics with travel and everything. The biggest downside is we just aren’t able to have fans in our stadium. Our fanbase will be able to watch us, as it will be broadcast. It’s that live, getting-close-to-players experience everyone loves that we won’t have this year, at least for some of our fans.”

Nahon is working on putting together a fan section for Laser supporters who want to attend the action in person. He’s also considering an interactive meet-and-greet/pro-am with some of the players. While Springfield Laser fans won’t be able to watch their team play live at the Cooper Tennis Complex, Nahon noted every WTT match will be streamed this year with some appearing on TV.

Nahon has worked behind the scenes on partnerships with sponsors and filling out the Lasers roster in preparation for the 2021 campaign. He said there are multiple aspects to landing players, with relationship development acting as a key component. Both Nahon and de Jager chip in there, as does the league and WTT Senior Vice President Matthew Elefant, a former agent who now helps recruit players to the league.

That recipe has led to some of the world’s top athletes competing in World TeamTennis each year, with 2021 no different. Sloane Stephens, Eugenie Bouchard, Kim Clijsters, John Isner, Jack Sock, Frances Tiafoe and Bob and Mike Bryan are just some of the announced participants for the fall. The star-studded ensemble will represent teams from the cities of Chicago, New York, Orange County, San Diego and Springfield.

McDonald, 26, will be making his first WTT appearance since 2018 when he suits up for the Lasers in November. He advanced to the fourth round of both the 2021 Australian Open and 2018 Wimbledon. McDonald was a three-time All-American in singles at UCLA, claiming singles and doubles National Championships in 2016. He recently reached the finals of the 2021 Citi Open.

Pegula, 27, returns for her second WTT season after previously competing for the Orlando Storm. Pegula qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2021 Australian Open. In doubles, she made it to the quarterfinals of the French Open and Wimbledon Round of 16 this year as well. Pegula earned a world No. 25 singles ranking in June. She recently competed for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics.

McNally, 19, enters her second season as a WTT participant. She has teamed up with another teenager, Coco Gauff, to make waves in doubles on the professional tour. McNally and Gauff are two-time Australian Open doubles quarterfinalists (2020, 2021). McNally has won two doubles titles in 2021. She has paired up to compete alongside Pegula previously as well.

“Our players have seen great success here in the last year or so,” Nahon said. “I see us as having a good up-and-coming team and another chance to win a title if we put all those pieces together.”