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No Kournikova this year for Sacramento
The Capitals trade her to St. Louis for a draft pick to replace Male MVP Mark Knowles.
By Paul Bauman - pbauman@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PST Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C2
After learning that World TeamTennis Male MVP Mark Knowles will miss most or all of the 2008 season, the defending champion Capitals traded popular Anna Kournikova to the St. Louis Aces for a first-round draft pick Monday.
Knowles' wife, Dawn, is expecting their second child in the middle of the July WTT season, Capitals owner Lonnie Nielson said.
Knowles might play one or two of Sacramento's 14 regular-season matches, Nielson added.
St. Louis, which also received the Capitals' second-round selection, has the second overall pick in the April 1 draft.
"We wanted to make sure we'd get a good player (to replace) Mark," Nielson said.
Knowles, a three-time WTT Male MVP, could not be reached for comment.
The 36-year-old Bahamas native has played for the Capitals for seven seasons. Only Elena Likhovtseva has more seniority (eight seasons) among last year's players.
Knowles finished first in men's doubles with a .602 winning mark in games played and second in mixed doubles (.596) last season.
Ranked No. 3 in the world in men's doubles and formerly No. 1, Knowles has won three Grand Slam titles in that event.
The other full-time Capitals last year – Sam Warburg of Sacramento, Likhovtseva and 15-year-old Michelle Larcher de Brito – have until March 22 to commit to the team this season, Nielson said.
The Capitals are negotiating with Granite Bay's Dmitry Tursunov, ranked 36th in the world, to play one or two matches and could add a part-time female star.
Kournikova, 26, played part-time for Sacramento for the past three seasons. She reached No. 8 in the world in singles and No. 1 in doubles before retiring from the regular circuit in 2003 because of foot, ankle and back injuries.
Former Capital and ex-world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport is scheduled to play for Newport Beach in Roseville on July 12.
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- Call The Bee's Paul Bauman, (916) 326-5515.
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Florence Low / Sacramento Bee file, 2006 Anna Kournikova played part-time for the Capitals the past three World TeamTennis seasons.
2008 CAPITALS SCHEDULE
Home matches begin at 7:30 p.m. at Allstate Stadium at the Galleria at Roseville.
July 3: Newport Beach
July 4: Kansas City
July 7: at St. Louis
July 8: at Springfield
July 9: at Kansas City
July 11: Springfield
July 12: Newport Beach
July 14: at Newport Beach
July 15: St. Louis
July 17: at Washington
July 18: at New York Buzz
July 19: at Delaware
July 22: Boston
July 23: New York Sportimes
July 24-27: WTT Championship Weekend at Allstate Stadium
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