KC Explorers battle but can’t bounce back against Newport Beach

In 2008, the Kansas City Explorers charged to the World Team Tennis finals with the best record in the league. Unfortunately, this year’s not working out so well.

Explorer Millie Sequera went down with a season-ending shoulder injury 10 days before the first match and was replaced by a 15-year-old Canadian, Eugenie Bouchard, who’s been playing her age. Last night, hobbling in to their second home game at Barney Allis Plaza with a 1-2 record, another Explorer Kveta Peschke was sporting tape on her left leg.

Still, with strong play from newcomer Mike Russell and solid support from Explorers’ veteran Dusan Vemic, the Kansas City squad nearly pulled out a win against the Newport Beach Breakers. But Bouchard’s 5-0 trouncing in the women’s single’s event put the Explorers too far in the hole and they never recovered, losing 21-19.

Click here for a slideshow — and here to get tickets to one of the three home matches this weekend.