Lobsters Head North for a New Home in 2008

"We're thrilled to have Martina back playing with us for a few matches, and excited to have Venus back competing against us," Uttam said. "But we want our fans to know that for all seven of our matches, we will be putting excellent tennis players on the court."

Tickets for the marquee matches are $60 for box seats, and $30 for reserved ($15 for children under 12), and for other matches, the tickets cost $50 for box seats and $25 for reserved ($10 for children under 12). Tickets for individual matches go on sale in April, while season tickets are available now.

For more information, please visit www.bostonlobsters.net or call (800) 514-ETIX (3849).

Back Where She Started



An Original Lobster, Martina Navratilova Returns to Her Roots

Martina Navratilova is known for many things. One of the greatest players in the history of tennis. Grand slam record holder. Twenty-time Wimbledon champion.

But few people know that Navratilova played with the original iteration of the Lobsters, leading the 1978 squad to the WTT Finals and copping the Female Most Valuable Player Award. She went on to win six tournaments that year, including the Wimbledon singles crown - her first in a record 59 Grand Slam titles.

"Once a Lobster, always a Lobster," smiled Boston Lobster owner Bahar Uttam, who resurrected the team in 2005 (the league folded after the 1978 season, and Boston didn't get a franchise when the league restarted in the early 1980s). "Martina is a pure original in everything she does."

Navratilova played with the Lobsters in 2005 and 2006, and after taking a year off, is back in the fold for two home matches - July 16 versus the Springfield Lasers and July 19 versus the Newport Beach Breakers. She will also play a road match with Boston against Newport Beach on July 21.

"Obviously, having Martina play with us is great for the team and great for the players," Uttam said. "But make no mistake - we want her on our side because she can still play great tennis and help us win games. This is all about winning for us."
Venus Rising

When the World TeamTennis schedule was released a year ago and it was announced that Venus Williams would be playing with the Philadelphia Freedoms against the Boston Lobsters, Lobster owner Bahar Uttam didn't realize just how thrilled he would be with his marquee guest. After all, Williams struggled with injuries in 2006, and finished the year ranked 48th in the world - out of the Top 20 for the first time in a decade.

"Obviously, we were thrilled to have Venus coming in," Uttam said. "But she had suffered with some injuries leading up to the season, and we just had to hope that she would be okay."

But a funny thing happened in the weeks leading up to the WTT season and Venus' visit to Boston. Injuries behind her, she got her groove back. Williams was a surprise winner of Wimbledon, and then jetted back to the US to suit up for her WTT dates. And she was instrumental in leading the Freedoms over the Lobsters, winning all three events in which she played (woman's singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles). She continued to play well the rest of the season, reaching the US Open semifinals for the first time since winning it in 2002.

"Having Venus come back to play against us this year will be great, and it's always more exciting when she's at the top of her game," Uttam said about Williams' return engagement on July 10. "I hope she gives the fans a great show, but also that we win the match."

Individual tickets for the Williams match, and all Lobster matches, including the two featuring Martina Navratilova, will go on sale in April. Season tickets are available now.

Please visit www.bostonlobsters.net for details.
Boston Lobsters 2008 Home Schedule

July 7        vs. Delaware Smash              7 p.m.

*July 10    vs. Philadelphia Freedoms       7 p.m.   
(featuring Venus Williams)

July 12        vs. New York Buzz               7 p.m.

July 13        vs. New York Sportimes        4 p.m.

*July 16    vs. Springfield Lasers              7 p.m.
(featuring Martina Navratilova)

July 18        vs. Washington Kastles         7 p.m.

*July 19    vs. Newport Beach Breakers    7 p.m.
(featuring Martina Navratilova)
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