2017 New York Empire season
| 2017 New York Empire season | |
|---|---|
| Record | |
| 2017 record | 5 wins, 6 losses |
| Home record | 2 wins, 3 losses |
| Road record | 3 wins, 3 losses |
| Games won–lost | 213–233 |
| Team Info | |
| Owner(s) | NY TeamTennis LLC represented by Michael Coakley |
| President/CEO | Angela Martin |
| General Manager | Michele Cope |
| Coach | Gigi Fernández |
| Stadium |
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (capacity: 2,800) |
The 2017 New York Empire season is the second season of the franchise in World TeamTennis (WTT).
After finishing with the worst record in WTT in 2016, the Empire had the first selection in each round of WTT's 2017 drafts. The Empire traded the first overall selection in the Marquee Draft to the Springfield Lasers for the second overall pick and undisclosed consideration. The Lasers used that pick to select Jack Sock. With the second selection in the first round, the Empire chose Eugenie Bouchard and left Andy Roddick unprotected. In the second round, the Empire selected John Isner, whom had been left unprotected by the Lasers. The Empire's third round selection was Mardy Fish, whom had been left unprotected by the Washington Kastles.
After playing its inaugural season at Forest Hills Stadium, the Empire announced at the draft that its 2017 home matches would be played on Court 17 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, New York City. The stadium has seating for 2,800 fans and is easily accessible by public transportation. Parking is available on premises. The Empire also introduced its new general manager, Michele Cope, who said "Court 17 is a great showcase court for New York Empire matches. Fans will be close to great professional team competition, and also enjoy a fan-friendly and entertaining atmosphere."
On March 1, the Empire named International Tennis Hall of Famer Gigi Fernández as the team's new head coach, replacing Patrick McEnroe. Fernández said, "This is going to be a fantastic summer for the New York Empire with a really strong team that already includes John [Isner], Genie [Bouchard] and Mardy [Fish]. We'll finalize the remainder of the roster very soon, and then it's time to start thinking about match strategy. I really can't wait to work with these amazing athletes." McEnroe had recently taken a position with Sportime NY as co-director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy.
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