When World Team Tennis returns to Southern California this summer, the rosters will look somewhat different than in 2017, when both SoCal squads reached the championship final. At the team draft today at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, each city unveiled their franchise players and selected players to fill out their forthcoming roster.

Defending champions Orange County Breakers added Brazilian Marcelo Demoliner as their first pick for the new year. Demoliner, currently the 47th ranked doubles player on the ATP Tour, is a doubles specialist. Earlier this month, Demoliner teamed Santa Monica’s Sam Querrey to reach the quarterfinals in Acapulco.

The Breakers also selected Stephane Robert, the 37-year old from France.

The San Diego Aviators, finalists last year, selected talented doubles player Marcus Willis in the first round. The Brit reached Wimbledon’s second round last year teaming with Jay Clarke to upset the defending champions Mahut/Herbert in the second round.

San Diego also drafted former UCLA Bruin Marcin Matkowski of Poland, a former US Open doubles finalist, and former mixed doubles Grand Slam champion Anna-Lena Groenfeld.

The most notable selections of the draft belonged to Washington, last year’s cellar dweller, who selected Tennys Sandgren as the first overall pick along with Pepperdine alum Robert Lindstedt, joining their franchise players Madison Brengle and Bob & Mike Bryan. Philadelphia added young Amanda Anisimova, who has impressed this week at Indian Wells, as well as US Open finalist Kevin Anderson.

Vania King (Monterey Park) was selected by the Springfield Lasers, and New York Empire added former UCLA standout Dennis Novikov.

The World Team Tennis season begins in mid-July.

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2018 World Team Tennis Draft

Washington Kastles
Venus Williams (protected)
Mike and Bob Bryan(protected)
Madison Brengle (protected)
Tennys Sandgren (1st overall pick)
Robert Lindstedt
Nicole Melichar

Philadelphia Freedoms
Sloane Stephens (protected)
Taylor Townsend (protected)
Fabrice Martin (protected)
Amanda Anisimova
Kevin King
Kevin Anderson

Springfield Lasers
Jack Sock (protected)
Abigail Spears (protected)
Vania King
Miomir Kecmanovic
Daniel Nestor

New York Empire
Mardy Fish (protected)
John Isner (protected)
Genie Bouchard (protected)
Neal Skupski (protected)
Tatjana Maria
Dennis Novikov
Maria José Martínez Sánchez

San Diego Aviators
Naomi Broady (protected)
Marcus Willis
Marcin Matkowski
Anna-Lena Groenefeld

Orange County Breakers
Yanina Wickmayer (protected)
Andreja Klepac (protected)
Marcelo Demoliner
Stéphane Robert