World Team Tennis: Breakers select two locals

The Orange County Breakers selected Newport Beach resident Coco Vandeweghe and Orange native Steve Johnson in the World Team Tennis Roster Draft on Tuesday.

The Breakers were able to secure the rights to Vandeweghe, one of the top-100 ranked singles women’s players on the WTA Tour, through the Roster Exempt Draft.

Last year, Vandeweghe helped the Sacramento Capitals make a run to the World Team Tennis finals.

“I have played Mylan WTT for four years, but never for the Breakers,” Vandeweghe said in a press release. “I’m thrilled to be part of the league again this year and this time for my hometown team.”

The Breakers chose Johnson with their first-round pick.

Johnson, who won NCAA singles titles in 2012 and ’11 while at USC, is making his World Team Tennis debut.

“It’s exciting that my first season playing Mylan World Team Tennis is with my hometown team, the Breakers,” Johnson said in a press release. “I’m really looking forward to once again being part of a team atmosphere, especially here in Orange County.”

The Breakers picked Maria Elena Camerin in the third round. They swapped positions with the Texas Wild.

Camerin is a former Italian Fed Cup player and a member of Italy’s Olympic team at the 2004 Athens Games. She has won three WTA Tour doubles titles.

In the fourth round, the Breakers picked Treat Huey. He was a member of the Washington Kastles last year.

In college, Huey played at Virginia. He claimed his first ATP Tour doubles title last year and he’s currently ranked No. 36 in the world in doubles.

The Breakers open the season at home at UC Irvine’s Bren Events Center on July 7. The Breakers have a 14-match regular season schedule, which ends July 24.

Coach Trevor Kronemann enters his seventh season in charge of the Breakers. He will have a new assistant coach in Steve Johnson Sr.

— From staff reports