Dukes Grab a Third West Division Title : Tennis: A 28-17 victory over Charlotte puts Newport Beach in the playoffs again.

Only about 600 fans were at the John Wayne Tennis Club to see it, but the Dukes clinched their third consecutive West Division title in convincing fashion Tuesday night with a 28-17 victory over the Charlotte Express in World TeamTennis action.

In running their winning streak to 11 matches, the Dukes also clinched the WTT’s best record, which gives them a first-round bye in the playoffs and automatically qualifies them for the semifinals next Friday or Saturday in Sacramento.

Only the St. Louis Aces and the Phoenix Smash, who the Dukes play twice, stand in the way of an undefeated season for the Dukes. However, the Dukes’ Kelly Jones tried to stay away from talk about a perfect season.

“It’s distracting if don’t think about the next match and you start looking ahead,” Jones said.

But Charlotte’s Johan Kriek said the Dukes shouldn’t have anything to worry about. He doesn’t see the Dukes losing this season.

“They’re too strong,” Kriek said. “If they keep Zina (Garrison Jackson) strong, nobody’s going to beat them.”

As well as Charlotte (5-6) played early in the match, the Dukes couldn’t afford to look ahead. Garrison Jackson, who returned seven hours before the match from her whirlwind trip to Germany for the Federation Cup, got off to a slow start with her doubles partner, Larisa Neiland. The WTT’s top-ranked duo lost to Jenny Byrne and Mercedes Paz, the ninth-ranked team, 6-4.

But Garrison Jackson recovered nicely as she beat Paz, and Byrne, who replaced Paz at 0-3, 6-1.

“I’m really tired, but I didn’t feel the jet lag until I sat down (after playing two sets),” she said. “I was attacking really well in singles.”

Jones and Trevor Kronemann began attacking Kriek and Byron Talbot after Kronemann’s serve was broken and Charlotte took a 4-1 lead in the set. Jones and Kronemann took four consecutive games and eventually won the set, 6-5, in a tiebreaker during which they trailed 4-2 with Kriek serving.

But Jones and Kronemann picked on Talbot to take the last three points.

“Byron pulled a back muscle last week and he was playing hurt,” said Kriek, defending his partner’s poor play.

Kriek and Jones then played maybe the most entertaining sets of the home season as they traded spectacular shots. Jones wound up winning, 6-4.

“We were playing some great points,” Jones said. “It’s nice to play tennis like that, especially when the crowd’s really into it.”

No matter how small that crowd might be.

“It’s hard to be disappointed when the people that do come are really into the match,” Jones said. “If the ones that are here are having a good time, that’s what matters.”

Kronemann and Neiland closed out the match with a 6-1 victory over Kriek and Byrne.