Springfield, MO — No. 14-ranked doubles player Jean-Julien Rojer has signed on for this third season on the Springfield Lasers roster, just three days before the Lasers’ opening day: Sunday, July 14, 7 p.m., at Cooper Tennis Complex, 2331 E. Pythian St.
Rojer, 37, replaces Lasers draftee Joe Salisbury, who withdrew from the World TeamTennis season Wednesday due to an injury sustained at Wimbledon this week. Rojer will appear in the first ten matches of the Lasers’ 14-match season. A second replacement will be announced for the final four.
Rojer arrives in Springfield Saturday, having appeared at Wimbledon in Tuesday’s men’s doubles quarterfinals (with partner H. Tecău.) This summer he also appeared in the quarterfinals at the French Open and the semifinals at S-Hertogenbosch. He earned is 28th career title Madrid in May.
Lasers General Manager Paul Nahon wanted to draft Rojer to the team in March, but at the time Rojer was not available. Nahon said he was relieved to add Rojer to the roster in time for the WTT season opener, with the help of Lasers Coach John-Laffnie “JL” de Jager, who is also at Wimbledon this week.
“He’s a solid doubles player with a high level of energy and motivation, and he really enjoys playing World TeamTennis,” said Nahon. “He works well with Coach JL and brings a lot of experience that he can pass on to our younger players. We’re really lucky to have signed him for another season.”
Rojer was named 2011 WTT Rookie of the Year with the now-defunct St Louis Aces. He joined the Lasers in 2013, helping take the team to the finals, earning the 2013 WTT MVP award and becoming a fan favorite. He was drafted to Springfield again in 2014 but had to withdraw before the season began, due to injury. Rojer’s most recent appearance in Springfield was with the 2017 team, where he partnered with former UCLA classmate and current Lasers team member Abigail Spears in mixed doubles. After the 2017 WTT season, he went on to win his second Grand Slam title at the US Open.
The Lasers open the WTT season in Springfield Sunday, July 14, facing the Philadelphia Freedoms, whom they beat 19-18 at the 2018 WTT Finals. The Lasers take the court as the defending champions of the World TeamTennis league, having brought home the WTT King Trophy last summer for the first time in the team’s 23-year history. Fans may have their photo take with the King Trophy Sunday, 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Champions Club on the Cooper Mezzanine.
Click here for info on the rest of the team.
Lasers grandstand, box, season tickets and VIP packages are now available at Cooper Tennis Complex, 2331 E. Pythian St., or call Paul Nahon, Lasers General Manager, at 417-837-5800. Tickets are also available online at SpringfieldLasers.com . Grandstand tickets are $10-$15.
Home dates include:
Sun., July 14 Season opener Philadelphia at Springfield, featuring Miomir Kecmanovic
Tues., July 16 Kids’ Night Orlando at Springfield, featuring Miomir Kecmanovic and Feliciano Lopez, early start at 6 p.m., gates and Kids’ Night activities begin at 4:30
Wed., July 17 New York at Springfield, featuring Miomir Kecmanovic
Thurs., July 18 Washington at Springfield, featuring Miomir Kecmanovic
Wed., July 24 San Diego at Springfield
Tues., July 30 Orange County at Springfield
Wed., July 31 Las Vegas at Springfield
All matches begin at 7 p.m., with gates opening at 5:30, except July 16, when the match begins at 6, gates open at 4:30. All home matches (except July 16) are broadcast locally live on Mediacom MC22/85-5. Home and away matches are live-streamed at WTT.tv and CBS Sports Network, check WTT.com/schedule for details.
ABOUT WORLD TEAMTENNIS
World TeamTennis showcases the best in professional tennis with eight teams in major markets competing in the innovative team format for the King Trophy, the League’s championship trophy named after tennis icon and founder Billie Jean King. Since the League’s debut, virtually every major champion of the Open era has played WTT, including Andre Agassi, Venus and Serena Williams, Pete Sampras, Stefanie Graf, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters, Bob and Mike Bryan, Sloane Stephens, Martina Hingis, Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Naomi Osaka. Owned by innovator Fred Luddy and entrepreneur Eric Davidson, WTT’s 44th season plays from July 14 to July 31, with the league semifinals set for Aug. 2 and the finals Aug. 3. CBS Sports is the official television broadcast partner of WTT. WTT is one of five active U.S. pro sports leagues which has been in operation for more than 40 years, along with the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. Learn more at WTT.com.
ABOUT THE LASERS
The Springfield Lasers were established in 1996 by the late Harry Cooper, who gifted the team to the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. The Lasers are now one of the oldest teams in WTT, managed by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and playing home matches at Cooper Tennis Complex. The Lasers won their first WTT Championship in 2018, after making it to the WTT finals in 2014, 2013, 2009, 2001 and 1999.
For more information on Springfield Lasers, visit SpringfieldLasers.com, or look for Springfield Lasers on Facebook or @SGFLasers on Twitter and Instagram.
For media inquiries, contact Jenny Fillmer Edwards, Public Relations for the Springfield Lasers and Public Information Administrator for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, at 417-224-5510 (mobile).