Houston Wranglers
 |
|
| Sport | Team tennis |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 9, 2005 |
| Folded | July 25, 2007 |
| League | World TeamTennis |
| Conference | Western |
| Team history |
Houston Wranglers 2005–2007 |
| Based in | Houston, Texas |
| Stadium |
Westside Tennis Club (capacity: 5,240) |
| Colors | Yellow, black and storm dust |
| Owner(s) | Jim and Linda McIngvale |
| Head coach | Thomas Blake |
| General manager | Bronwyn Greer |
| Championships | None |
| Conference titles | None |
| Playoff berths | None |
The Houston Wranglers was a professional tennis team based in Houston, Texas, United States competing in World TeamTennis (WTT). The team made its debut in the 2005 season, and folded after the 2007 season, citing a lack of fan interest. The Wranglers never had a winning season and never qualified for the WTT playoffs.
After many years of supporting and sponsoring local sports teams and events in Houston, Jim and Linda McIngvale, owners of Gallery Furniture and the Westside Tennis Club, founded a new franchise to bring professional team tennis back to Houston for the first time since the Houston Astro-Knots folded following the 1983 season. The team was to play its home matches at the Westside Tennis Club, home at the time to the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships. Initially, the team was identified simply as Houston. The name Wranglers was announced a few weeks later.
At the 2005 WTT Draft, the Wranglers selected former world number 1 female player Steffi Graf as a marquee player and Mardy Fish, a member of the 2004 United States Davis Cup team, as a roster-exempt player. Ashley Fisher, Edina Gallovits, Ansley Cargill and Ryan Newport were drafted as roster players. Immediately following the draft, the Wranglers acquired Tommy Haas in a trade with the St. Louis Aces in exchange for undisclosed consideration. After being selected by the Wranglers in the draft, Graf said, "Playing for Houston and owners Jim and Linda McIngvale will be special. I have wonderful memories of winning a title in Houston on my last visit there, so I am looking forward to playing in front of those fans again." Graf, who had not played competitive tennis since 1999, agreed to play for the Wranglers out of gratitude for the support the McIngvales had given to the Agassi Foundation, a charity run by her and her hsband, Andre Agassi.
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