“Thankfully I do have World Team Tennis coming up and it looks like it's going to happen,” she said. “So that has been able to help me figure out a timeline. But just in terms of the tour, just the uncertainty of not knowing is tough.”
All of the announcements, with WTT confirmed at the end of May, have solved one of the biggest problems over these past three months. And that’s having no comeback date to work toward.
McHale will join a slew of players at The Greenbrier in West Virgina, where players will spend the full season living and playing on-site.
“I think that's great that we're not going to have to travel to several different cities. Once we get there, we'll stay there,” McHale said. “I’m really excited because it's been over two months since I've last played a competitive match but that environment is so fun.”
Nine teams will compete for the Billie Jean King trophy, and stacked rosters include Sloane Stephens, Jack Sock, Kim Clijsters, Milos Raonic, Sam Querrey, Bob and Mike Bryan, Frances Tiafoe, Eugenie Bouchard and more.
“You're on a team. So it's serious because everyone wants to win, but at the same time you can enjoy with your teammates,” McHale said. “So I think it'll be a good ease back into things.”
WTT has been great preparation for players heading into the U.S. hard-court swing.
“I think it’s going to be an incredible training ground as well as the exciting matches that will be going on,” Bob Bryan said in a press conference. “Players [will be] treating it as a pre-season, getting back in shape.
“Everyone’s going to be really fresh and really hungry.”
The Bryans will play for the Las Vegas Rollers. McHale will be suiting up for the San Diego Aviators alongside her brother in-law Ryan Harrison, Coco Vandeweghe, Jonny O’Mara and Nicole Melichar.
“We were teammates last year as well for four matches,” McHale said of Harrison. “Mostly tennis is a lot of pressure too because I played a full season a couple of years ago and you want to win so much for your team.”
