Capitals reeling but remain in playoff hunt

   If the Sacramento Capitals hope to make the World TeamTennis playoffs, they might want to start winning soon.
   Like now.
   Sacramento's tailspin continued Wednesday, but the team remains in contention for postseason berth. The Capitals lost to rival Orange County for the second consecutive night, this time 21-18 in Irvine, Calif., and dropped out of a first-place tie in the four-team Western Conference.
   The Capitals have lost three straight matches overall and five of their last six to fall to 5-7, one match behind the Breakers (6-6) with two left in the regular season. Kansas City and Springfield also remain alive in the playoff race at 4-8. The top two teams in each conference advance to the playoffs, Sept. 14-16 in Charleston, S.C.
   Oddly, Sacramento fell to 0-2 since standouts Vania King and Kevin Anderson joined the team and 0-3 since rising CoCo Vandeweghe arrived. Even in the Capitals' victory at Kansas City on Friday, they survived a match point before prevailing in a Supertiebreaker.
   On Wednesday night, the 33rd-ranked Anderson lost to promising left-hander John-Patrick Smith for the second night in a row in men's singles. Sacramento trailed 16-15 entering the last set, in which Travis Parrott and Smith beat Anderson and Mark Knowles 5-3 in men's doubles. 
   The Capitals end the regular season with home matches Friday against Mark Philippoussis and the Philadelphia Freedoms (5-7) and Saturday against the Boston Lobsters (5-7). 

WORLD TEAMTENNIS

Orange County 21, Capitals 18

In Irvine, Calif.

   Men's singles -- John-Patrick Smith (Breakers) def. Kevin Anderson (Capitals) 5-2.
   Women's singles -- Jana Juricova (Breakers) def. Coco Vandeweghe (Capitals) 5-3. Vandeweghe substituted for Vania King at 1-2.
   Mixed doubles -- Coco Vandeweghe-Mark Knowles (Capitals) def. Lindsay Davenport-John-Patrick Smith (Breakers) 5-3. Vandeweghe substituted for Vania King at 4-2.
   Women's doubles -- Vania King-Coco Vandeweghe (Capitals) def. Lindsay Davenport-Jana Juricova (Breakers) 5-3.
   Men's doubles -- Travis Parrott-John-Patrick Smith (Breakers) def. Kevin Anderson-Mark Knowles (Capitals) 5-3.

TV SCHEDULE

(All times PDT)

   Thursday -- Los Angeles (men), early rounds, Tennis Channel, 2-6 p.m. (live), 7:30-9:30 p.m. (live).
   Friday -- Kitzbuhel (men), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (delay); Los Angeles (men), quarterfinals, Tennis Channel, 2-6 p.m. (live), 7:30-9:30 p.m. (live).

CALENDAR

   Friday -- World TeamTennis, Philadelphia (with Mark Philippoussis) at Capitals (with Anderson and Vandeweghe), Sunrise Marketplace Outdoor Pavilion, Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, 7:35 p.m., http://www.saccaps.com/.
   Saturday -- Boston at Capitals (with Anderson and Vandeweghe), Sunrise Marketplace Outdoor Pavilion, Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, 7:35 p.m., http://www.saccaps.com/.
   Saturday-Aug. 5 -- OLYMPIC TENNIS TOURNAMENT, Wimbledon, www.london2012.com.