The Final Gauntlet?

The 2008 Men's Tennis League rolls to an end with a forehand slam to the old backside.

Week 6: The 13 year old. Never played. His mother called the voice message machine claiming the kid was going on a 3 week vacation and had to cancel all of his remaining matches. Isn't the whole Summer a vacation to 13 yr olds? I found it ironic that his mother had to make all of the cancellation calls and excuses. I guess today's phone technology is a bit baffling for 13 year olds....

Week 7: Greg. One of my oldest opponents. We started playing with Greg almost from the time we picked up racquets a few years ago. Greg has always maintained a slight edge on me, no matter how much I've improved (or un-proved). Last year's match was very close - a tiebreaker (4-6, 6-0 (4-7)). However, with how lousy I've been playing this year, I think Greg's chances for a sweep were looking pretty.

However, we scheduled the match for Wednesday and yet again... it was rained out. And of course, then Greg had to go on vacation until August 3rd, after the league season is over. So... we may still play eventually, but it won't be within the league framework.

Week 8: Gus - one of the top two players in the league. The first time, I played Gus, it was over in 30 minutes (maybe less?), 0-6, 0-6, and was a complete wipeout. I don't think I managed a single point. Last year I had won a point, but mostly due to Gus' four double faults in row, rather than skill on my part. But I do think I was able to hold out for more than a half hour.

This year we played Thursday night. Amazingly it didn't rain. So I had that going for me. And not much else... the final score: 0-6, 0-6, 1-6. We decide to play an extra set since the first two went so fast. Gus was really able to hammer my backhand side with fervent frequency. Also, if I took a safe conservative second serve it was also hammer, and the equivalent of giving away the point. I tried different second serve strategies: more angled, ultra slow, attempts to spin, hard serves... nothing helped.

But overall, I felt I improved slightly, despite the score. And I did win one point in the 3rd set (after it was 0-5, and Gus double faulted twice). And a few games went deuce, and in one I even had ad-point for a while. I did return a couple of his slams. Maybe next year...

And thus ends the Men's Tennis League for 2008. Despite the string of losses I rack up in abundance, I enjoy playing a variety of men with all of the different styles of play. I started slow this season with terrible play, but thought I was finally improving quite a bit toward the end, and with some of the 0-6 scores, I was close to winning a game with a well placed ball here or there. Not to be... Alas!

As I reflect and close this chapter of my tennis travails and adventures, I wonder, "Hey, I still haven't received my t-shirt yet~. "

McDoogle

Final record for the season (in matches): 1-5
Final record for the season (in sets): 2-10
Final record for the season (in games): 19 - 65

<* Wait until next year!!! *>