Semifinal woes
This week more than any other gave me a real sense of what it must be like to be a tennis pro...lots of boredom and waiting around for your next match. I passed the time watching TV in the clubhouse, playing table tennis, snacking, chatting with other competitors. Luckily, the tournament venue had a nice TV in the clubhouse, with the French Open finals and the World Cup on all day. It was a Sunday, my first time lasting into the final day of a tournament. I got there thanks to, you guessed it, a first round bye, a default in the third round, plus a backed-up schedule due to some marathon battles in the other matches. Oh yeah, and I beat Goliath in one of the rounds in between.
Goliath was a 19 y/o giant who looked menacing but was no match for yours truly. Much like the Bible tells it, I made short work of Goliath, winning 6-2, 6-1 in about 40 minutes. I even out aced him 4-2. Big lanky guys like that usually have big serves, but lousy foot work, so I took advantage of that by mixing my shots well, making him run, etc. It was clumsy and awkward, he couldn't get too many shots back, so I sent him packing.
In the semifinals I played an older guy...probably late 30's. He looked menacing as well but not in the traditional tennis sense, just more like a guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Nice guy though. That was his strategy. Flattery and openly professing that he had no chance against me until I was puddy in his hands. He whipped me 6-0 in the first set. I returned the favour with 6-3 in the second, so it was down to a deciding third set. I took an early 3-0 lead, and was cruising. Then at the corner of my eye, I though I saw Chris Martin of Coldplay in the stands, oddly staring me down, judging my every move. In reality it was my friend, a fellow competitor with an uncanny resemblance to the pop artist and an ability for being matched-up with eventual champions in the first round of almost every tournament he plays. Thus, despite his reasonable ability, he gets sent home early every time. I think it's getting to him a bit, especially seeing me get by so easily.
Anyway, he didn't say anything, but I knew what he was thinking out on the sidelines..."pfffttt, you got to the semifinals and are struggling to beat an old guy who can barely walk at this point, and I'm sitting here in the loser's box? ". Well, between being momentarily star-struck and the bad vibes he was sending my way, I lost focus and ended up choking away the final set 4-6. Still, a semifinal appearance will move me up considerably in the rankings...probably top 25.
With my match over, I hung around the club some more. Players with real talent were playing their finals later on, and I wanted to watch that match. There were refs, ball-boys, $$$, and even a TV crew out for the occasion. OK, the TV crew was from the local Rogers Cable 10 or something, but it's better than nothing. One day, I hope to be choking away matches in front of a TV audience myself.
Goliath was a 19 y/o giant who looked menacing but was no match for yours truly. Much like the Bible tells it, I made short work of Goliath, winning 6-2, 6-1 in about 40 minutes. I even out aced him 4-2. Big lanky guys like that usually have big serves, but lousy foot work, so I took advantage of that by mixing my shots well, making him run, etc. It was clumsy and awkward, he couldn't get too many shots back, so I sent him packing.
In the semifinals I played an older guy...probably late 30's. He looked menacing as well but not in the traditional tennis sense, just more like a guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Nice guy though. That was his strategy. Flattery and openly professing that he had no chance against me until I was puddy in his hands. He whipped me 6-0 in the first set. I returned the favour with 6-3 in the second, so it was down to a deciding third set. I took an early 3-0 lead, and was cruising. Then at the corner of my eye, I though I saw Chris Martin of Coldplay in the stands, oddly staring me down, judging my every move. In reality it was my friend, a fellow competitor with an uncanny resemblance to the pop artist and an ability for being matched-up with eventual champions in the first round of almost every tournament he plays. Thus, despite his reasonable ability, he gets sent home early every time. I think it's getting to him a bit, especially seeing me get by so easily.
Anyway, he didn't say anything, but I knew what he was thinking out on the sidelines..."pfffttt, you got to the semifinals and are struggling to beat an old guy who can barely walk at this point, and I'm sitting here in the loser's box? ". Well, between being momentarily star-struck and the bad vibes he was sending my way, I lost focus and ended up choking away the final set 4-6. Still, a semifinal appearance will move me up considerably in the rankings...probably top 25.
With my match over, I hung around the club some more. Players with real talent were playing their finals later on, and I wanted to watch that match. There were refs, ball-boys, $$$, and even a TV crew out for the occasion. OK, the TV crew was from the local Rogers Cable 10 or something, but it's better than nothing. One day, I hope to be choking away matches in front of a TV audience myself.
posted by Desiderius1979 at 8:06 AM
3 Comments:
Hilarious stuff! And today I lost to a guy who was at least the defending champion at this tournament. Yet to be seen if he'll win.
I think perhaps these guys see my game and are so impressed with themselves when they beat me, that they get all this extra confidence that they ride all the way to the championship.
Well, I'm tired of making other people champions!
Well, that was a brutal day. My heart rate was elevated for 20 hours after the event!
BTW, I took 8 games from the other dude, I think the same as you.
Re: "I think perhaps these guys see my game and are so impressed with themselves when they beat me, that they get all this extra confidence that they ride all the way to the championship."
Hmm, interesting how after beating you repeatedly all these years I've never experienced this boost of confidence you speak of.
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