SF Tennis Freak

Archive for the ‘General’ Category

I want to take a moment away from tennis to tell you about my brush with greatness the other day on my way home from work. As some of you may have heard (lol), on Sunday, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series in dominating fashion over the Detroit Tigers. They swept Detroit off the field, winning four straight games. It was great stuff to watch, especially that last pitch by Romo that froze Cabrera at the plate for the final out. Amazing!

On Monday, I was on my way home from work in San Mateo, listening to reports of the Giants having just landed at SFO (as I was driving by SFO), when all of a sudden a CHP officer on my right started weaving for a traffic break. I got out in front of him, but it occurred to me that this was THE traffic break that was going to allow the team to get back to ATT Park during the commute. In that instant I knew what I had to do: follow the team back to the park for homecoming.

After the 2010 win, I missed out on much of the festivities and ended up kicking myself over it. I didn’t get a t-shirt, or go to the parade/rally at City Hall. I watched on TV and felt slightly removed from it all, and maybe even a little bit jealous when I saw Bruce and the players showing off the trophy to the crowds at the park. I didn’t want to miss out for a second time.

I waited on the side of the road by Candlestick Park for the buses to go by, then followed them onto 280 and down to King Street as they headed for the ballpark. The gods were smiling on me as I was able to immediately park at the only available meter just off the exit. I put in a token amount of change, and then hauled ass the few blocks to the park so that I could be there for the team as they got off the buses. My timing wasn’t great, as I missed Panda getting off the bus with the World Series trophy overhead. And the crowd was so deep that I could barely see Hunter Pence high-fiving the crowd in front of me. Still, I was there to soak up the atmosphere and share in a bit of civic pride, and felt successful on both fronts.

As much of a whiz as I seem to be with all of my tech toys, I kept having issues with my phone’s camera. So I didn’t get any good pics of the players AS THEY SPED OFF IN THEIR CARS IMMEDIATELY AFTER GETTING THERE!!! That was pretty disappointing, but I guess you can’t blame them. I did get a chance to see a few of them drive off from my perch on the traffic island right opposite the ballpark driveway, and that was pretty cool. I saw Sergio Romo, Pablo Sandoval, and Tim Lincecum. They all had their windows down, and it was cool to cheer for them and see their smiles in response.

The top picture is just a cool view of the Posey banner I had from my traffic island location. The middle picture is of sportscaster Ken Wayne interviewing a woman in front of me. Coincidentally, I was watching his local coverage after the win on Sunday. I think he would have interviewed me if I had any amount of orange and black on, but I didn’t. 🙁 Hence, the bottom picture with my new t-shirt in front of the statue of Willie Mays!

I’m also including a short video just to show how crowded it was down there while we waited. Crowded, but not out of control thankfully. After all the players left, the staff thanked us all for coming down and started to bring down the barricades. I walked over to the Dugout and got my official t-shirt, well worth the price at forty bucks. I’m not a big baseball fan, but I’m certainly aware of those moments when sports can unite a city. This was definitely one of those times, and in a setting that was better than the million+ throng today at the parade and rally.

Move over Rafa, I think my new sporting crush is Sergio Romo. 🙂

Over 230 tennis players participated in the 2012 United States Gay Open.  Held over the Memorial Day weekend at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center, champions were crowned in 16 events.

The Men’s Open division has traditionally been the highlight of the Monday finals, as everyone gathers to see the top guys “duke it out”. This year’s winner was Toby Hays from Mountain View, CA. Toby defeated Gordan Paitimusa 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 in a final punctuated by great shot-making and dramatic shifts in momentum.

I introduced myself to Toby (and his partner Elisban) at the tournament’s Sunday night banquet. There’s often a perception that the Open level players aren’t very friendly or approachable.  This couldn’t have been further from the truth with Toby, who was gracious and very easy to talk to after a long day on the courts.

He agreed to be interviewed for my tournament player profile.  And thankfully, his victory in the final ensured a happy subject for the interview.

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When did you start playing tennis? And at what point did you realize you were pretty good at it?

My whole family plays, so I started early – probably age 4 or 5. My parents wanted us to have a “lifetime sport” like tennis or golf, and I gravitated to tennis.

My main sport as a kid was gymnastics, so I did that most of the year, and then I would play junior tennis tournaments in the summer. I had some success, but I wasn’t committed to playing year-round, so I never really broke through into the top level. But I guess high school was the time when I felt like I was playing pretty well.

Did you play all through high school and into college?

I played tennis in high school, and I had a great coach who really helped my game. My junior and senior year I played #1 singles, and senior year I got to the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Also during high school, I transitioned from gymnastics to diving, and diving became my sport. It was easier to stand out as a diver because there are many fewer divers than tennis players. So I competed as a diver in college (Dartmouth) for 4 years.

Did you ever think about pursuing the goal of being a professional player?

I never felt quite that serious about tennis, and never fully committed. My parents really emphasized well-roundedness, so I liked competing in a variety of sports, and I also took academics seriously. I always knew that sports would be a big part of my life, but more as a recreational, fun activity.

How did you get involved with the GLTA circuit of tournaments?

I didn’t play much tennis for about 10 years (during college and medical school). Then I moved to Oakland in 2005 for my pediatric residency (at Children’s Hospital Oakland). I started hitting occasionally with one of my classmates, so I slowly got back into it. Then I met Dave Campbell, ex-USGO tournament director and GLTF member, through a friend of a friend at a party, and he told me about Cal Cup and the GLTA. My first event was Cal Cup in 2008, and that’s actually where I met (my partner) Elisban!

(Note: The Cal Cup competition pits the top players from the GLTA clubs of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego.)

I loved watching you guys play doubles, and only afterward discovered that you were “life” partners.  How did you meet? Who spoke to whom first?

We were both recruited for Cal Cup in SF in 2008, but neither of us could get to the practices, so we met at Golden Gate Park and didn’t even know that we were teammates at first. We watched each other’s matches and kept an eye on each other. Eventually I introduced myself.  I actually introduced myself to his sister first, which I thought would be ingratiating.

Playing doubles with someone you’re dating can be tricky. Are you and he able to leave your losses/disagreements on the court when you go home?

It’s been tricky to learn to play together. But the benefits of having tennis as a shared activity far outweigh the challenges. Because we know each other so well, and we’re very comfortable with each other, we’re more likely to say what we’re thinking. Also, a slight change in tone of voice or a subtle facial expression has a lot of meaning behind it.  There’s no hiding our true feelings on the court.

Generally, we get over our losses and disagreements pretty quickly. We do have to hash things out occasionally, but we can move on pretty well.

Let’s talk about your match against Gordon Paitimusa in the finals.  Had you played Gordon before that USGO final?

The only other time we had played each other was at Cal Cup in SF in October, 2011, but it was doubles. I got a glimpse of his lethal forehand then, and I think he’s just been steadily improving.

There were dramatic momentum swings that seemed, in part, due to Gordon’s uneven level of play (great shots followed by sprayed shots). What do you think contributed to the momentum swings?

I think there were multiple factors. The wind was tough because it wasn’t consistent in its direction and speed. I also tried to mix up my shots so that he couldn’t get into as much of a rhythm (some loopy shots with lots of topspin, and some flatter, harder shots). It’s also a different feeling to play in front of a crowd on a stadium court like that, so I think that contributed as well.

Do you think that playing someone as young as Gordon (born in 1991) gave you an advantage because you have more experience with tournament play?

I think experience does help. I was able to identify an effective strategy and stick with it i.e. mix up the pace and try to keep it to his backhand. One of the biggest assets of his youth is his amazing foot speed – he’s ridiculously fast!! I couldn’t believe the shots he could get to, and that he could get there with enough time to rip winners. He hit some unbelievable shots that whizzed by me – all I could do was say “nice shot.”

What was the key to your victory?

I was able to keep the ball deep enough to his backhand. The times when my ball dropped short he could run around and rip a winner, so the key for me was keeping the ball deep.

What were you least happy with about the match?

I was frustrated that I missed a lot of short balls – I felt like I constructed some points well waiting for the short ball, and on numerous occasions I was unable to put the ball away.

Where do you keep your trophies? And which one is your favorite?

I have some trophies at home, and a few in my office at work.  My favorite trophy is this most recent USGO one, because it’s my best win.

What was the first thing you did when you got home after your win?

I took some ibuprofen, sat on the couch, and watched bad reality TV.

Final question. Because inquiring minds want to know, what do you mean by “bad reality TV”?  Give me an example.

My favorite “bad reality TV” show is American Idol. My favorite “good reality TV” show is So You Think You Can Dance.

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When the discussion turns to reality TV, it’s time to wrap things up!
Thanks to Toby for being so open and generous with his time.
Congratulations on the win, and to all the other winners/finalists as well. See you next year for USGO 2013.

While most people are relaxing this Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of tennis players from all over the United States (and internationally) will be participating in one of the oldest gay and lesbian sporting events in the world.

For over thirty years, the Gay & Lesbian Tennis Federation of San Francisco (GLTF), a USTA NorCal Community Tennis Association, has hosted the United States Gay Open (the USGO) over Memorial Day weekend. What began as one of the only competitive outlets for gay and lesbian tennis players is now one of North America’s largest all-inclusive LGBT tennis tournaments. This year’s event will take place at Stanford’s Taube Stadium.

I served as tournament director in 2004 and am well-acquainted with the logistics involved in running a successful USGO. It’s a massive undertaking. Tennis courts, balls, water, trophies, volunteers… everything associated with running a large tournament, must be accounted for months in advance. It’s a rewarding task, but not for the faint of heart.

This year’s tournament director is Alex Lin, who also ran the 2011 event. Though his schedule before the tournament is “crazy busy”, I managed to grab him for a few questions about his involvement with the tournament, and what we can expect from the 2012 edition.

How long have you been a member of the GLTF? Were you involved on the board prior to becoming the USGO tournament director?

I’ve been a member since 2002. And no, my first USGO experience was as a volunteer in 2009.  I helped (then tournament director) Dave Campbell run the consolation matches.  I guess I did too good of a job, and ended up getting recruited to handle the registration portion of the event in 2010.

Why did you decide to take on the challenge of the USGO?

I did it because no one else wanted to do it. (Joking) Really, I did it because I enjoy event planning. And planning a tennis tournament was something I never thought I would do. So it was a good opportunity to challenge myself to see what I could bring to the event.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of running such a large tournament?

Meeting so many different people – whether it’s face to face at board meetings, or the email exchanges with players on a different continent followed by an eventual meeting at the tournament.

Conversely, what’s been the most challenging aspect?

The same as rewarding – meeting and dealing with so many different people and personalities, and trying to solve people’s issues related to the tournament.  People who haven’t been in this position really don’t understand that this is a full-time job for the entire month prior to the tournament. And it’s done by a volunteer.  Each person with their different issue only sees that little part the concerns him or herself, while I must keep the entire picture of the tournament in mind.

For those not familiar with the USGO (United States Gay Open), can you give me a quick rundown on the tournament (number of events, participants, etc.)?

We have 17 events this year with 240 players.  It’s a four-day tournament, during which players could have as many as 4 matches in a day. So it’s quite exhausting on the body. My goal is to provide as much for the players as possible so that all they have to worry about is their tennis.

What are the highlights of the 2012 tournament?

We’re featuring night matches on Friday, taking advantage of the great courts at Stanford University’s Taube Center.  One of our new events is doubles consolation, which is rarely seen at other tournaments.  Doubles players often get the short end of the stick compared to singles players, so I wanted to make it a satisfying event for everyone.

Lastly, what’s been your funniest moment as the tournament director?

Reading this question, and trying to come up with an answer.
Tournament play starts at 8AM each day over the Memorial Day weekend. Everyone is invited to come out and cheer on the contestants. Visit http://www.usgotennis.org for more information.

Back in college, I read a book that had a profound effect on me: both positive and negative. The book was The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren.  At its’ core, The Front Runner is a story about the love affair between a coach and a runner.  And back in an era that was rife with tragic stories of what happened to gay men who attempted to love and be happy, I was swept away by this seemingly positive narrative.

Sadly, my sense of happiness was short-lived. One of the primary characters, the runner, was shot and killed as he surged toward the finish line ahead of his rival. After two days and many tears, I was finally able to finish this bittersweet tale of yet another tragic gay love story.

It’s against this backdrop that, almost thirty years later, I received a copy of Match Maker from its’ author Alan Chin.  Match Maker is the story of an ex-pro/tennis coach who takes on the job of coaching a talented, but undisciplined, player in the hope of helping him reach the top of the professional game.  Though Match Maker is set against the backdrop of professional tennis, I immediately drew parallels between the two books because of the relationship between the gay coach (Donald) and his star-athlete tennis player (Connor).

There are, however, several major differences between the two books.  Unlike Harlan, the gay coach in The Front Runner, Donald is partnered, albeit in a troubled relationship with a borderline alcoholic ex-professional tennis player (Jared).  And Connor is a straight tennis player, who is conflicted by his own desire to be a doctor and his father’s desire for him to be a top professional player.  Also, Connor is Asian, which adds other cultural layers on top of an already unconventional storyline.

Even with those differences, I still prepped myself for the moment when tragedy would befall their crew because of the sexuality issue (because that’s what usually happens).  Sure enough, the moment came when Donald was shot and paralyzed at a tournament as the crew was heading to practice courts amid frenzy surrounding their participation at the Miami Masters. As memories of my collegiate The Front Runner experience came flooding back, I hoped that this wouldn’t become another gay man overcoming tragedy “in spite of” story.

Happily, it wasn’t!

Match Maker turned out to be an inspirational story of how the attack caused everyone to reflect on their lives, loves, and choices. And inevitably, how they overcame and moved beyond such a horrific event.  The road getting to that point wasn’t easy, and there were a few unexpected turns along the way.  But the net effect was still positive in this story of love and of working through life’s toughest circumstances.

I emailed Alan to give him my impressions of the book (I liked it) and also to ask a few questions on Match Maker and discuss the parallels between it and The Front Runner.

Q – First item: should I use the Amazon link for purchase, or do you have a special link that readers should use?

A – Yes, the Amazon purchase link is good. If readers don’t like dealing with Amazon, they can go directly to my page at Dreamspinner Press.

(Author’s Note:  Links are at the end of the article)

Q – Before I begin I must tell you that it brought a smile to my face every time I saw familiar names of our mutual friends in the GLTF.  My initial question is one that I think I know the answer to regarding your inspiration for writing this book.  Was it inspired by The Front Runner?

A – My inspiration for writing Match Maker was two-fold. The first was a love of the game and a desire to write about it. The second reason was I had just finished reading The Front Runner for a second time, and I wanted to strangle Patricia Nell Warren. I hated the fact that The Front Runner, like most the other gay-themed books I’d read to that point, made the gay characters silly drag queens or gave them a tragic ending. I wanted to write a gay sports story where the gay guy hit rock bottom, but found the strength to overcome all odds and win in the end.

Q – Were you hesitant about writing this book given the obvious comparisons?

A – I wasn’t hesitant about comparisons with The Front Runner at all. I wanted readers to see the vastly different way I handled the story.

Q – Was the primary story behind Match Maker that of Donald and Jared, their story of love and redemption, or did you initially set out to focus more on Donald and Connor?

A – Yes, the A story is a story of love between Daniel and Jared, and their road to redemption. The B story is the symbiotic relationship of how Daniel and Connor help each other, give each other what they need to move on with their lives.

Q – What kind of research did you do, or first-hand knowledge did you have about the dealings with agents and such? This is a novel, but I’m sure you had some basis for the character of their agent J.D., yes?

A – The only first-hand knowledge I had about dealing with agents was from dealing with literary agents. I have never known a sports agent, and really know nothing about them. I simply tried to make JD an interesting character. Funny thing was, he turned out to be one of my favorite characters of the book. The old lady in Spain was another favorite. I really fell in love with her.

Q – I liked the unexpected way in which the story unfolded for both Connor and Jared. Especially given Jared’s early struggles with alcohol, this was really a story of redemption in many ways.  That’s a theme I tend to prefer in narratives such as this.

A – Yes, most of my stories are stories of redemption. It’s a favorite theme of mine.

Q – Also, it’s rare that I cry while reading a book. (Author’s note: slight spoiler alert) But I did cry when they unveiled the chair for Donald.  It was so unexpected and touching.  You really pulled one over on us.

A – I still cry when I read certain parts of it. So don’t feel alone.

Match Maker is available direct from the publisher (Dreamspinner) or on Amazon at the links below:

Dreamspinner:  http://tinyurl.com/7mxkeut

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Match-Maker-Alan-Chin/dp/1615815872/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1337582004&sr=8-2

Advantages:
Longer lasting
Cool black color
Good for flat ball strikers

Disadvantages:
Loss of feel and spin,
Slickness reduces “bite”
Not good for topspin strikers

A few weeks back, I took my racquets in to my regular stringer with both sticks badly in need of new strings. One racquet had broken strings.  The other had strings that were so heavily frayed that they were ready to break if the wind blew too hard. With a scheduled practice the next day, I needed to get at least one of them strung.

I usually get my racquets strung with Wilson NXT 17g. But Marla, my stringer, said that she had a surprise for me on the string shelf. At first I thought she meant a price reduction (just kidding). Then I noticed the surprise:  a new “black” version of the NXT 17g strings! She said they were supposed to play the same as the original “natural” string and last longer.  The pitch sounded good, so I had her put them into both racquets.

Before I share my thoughts on the new Wilson NXT 17g “black” string, let me give you my thoughts on the original “natural” version.  I love these strings!  They give me excellent “feel” and ball control.  They give me the ability to place my serve wherever I want in the service box.  They grip the ball perfectly on my groundstrokes, and allow me to use my topspin to full advantage on both my forehand and backhand.  And volleys, which can sometimes be my nemesis, feel controlled and comfortable.

Did I mention that I love these strings?!?!

The only downside is that they don’t last as long as I would like due to their softness and texture.  This is especially true when strung at higher tensions (60+) AND if you hit with a lot of topspin like I do.  Hitting about twice a week, I can pop a set of strings in about 4 weeks if my racquet is strung at 60lbs (the range for my racquet is 57 +/- 5 lbs). That decreases to 3 weeks if strung at 62, and even less if I “shank” a shot.

Personally, I don’t mind the shorter lifespan of these strings because of the added confidence they give me in terms of topspin and ball control.  I play my best tennis when I can swing freely, and these strings allow me to do just that.  It’s more than a fair trade-off!  I wish I could say the same thing about the new “black” version, but I can’t.

The black color is due to a coating that allows the strings to last longer than the uncoated “natural” version. That’s a good thing when the cost of strings and labor per racquet strung can set you back 35 bucks a pop.  At least it sounded like a good thing until I gave them a try and realized they were the completely wrong string type for my game.

The black strings are significantly stiffer than the natural version.  Any “feel” that I had previously perceived was non-existent. The coating also adds a slickness to the strings, causing them to not grab the ball as needed for topspin shots.  This makes the task of “lifting” an opponent’s low balls much more difficult.  This lack of lift on my forehand caused shots to either end up at the bottom of the net, or fly well beyond the baseline.

Here is an assessment of the NXT 17g “black” strings from a week’s worth of hitting:

• Serve: I lost significant “feel” and spin on my serve, taking away the confidence I’d previously had to place my serve in the service box as needed in order to be competitive at 4.0. This is a significant because my serve is the cornerstone of my game.
• Forehand: I lost my control and ability to hit the strong topspin shots I love, either crosscourt or inside-out, that allow me to attack. The lack of topspin control causes the ball to sail long or dump into the net if mishit.
• Backhand: This shot fared the worst with the loss of “feel”.  An improperly struck shot (on a stroke that is already not one of my strongest), is pretty much “dead in the water” leaving me completely vulnerable to attack.
• Overall, the loss of confidence in my ability to attack my shots was reason enough to end the trial period on these strings.  Confidence is everything in tennis, and I had none with these strings.

I would have a hard time recommending these strings to anyone who hits with heavy topspin, or who likes a soft string with “feel”.   However, I can see these being an ideal string for the player who likes to hit a flatter ball with moderate pace, and prefers a sturdy yet thinner gauge string. And the black color does look pretty cool!

As for me, I’m going to see if I can modify the strings to help soften them up and lessen the slickness.  It’s either that or cut them out and pay another 70 bucks for a second re-stringing in as many weeks.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

It took a lot longer than expected to get my new racquets. But after finally getting them out on the courts for a hit, they seem to have been well worth the wait!

This weekend was spent breaking in both sticks on successive days: Saturday at Buena Vista Park tennis courts then Sunday at USF Tennis Courts.

The injured hamstring is healed, and the body felt fit. So off I went to hit. Saturday at Buena Vista park, the first day, was okay but a little rough. I was hoping for a great first experience with “my” racquets, not demo racquets with bad stringing and a grip size that was way too small for my mega-hands. It was just okay though. After 3 weeks away from the courts, it was hard to gauge the merits of my new racquets while also struggling with sloppy technique and bad footwork.

Today (Sunday) was much better on all fronts. Footwork was better, stroke production was better, focus was better. That allowed me to focus on adjusting to the racquets. They are great, but they are dramatically different than my Volkl’s. I gotta stay calm and keep the swing relaxed with my head down on the ball and NOT looking at my target. When I do that it feels sweet. If I don’t, it doesn’t feel god awful… and that is a good thing! 😉 THAT is why I switched racquets. Now it’s just going to take some time to make sure I get the “sweet” feeling more often than not.

Spoke to a friend who is captaining a team, so now I’m getting ready for 7.5 Combo season this fall — with my new sticks. I think it’s gonna be a good one.