SF Tennis Freak

Posts Tagged ‘USTA’

(Third match in the documentation of my 2013 USTA Adult League season)

Date: 4/28/2013
Location: San Francisco Tennis Club
Conditions: Indoors
Doubles or Singles Played: Singles
Personal Match Result: 6-2 6-1 Loss
Team Match Result: 1-4 Loss
Personal Season Record: 1-2

Match Notes: Indoor conditions were at SFTC fine. It was a warm day in SF, so indoors was a little warm and humid.  But that had no bearing on my match, which I can only refer to as a “Slice and Dice” tennis nightmare.

Physically, I felt fine. Mentally, I was miserable after the first few games. I kept telling myself to keep positive, but it was tough because I hate playing matches like this. Always have, and probably always will. I know I shouldn’t joke about gun violence, but all I could think was “Someone please shoot me” with each passing game.

Almost every one of my opponent’s shots landed short, with little to moderate pace and tons of spin. This applied to his serve as well as his groundstrokes. I shanked short balls all over the court, struggling to find a consistent rhythm on my ground game. He wasn’t a bad guy, but his Cuisinart game (and some tight calls on balls before they landed) annoyed and frustrated me from start to finish. I hit a couple of nice shots and service returns, but not enough to get anything going or change the outcome.

Though I was miserable dealing with his unorthodox game, I won’t resort to saying, “I wish he would play ‘real’ tennis” like I’ve heard others say in the same situation. It’s not my opponent’s job to hit balls that are easy for me to tee off on. It’s my job to adapt my game to the situation. I just wish I’d had the patience to do that.

Going forward, I’m sticking with doubles. I realize that dealing with opponents like this one is part of the challenge for singles, but it’s a challenge that holds little interest for me these days. Singles will now be relegated to the practice courts with friends.

The one positive I did take from this match was a successful demo of the new Graphene Head Speed Pro. I started the match with it, but switched back to my regular (and more familiar) Head Speed MP 315 after falling behind 2-5 in the first set. (I should note that I won fewer games with my ‘familiar’ racquet after the switch.) It felt good.  Stay tuned for the racquet review later this week.

Date: 4/20/2013
Location: San Francisco State University (GLTF Home Courts)
Conditions: Upper 60’s, sunny, no wind
Doubles or Singles Played: Doubles
Personal Match Result: 6-1 6-4 Loss
Team Match Result: 1-4 Loss
Personal Season Record: 1-1
Team Season Record: 0-3

Match Notes: Conditions were excellent, with sunny skies, mild temperatures, and no wind. Our match was against one of the two 4.0 “sister” teams being fielded by the GLTF (Gay and Lesbian Tennis Federation).

My partner for doubles was Leo, an excellent player who reads the court well and is great at picking on opponent weaknesses. We’d played successful practice sets before and had paired well. However, we were gonna have our hands full at #1 doubles against fellow GLTF’ers, Rick and Derek. I’ve known these guys for years, so I knew what to expect: a tough match.

Rick and Derek are great players with solid serves, solid volleys, and great ground games that can hurt you from either the forehand or backhand side. To make matters more challenging, they’ve played doubles together for years and are a very successful team. Leo and I are solid as well, but don’t have the same level of pace and consistency on a stroke per stroke basis. We needed for them to have an off day, and we needed to play cleanly.

I played the Ad court, which is okay because my best strokes (inside-out forehand/crosscourt backhand) are well-suited to that side. We won the toss, chose to serve, and things got complicated quickly. I was broken in the very first game, which also included a shanked backhand return winner on the sideline about a foot from the net post, and a self-inflicted blow to the knee with the butt of my handle when I unsuccessfully tried to sidestep AND hit a slice on a ball that came blasting back right at my feet. Yeah, it was one of “those” days.

The first set went by quickly. We didn’t play badly; we just didn’t play clean enough on a point-by-point basis to put them under any significant pressure. And since starting with two service breaks can put you in a hole very quickly, the first set was lost before we could get anything going. The second set was better, but only because we mounted a comeback from 0-4 to get back on serve at 4-5 before doing down 6-4.

Losses are never fun, but this wasn’t necessarily a “bad loss” because we lost to two strong (and deserving) players who are starting to have success even at the 4.5 level. Our good shots came back with interest, and they always seemed to have an answer for our best. I could’ve served better, and there were a few too many unforced errors for my liking, but other than that I played a solid and fairly relaxed match.

That’s the goal these days.  Stay relaxed, embrace the tension of the moment with a deep breath (to relax the shoulders and arm), and try not to “press” on my shots, regardless of the match situation or level of my opponent.

And maybe next time I’ll pass on Miley’s “Party in the USA” as my pre-match jam.

Date: 4/3/2013

Location: California Tennis Club

Conditions: Cold, with temps around in upper 50’s, and strong winds.

Doubles or Singles Played: Doubles

Personal Match Result: 6-2 6-2 Win

Team Match Result: 2-3 Loss

Match Notes: These were some of the toughest conditions in which I’ve ever played, with cold temps, fog, and strong crosswinds. After a difficult warm-up, it was clear that percentage tennis was going to be the key to any win.  Play balls down the center for a higher margin of safety, keep the feet moving and be prepared for bad bounces and, if possible, finish points at the net to avoid ugly baseline rallies.

I played doubles with my good buddy, Chris. We both have strong serves and solid ground games. His strongest shot is his backhand (totally sweet), and mine is my forehand. With me in the deuce court and him the ad court, we are pretty formidable and can do some damage.  Additionally, his long arms and great volley technique make him tough to pass at the net.

Our opponents were solid, but lacked weapons to hurt us. They won the toss and decided to receive: a bad strategic move on their part. I started things off with a hold, and they played catch-up the entire match. I knew we had a good chance to win, but remembered to keep focused on the point at hand because matches can turn quickly if you don’t.

Other than one bad service game with 4 double faults, the only noteworthy incident came early in the match.  I hit a serve that one of my opponents returned into the net.  A second later, he said, “I think that was a let.” Players often try to get a point replayed via let calls. You’re not allowed second chances after the point’s already over, and I told him that.  Fortunately for him, Chris added “I think it could have been a let”. I relayed my concern on late calls, and asked for more timely calls in the future.

I mention it because bad calls and other examples of gamesmanship can commonly throw off a player’s concentration. I once had an opponent call a clear ace “out” in a tight third set. His partner couldn’t confirm or deny the call because he was too close to it. It was so blatantly bad that I lost my temper/composure for several minutes. The opponent “generously” gave me a first serve, but the damage was already done.  Still fuming, I was broken and they went on to win the match.

I learned from that incident that bad calls, an unfortunate but common part of USTA play, will derail me if I don’t immediately address the situation as best as I can, then let it go afterward. Putting my mental tennis lessons into play, I let go of this particular late call (which had no ill intent), won the point, and held serve.  There were no other issues with calls.

This victory was huge for me! It was my first at the 4.0 level since June 2010. Through two Adult Leagues and a Combo season, my record was a dismal 0-20: one less than Vince Spadea’s 0-21 losing streak!

It felt good to break the streak and start the season on a positive note.

I’m a big proponent of sharing my personal experiences for the purpose of helping others. To that end, I will chronicle my 2013 USTA league experiences with that purpose in mind, In writing about my personal match struggles, physical and/or mental, as well as my triumphs, my goal is to help others who are also struggling realize that their struggles are common. I’ll also share solutions, tips, and tricks that work for me in the hope that they will do the same for others.

My match reports will contain opponent, date, location, weather conditions, match result (personal and team), and match notes. In order to provide the best context for these reports, I’ll list all relevant information on me, my game, and my idiosyncrasies in this initial post. Any changes in my physical status or relevant equipment issues will be mentioned as needed.

Without further ado, here’s all you’ll ever need to know about me and my game.

Level: 4.0

Plays: Right-handed, equal preference for singles or doubles

Racquet: Head Speed MP 315

Strings: NXT 16 and Stamina 17 (hybrid), 52 pounds.

Age: 49

Physical Status: I ‘m a former professional dancer with damage to my joints and connective tissue. Had shoulder surgery to remove bone spurs 6 years ago, and knee surgery to remove damaged patellar cartilage 4 years ago. Both surgeries were on my (dominant) right side, and I still do some of the rehab exercises to help maintain strength in the surrounding muscles, and to help guard against future injury/surgery.

I’ve adjusted my diet to help manage joint inflammation and pain instead of turning to massive doses of ibuprofen.  Additionally, I take two supplements (All Flex and AminoSculpt liquid collagen). The changes have helped significantly, but I still occasionally take ibuprofen to help with post-match pain and inflammation.

On match days I drink Cytomax (a good source of slow-release carbs) to help sustain my energy and electrolytes.  It also aids my post-match recovery.

Technical Game: I have a strong topspin forehand, and a competent two-handed backhand that has become more reliable over the years. I’ll also hit one-handers and slices as needed. Net game is solid but unspectacular.

Mental Game: My mental game has gotten better as I’ve learned to relax and stay positive on the court (though some of my friends might disagree with that assessment). Like many, I sometimes get too keyed up, anxious, or negative when playing.  I’ve worked hard to learn techniques from mental tennis books on the (like Tennis: Winning the Mental Match) to better understand match stress and the ways it can affect my game.

Privacy disclaimer: I’ve learned from past experience that even when I think I’m writing only about myself, I need to respect the privacy and identity of others. To that end, anyone mentioned in these reports has given permission for use of their name, or has authorized a suitable “nom de tennis”.

And now, on with the 2013 4.0 Adult Season!

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.

This was a busy weekend for the GLTF, as two of the Women’s USTA adult league teams were playing at Districts (one in Alameda and one in Sunyvale).  Match times were the same for both locations.   I wanted to make a point to cheer at least one of the teams on and do a write up, but I unfortunately had to choose which location to cover.  Just for scheduling and distance, I opted to see the Longshots play in Alameda at the Harbor Bay Club on Saturday.

My apologies to the Sweetshots.  Wish I could have been there as well.

After a winning day on Friday, the Longshots continued their strong run by sweeping the doubles against Lafayette for a 3-2 victory.  First up on the main show court was doubles with Tara and Jeane.   I arrived with the match already in progress thanks to the wonderful traffic on 880, but the match was already well under control.  Tara and Jeane played great tennis to come away with the first win.

Claire played in the first singles match-up, and tried hard in her “sacrifice” singles position.  But her opponent was just too tough.  To her credit, Claire kept an amazingly positive attitude on court and kept playing hard until the last point.  Even afterward she was upbeat and quite funny in this brief chat we had while watching the second doubles.  It’s pretty funny, and I can see myself hanging out with Claire and laughing my butt off the whole time.  The clip is published with her blessing. 🙂

Claire V. interview at Districts (AUDIO)

Click here or on the picture at right for the image gallery

Next up was the duo of  “Down the line” Donna and “Pato” Penny (please excuse me if I’m butchering nicknames too badly!).  They were on and through quickly, with a strong beat-down of their opponents in straights.  The last two matches were the doubles duo of  Penny-Kathy, and Nicole in singles.  I think there was some kind of a curse on court #2 at Harbor Bay for our “singles ladies”.  First Claire, and then Nicole … locked in tough battles without easy access for team support.  From what I could see through the fence, Nicole played tough but came out on the losing end.

So there it was… match on the line with a must-win for Penny and Kathy.  And wouldn’t you know that they came through a tough battle on the main show court for the clinching victory.  If this had been day 3 I’m sure there would have been a mad dash on the court with jumping and scrumming.  But with a final tough day of play the ladies settled for high fives, hugs, and Coronas!

It was great watching the Longshots compete so well under such tough conditions.  The team support was also great to see.  These ladies like playing together and it showed!  A note of thanks to all of them for welcoming me into the fold for pictures and questions.  To quote Tara (who came up to me after her win with Jeane), “I saw you taking our picture… who are you?”.  Thank god I could explain myself adequately and it didn’t get ugly. 😉

In all seriousness, they were great to be with on a sunny Saturday afternoon.  I wish I could have come back Sunday to cheer the Longshots on.  Jeane e-mailed later in the day that they lost their last match to end 2-1 in round robin play, same as the Sweetshots.  But I’m sure it was still a great effort from all… even at 8AM on a Sunday!  Congratulations to both teams, and all the best for your off-season and a repeat performance next year.