Somewhat-Less-Than-Excellent Adventures Of Topaz, Cindy & Alice: The 3 Racqueteers!

Cindysphinx · 04-16-2009, 04:38 AM

Pssssst! Topaz! Are you out there? How has your 2009 been going?

Over here across the river, it's been tough sledding. I'm losing. A lot.

Ladies 3.5 Day -- 2-4
Mixed 7.0 -- 2-3
Combo 7.5 -- 0-4
Combo 6.5 -- 4-2

Oh sure, I have my excuses. Two of the mixed losses were because my partner has chronic ankle problems. One loss was a retirement at 1-3, the other one should have been a retirement. And sometimes there is no excuse, like my sad double-fault on set point in a tiebreak.

Not only that, my pro is busting my chops. I told him I'd like to try to make it to 4.0 by the time I turn 50. This would require me to fight the effects of gravity, as the natural order of things is to move down as you age, not up. He said we should go for it. I then said I thought we didn't need to work on net play to reach this goal because "I'm good at net." Without missing a beat, he said -- and I am quoting here -- "Who told you that? Those ladies?" Ouch. He then explained that, no, I am not "good at net." This is because my form breaks down when I am under pressure. Having fast hands or getting the racket on a lot of volleys is not the same thing, he explained, as being good at net. Ugh. I'm afraid he is right. So we are working on it, but he is not at all impressed with what he is seeing. And neither am I.

There are some bright spots, though. I had a recent killer 3.5 win against a tough team on Court One because I had a solid 3.5 partner (a lefty who plays deuce!). I can get way more serves back in mixed, and it is unusual for me to miss a service return in ladies. My 6.5 team went undefeated and is headed to the state championships in October. And *finally* I can take my forehand cross-court.

Best of all, I took a set off of a 3.5 singles specialist friend. Uh huh. I was serving at love-40, 4-5 and won the set 7-5. Which is proof my groundstrokes are getting better. Huzzah!

Anyway, it's going to be a tough spring, which is the source of my anxiety. I'm playing on that ladies 3.5 team that wants to go to The Big Show. I'm playing on a new 4.0 team. I've still got the 3.5 team that I captain. And I'm going to stop captaining 6.5 and am starting a new 7.5 team for the fall, so there's some more stress for ya.

So that's what's new with me. And you?

Cindysphinx · 04-16-2009, 04:58 AM

Wait!! I forgot the best part! I went to Indian Wells this year. Just me and the girls, no husband, no kids, no dog.

Ho, boy. I totally got my money's worth. We were in row 10 behind the baseline, and we were there for Monday-Wednesday, so third and fourth round matches. Our last day was the Wednesday marathon session that ran from 11:00 am to about 1:00 am. We saw:

Verdasco/Kohnschreiber
[some women whose names ended in -ova]
Djokovic/Warinka
Federer/Gonzalez
Roddick/Ferrer
Safina/Azarenka
Nadal/Nalbandian

I saw all my favorites, especially Verdasco. When Verdasco whipped Gasquet in Stadium 2, I had lucked into a seat in the second row on the baseline, about 15 feet from the sideline. The first row was reserved for players and their coaches/friends. The match is about to start, and in comes Verdasco's entourage to sit in the front row. His cute little girlfriend was in the seat right in front of me. Whenever he hit a massive winner, he would turn to her and give this amazing look. I pretended he was looking at me. ::swoon::

Cindy -- who thoroughly enjoyed Bryan/Bryan v. Nadal/Lopez

drakulie · 04-16-2009, 05:00 AM

WOW!!!! Look who's back!!!!

SJS · 04-16-2009, 05:03 AM

Hi Cindy!
Welcome back! As a long time captain of women's teams, your posts were the reason I started following this forum.

Happy to hear you're still very involved in tennis. I don't think your goal to reach 4.0 is unrealistic. I have a friend who started as a 3.0 about 5 years ago. She turns 50 this year and was also bumped to 4.5. Of course, she had an athletic background in other sports and has worked very hard. It sounds like you're working hard, too, so good luck!

Venetian · 04-16-2009, 05:15 AM

It's Cindy! I missed these adventures...

drakulie · 04-16-2009, 05:23 AM

^^^^me too.

GPB · 04-16-2009, 05:40 AM

Cindy! I might not have been vocal in your threads, but I also miss your presence on these boards. Keep your stories up; Adult League & Tournament Talk just isn't the same without them!

Xisbum · 04-16-2009, 06:49 AM

Welcome back, kiddo. Glad to see you still playing and still writing. We have a match to play one day soon.

Hey, Lady Topaz and I are meeting some other buds Saturday at Wakefield, somewhere in Arlington (I know; I get lost over here in VA too). You should join us. Think about it.

P.S. I was bumped to 4.0 in Memphis at 49, just a few months before the big 5-0.

Kaptain Karl · 04-16-2009, 07:24 AM

Hey, stranger! Good to see you posting again.

Remember to check-in at the Office. You have lots of mail piled up in your box.

- KK

Joeyg · 04-16-2009, 10:20 AM

Sheeeeeeee's baaaaaaaack!

No offense, nice to see you back.

LuckyR · 04-16-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Wait!! I forgot the best part! I went to Indian Wells this year. Cindy-- who thoroughly enjoyed Bryan/Bryan v. Nadal/Lopez

Where did you sit for that match? We were behind the near baseline. Very fun (if not great) match. I had to laugh out loud when Mike let an early Nadal forehand go "long", only to have it land about 3-4 feet "in" due to the level of topspin he had probably only rarely encountered before.

Cindysphinx · 04-16-2009, 12:01 PM

Lucky, i didn't get courtside chairs for that one. I was maybe three rows up into the bleachers on the side, again on the baseline. That would be the baseline closer to the food court. I liked that position because I would also see the huge stadium screen. There was a lady with binoculars who kept updating us on the Roddick score.

I liked that Nadal was so clearly out of his element in doubles at net. A couple of lame volleys (the kind where he just stuck his racket in front of his face) and some obvious frustration. I thought Nadal's partner was a really solid doubles partner, though.

I also liked how Bob would yell "Mike!" for any ball he couldn't reach.

Cindysphinx · 04-16-2009, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaptain Karl

Hey, stranger! Good to see you posting again.

Remember to check-in at the Office. You have lots of mail piled up in your box.

- KK

Pardon????

saram · 04-16-2009, 02:51 PM

I was wondering where you have been. Great story about Nando at IW!

Topaz · 04-17-2009, 04:57 AM

Cindy! I just saw this now! Don't really have much time right now...will update later, ok?

Also, Xisbum...we're meeting in Annandale! LOL Cindy, check out the TWMAC thread if you want more info, ok? I posted it in there yesterday morning.

Xisbum · 04-17-2009, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topaz

Cindy! I just saw this now! Don't really have much time right now...will update later, ok?

Also, Xisbum...we're meeting in Annandale! LOL Cindy, check out the TWMAC thread if you want more info, ok? I posted it in there yesterday morning.

Told you I can get lost in a closet. All those As confuse me - Arlington, Annandale, Alexandria. How about a Beantown or Charleston in there somewhere?

Topaz · 04-17-2009, 01:17 PM

Just got our indoor league schedule today...we start April 26. DC starts April 25. Whoo boy, here we go!

We have 22 matches in our indoor league! That's right...23 3.5 ladies teams, and we play each one once.

A quick updatey for Cindy:

Topaz has:
*taken lots and lots of clinics, lessons, and has been working pretty hard
*managed to actually win two 7.0 mixed matches, 2-4 overall
*did pretty well in practice league doubles, won the last three, but I don't really keep track of all of them
*switched racquets to the kTour
*is putting some lead on the kTour
*keeps reinjuring her stupid ankle

I've got 3 teams lined up right now:
1. Indoor NOVA (where I'll be playing singles...*gulp*)
2. DC (where I'm...captaining...*gulp*...but have brought on two women to play doubles with...should be fun)
3. Outdoor NOVA? Not sure this is going to happen yet or not. We usually don't start until May, and it is a small league, so still waiting to hear back about this team from our captain.

Cindysphinx · 04-17-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topaz

Just got our indoor league schedule today...we start April 26. DC starts April 25. Whoo boy, here we go!

We have 22 matches in our indoor league! That's right...23 3.5 ladies teams, and we play each one once.

A quick updatey for Cindy:

Topaz has:
*taken lots and lots of clinics, lessons, and has been working pretty hard
*managed to actually win two 7.0 mixed matches, 2-4 overall
*did pretty well in practice league doubles, won the last three, but I don't really keep track of all of them
*switched racquets to the kTour
*is putting some lead on the kTour
*keeps reinjuring her stupid ankle

I've got 3 teams lined up right now:
1. Indoor NOVA (where I'll be playing singles...*gulp*)
2. DC (where I'm...captaining...*gulp*...but have brought on two women to play doubles with...should be fun)
3. Outdoor NOVA? Not sure this is going to happen yet or not. We usually don't start until May, and it is a small league, so still waiting to hear back about this team from our captain.

Dang, 22 matches! My three teams combined will have about 30 matches. Hence the need to join so many teams.

Regarding instruction, what exactly are you trying to fix/improve? My own pro told me the other day What My Problem Is, and I would be interested to hear what yours is.

Topaz, let's get together and play singles. I mean it. I can promise you truly unconventional play, complete with bizarre and unpredictable journeys to the net. I have been working very hard on groundstrokes and suchlike, and I need to keep playing practice matches. The little bit of singles practice I have had so far has already yielded modest improvement.

Regarding your team, shout out if you are short on players. I know a couple of high 3.0s who might be interested.

Ankle? What ankle?

Cindy -- who is going to wind up playing in that 4.0 match on Tuesday but who is totally stoked about the partner her captain gave her

Spokewench · 04-17-2009, 03:23 PM

You two are so lucky to be in an area with so much tennis. I live in a rural area where people are really having a hard time with travelling to matches, etc. so they are not putting teams together. I was trying to put a 3.0 team and a 3.5 team together and no one in either Sedona or Prescott put another team together; so I bit the bullet and starting recruiting absolutely every available player in Flagstaff. I have now managed (I think) to put together two 3.0 teams and two 3.5 teams, just barely and I am the captain of all 4 teams! I should be committed, but it was the only way I could get anyone to play!

Like I said, you are very lucky!

alice301 · 04-17-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Topaz, let's get together and play singles. I mean it.

cindy, i feel like already know you; in fact, some people suspected that i WAS you at first (don't worry: some people suspected that i was really a hairy middle-aged man too--suspicious batards).

but i'm alice (not really, but i'll learn to respond to it eventually), and i met topaz at a tw mac meet. she was all that was lovely and entertaining, and i can't wait to play her in the singles ladder, which sup set up. which you should join too, so that we can all play singles. together. hopefully in maryland, and not in va, where i get lost as a matter of course.

i can't wait to see your brand of bizarre and unpredictable tennis; my own gift for frameshots is nothing short of a miracle.

04-16-2009, 04:38 AM	#1
Cindysphinx G.O.A.T. Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,090	Somewhat-Less-Than-Excellent Adventures Of Topaz, Cindy & Alice: The 3 Racqueteers! Pssssst! Topaz! Are you out there? How has your 2009 been going? Over here across the river, it's been tough sledding. I'm losing. A lot. Ladies 3.5 Day -- 2-4 Mixed 7.0 -- 2-3 Combo 7.5 -- 0-4 Combo 6.5 -- 4-2 Oh sure, I have my excuses. Two of the mixed losses were because my partner has chronic ankle problems. One loss was a retirement at 1-3, the other one should have been a retirement. And sometimes there is no excuse, like my sad double-fault on set point in a tiebreak. Not only that, my pro is busting my chops. I told him I'd like to try to make it to 4.0 by the time I turn 50. This would require me to fight the effects of gravity, as the natural order of things is to move down as you age, not up. He said we should go for it. I then said I thought we didn't need to work on net play to reach this goal because "I'm good at net." Without missing a beat, he said -- and I am quoting here -- "Who told you that? Those ladies?" Ouch. He then explained that, no, I am not "good at net." This is because my form breaks down when I am under pressure. Having fast hands or getting the racket on a lot of volleys is not the same thing, he explained, as being good at net. Ugh. I'm afraid he is right. So we are working on it, but he is not at all impressed with what he is seeing. And neither am I. There are some bright spots, though. I had a recent killer 3.5 win against a tough team on Court One because I had a solid 3.5 partner (a lefty who plays deuce!). I can get way more serves back in mixed, and it is unusual for me to miss a service return in ladies. My 6.5 team went undefeated and is headed to the state championships in October. And finally I can take my forehand cross-court. Best of all, I took a set off of a 3.5 singles specialist friend. Uh huh. I was serving at love-40, 4-5 and won the set 7-5. Which is proof my groundstrokes are getting better. Huzzah! Anyway, it's going to be a tough spring, which is the source of my anxiety. I'm playing on that ladies 3.5 team that wants to go to The Big Show. I'm playing on a new 4.0 team. I've still got the 3.5 team that I captain. And I'm going to stop captaining 6.5 and am starting a new 7.5 team for the fall, so there's some more stress for ya. So that's what's new with me. And you? __________________ -- Random Error Generator, Version 4.0 -- Master Moonballer

04-16-2009, 04:58 AM	#2
Cindysphinx G.O.A.T. Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,090	Wait!! I forgot the best part! I went to Indian Wells this year. Just me and the girls, no husband, no kids, no dog. Ho, boy. I totally got my money's worth. We were in row 10 behind the baseline, and we were there for Monday-Wednesday, so third and fourth round matches. Our last day was the Wednesday marathon session that ran from 11:00 am to about 1:00 am. We saw: Verdasco/Kohnschreiber [some women whose names ended in -ova] Djokovic/Warinka Federer/Gonzalez Roddick/Ferrer Safina/Azarenka Nadal/Nalbandian I saw all my favorites, especially Verdasco. When Verdasco whipped Gasquet in Stadium 2, I had lucked into a seat in the second row on the baseline, about 15 feet from the sideline. The first row was reserved for players and their coaches/friends. The match is about to start, and in comes Verdasco's entourage to sit in the front row. His cute little girlfriend was in the seat right in front of me. Whenever he hit a massive winner, he would turn to her and give this amazing look. I pretended he was looking at me. ::swoon:: Cindy -- who thoroughly enjoyed Bryan/Bryan v. Nadal/Lopez __________________ -- Random Error Generator, Version 4.0 -- Master Moonballer

04-16-2009, 05:00 AM	#3
drakulie Talk Tennis Guru Join Date: May 2004 Location: FT. Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 23,908	WOW!!!! Look who's back!!!! __________________ Head Stringer @ the LTC, Babolat Star 4 Stringer http://www.youtube.com/user/drakulie

04-16-2009, 05:23 AM	#6
drakulie Talk Tennis Guru Join Date: May 2004 Location: FT. Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 23,908	^^^^me too. __________________ Head Stringer @ the LTC, Babolat Star 4 Stringer http://www.youtube.com/user/drakulie

04-16-2009, 06:49 AM	#8
Xisbum Semi-Pro Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elvisland Posts: 666	Welcome back, kiddo. Glad to see you still playing and still writing. We have a match to play one day soon. Hey, Lady Topaz and I are meeting some other buds Saturday at Wakefield, somewhere in Arlington (I know; I get lost over here in VA too). You should join us. Think about it. P.S. I was bumped to 4.0 in Memphis at 49, just a few months before the big 5-0. __________________ "You can stand me up at the gates of Hell, but I won't back down." - Tom Petty Last edited by Xisbum : 04-16-2009 at 06:55 AM.