Got The Singles Monkey Off My Back

Cindysphinx · 05-18-2010, 08:01 PM

Oh, thank Gawd. I finally finally won a singles match against a 3.5 player. Better yet, against a 3.5 singles specialist.

: yanks monkey off back, strangles him until he is dead dead dead :

First set was a breeze. I did just what my pro has been telling me: Get to the ball quickly, set up, smack it. This produced short balls, which I smacked for angled winners. I served with Major Slice, which produced an error or short ball. All was well. 6-1.

Second set started off the same, and I was up 2-0. And then something happened. I started missing some second serves. I started getting to balls a little late. Opponent started giving me a steady diet of balls pushed to the center hash at the baseline. My approach shots sucked. I missed countless volleys. I missed crucial overheads or pushed them. I just could not attack anything. 3-6.

At the set changeover, I sat down and decided I would rather go down swinging than pushing. Before you knew it, I was behind in the match tiebreak. 0-1. 2-3. 4-6. 7-8. I just could not overtake her.

I got to 8-8 somehow, and I was serving. I hit a good first serve and got the usual reply: A pushball to the middle of the court, in no-man's land. And that's when it hit me: Play your drop shot! I carefully found my grip, kept my eyes on the ball, stepped into it and hit a 1HBH slice drop shot over to her BH near the net. Much too high over the net, but lots of backspin. She didn't reach it. A burst of applause from my teammates. 9-8.

For the next point, she served. I decided that I would keep the ball in play for 100 strokes if that is what it took. I rolled balls up the middle. Rolled them to the corners. Hit topspin moonballs. On and on it went. Finally, she missed into the net.

So I finally have a win in singles. It was three years in the making.

Cindy -- who was glad that tennis facility has a defibrillator hanging on the wall because she was awfully close to needing it

ProgressoR · 05-18-2010, 10:44 PM

Good stuff and well done. It took guts to play a drop shot (for the first time in the match?) at 8-8 in super tie break!

zapvor · 05-19-2010, 04:28 AM

fed would be proud of you

Topaz · 05-19-2010, 04:42 AM

Good job Cindy!

Though push balls to the 'T' have been my undoing in more than one match!

Most importantly, though, what did you wear?

zapvor · 05-19-2010, 04:49 AM

topaz i thought you died. how was the move

Topaz · 05-19-2010, 04:55 AM

It sucked, and it isn't over yet. Still many, many more boxes to go and stuff to sell.

Which is translating into a pretty crappy tennis season for me because I'm exhausted to the bone before I even walk out onto the court. If I could, I'd sue my landlord five ways from Sunday, but she waited until my lease was up to pull this crap.

Uhh, sorry Cindy, didn't mean to rain on your parade there...

zapvor · 05-19-2010, 05:04 AM

ouch. thats terrible. i think i read you moved twice this year?

SlapShot · 05-19-2010, 06:49 AM

Wow, dropshot at 8-8. That takes brass huevos for sure.

Congrats - I felt the same way about my first 4.0 singles win - it took 5 or 6 tries, and I had to take it in a breaker. Down 2-5 in the breaker even.

Xisbum · 05-19-2010, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProgressoR

Good stuff and well done. It took guts to play a drop shot (for the first time in the match?) at 8-8 in super tie break!

^^^What he/she said. We guys always say no guts, no glory. So well done, Ms. Sphinx, well done.

skiracer55 · 05-19-2010, 08:44 AM

...you persevered, and you won a singles match. I assume you went out with your homies after the match and celebrated with a few beverages, right? Let me guess...Upside Down Margaritas? Jello Shots? Hop, Skip, and Go Nakeds? Kamikazes? Flaming Absinthe Shots? Melon Balls? Snowshoes? Cornell U. Combats? Jager Bomb Shots? Am I getting warm yet?

dizzlmcwizzl · 05-19-2010, 09:07 AM

Nice .......

crystal_clear · 05-19-2010, 09:17 AM

Congratulations Cindy~ What do you wear? The orange Yonnex?

Cindysphinx · 05-19-2010, 09:22 AM

Ha! No, I didn't wear a tennis dress. Remember, my theory is that tennis dresses will inspire my opponent to whip the chick in the dress, and I didn't want to wave a red flag in front of a bull. Plus, I'm superstitious. I win a lot in red shirts and black skirts.

Regarding the drop shot . . . That wasn't the first drop shot of the match. No, no. That was the first BH drop shot I have ever hit in any USTA match.

And what did I do while she was running for it? I stood there slackjawed. Oy.

Cindysphinx · 05-19-2010, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skiracer55

...you persevered, and you won a singles match. I assume you went out with your homies after the match and celebrated with a few beverages, right? Let me guess...Upside Down Margaritas? Jello Shots? Hop, Skip, and Go Nakeds? Kamikazes? Flaming Absinthe Shots? Melon Balls? Snowshoes? Cornell U. Combats? Jager Bomb Shots? Am I getting warm yet?

Advil.

I totally forgot my pre-match cocktail of Advil + bananas. I could barely walk when I got home.

dcdoorknob · 05-19-2010, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Regarding the drop shot . . . That wasn't the first drop shot of the match. No, no. That was the first BH drop shot I have ever hit in any USTA match.

And what did I do while she was running for it? I stood there slackjawed. Oy.

Well since it worked I suppose we're supposed to call it a brilliant decision under pressure instead of a massive brain cramp chokejob in the moment.

Congrats, sounds like a dramatic and fun conclusion to a match.

bodieq · 05-19-2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zapvor

fed would be proud of you

Yes, especially since Federer whiffed his forehand shot on match-point against Nadal in the recent Finals at Madrid...in the tie-break. Very awkward.

Cindy, great singles win and good staying tough in the match. Was that 3rd a full 3rd set that got to a tie-break? Or did you play a super-10 point tie-break?

TourTenor · 05-19-2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Ha! No, I didn't wear a tennis dress. Remember, my theory is that tennis dresses will inspire my opponent to whip the chick in the dress, and I didn't want to wave a red flag in front of a bull.

Whoa ... nekkid tennis? Excellent distraction!

Seriously, congratulations on your win!!

mlktennis · 05-19-2010, 12:26 PM

Congrats! Great recap of match- I got goose bumps just reading about the drop shot. And then the mental toughness to grind out one more shot than op- NO MATTER WHAT!

All while teammates gasp and cheer in the background.

This is what the pure usta experience is about- The thrill of beating that monkey off your back with teammates cheering is priceless.

jswinf · 05-19-2010, 02:43 PM

Good going! Pretty soon you won't want to be bothered by doubles. Your hostility to animals is a little unsettling, though. You're strangling the monkey, smacking the bee...

sureshs · 05-19-2010, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Ha! No, I didn't wear a tennis dress.

I guess it is acceptable these days to play au naturale.

05-18-2010, 08:01 PM	#1
Cindysphinx G.O.A.T. Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 14,193	Got The Singles Monkey Off My Back Oh, thank Gawd. I finally finally won a singles match against a 3.5 player. Better yet, against a 3.5 singles specialist. : yanks monkey off back, strangles him until he is dead dead dead : First set was a breeze. I did just what my pro has been telling me: Get to the ball quickly, set up, smack it. This produced short balls, which I smacked for angled winners. I served with Major Slice, which produced an error or short ball. All was well. 6-1. Second set started off the same, and I was up 2-0. And then something happened. I started missing some second serves. I started getting to balls a little late. Opponent started giving me a steady diet of balls pushed to the center hash at the baseline. My approach shots sucked. I missed countless volleys. I missed crucial overheads or pushed them. I just could not attack anything. 3-6. At the set changeover, I sat down and decided I would rather go down swinging than pushing. Before you knew it, I was behind in the match tiebreak. 0-1. 2-3. 4-6. 7-8. I just could not overtake her. I got to 8-8 somehow, and I was serving. I hit a good first serve and got the usual reply: A pushball to the middle of the court, in no-man's land. And that's when it hit me: Play your drop shot! I carefully found my grip, kept my eyes on the ball, stepped into it and hit a 1HBH slice drop shot over to her BH near the net. Much too high over the net, but lots of backspin. She didn't reach it. A burst of applause from my teammates. 9-8. For the next point, she served. I decided that I would keep the ball in play for 100 strokes if that is what it took. I rolled balls up the middle. Rolled them to the corners. Hit topspin moonballs. On and on it went. Finally, she missed into the net. So I finally have a win in singles. It was three years in the making. Cindy -- who was glad that tennis facility has a defibrillator hanging on the wall because she was awfully close to needing it __________________ -- Random Error Generator, Version 4.0 -- Master Moonballer

05-18-2010, 10:44 PM	#2
ProgressoR Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: No Man's Land Posts: 1,561	Good stuff and well done. It took guts to play a drop shot (for the first time in the match?) at 8-8 in super tie break! __________________ Those who say it is not equipment that makes the player, clearly do not understand the importance of the right sweat band

05-19-2010, 04:28 AM	#3
zapvor Legend Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: tennis courts Posts: 7,969	fed would be proud of you __________________ Member of TW MAC. yes, we are better than you. and we bout to hop on a court to make another 'mil

05-19-2010, 04:42 AM	#4
Topaz Legend Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,653	Good job Cindy! Though push balls to the 'T' have been my undoing in more than one match! Most importantly, though, what did you wear? __________________ What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

05-19-2010, 04:49 AM	#5
zapvor Legend Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: tennis courts Posts: 7,969	topaz i thought you died. how was the move __________________ Member of TW MAC. yes, we are better than you. and we bout to hop on a court to make another 'mil

05-19-2010, 09:17 AM	#12
crystal_clear Professional Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 848	Congratulations Cindy~ What do you wear? The orange Yonnex? __________________ Balolat Z-Lite w/ Luxilon ALU Power @53lbs. FH:Keep racket closed at contact