AA1 ALTA mixed team

MRfStop

MRfStop

Hall of Fame
ALTA Summer mixed league starts tomorrow. Ive gotten to know the captain of the team that won AA1 last season and he invited me to play on his. Looking at the email thread all of his players either played D1 college, some highly ranked in the country not long ago, or they have played ITF matches. I am a 4.0 and I’m in the line up tomorrow...I think I’ve made a mistake
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MRfStop said:
The girl that beat Sharapova at the US Open in 2009 is on it o_O
He told me that he would let me play line 5 against some of the weaker teams. This is only my 2nd ALTA so my snack game is pretty weak
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Okay, I had to look this up. But if the interwebs is correct, the player you're talking about is Melanie Oudin. Not saying she's not a great player, but I recall she had health issues and had to essentially retire from the pro tour.

But, hey, good luck and enjoy the tennis... And pack good snacks. haha
 
I was in a similar situation years ago. 4.0 player - played upper lines on a high A team. The AA1 mixed team out of my club needed a body for a match and I had a blast getting blown out. I have a pretty good serve and my memory to this day is how hard the guy kept hitting it back. AA1 players fail to recognize winners that my 4.0 counterparts do.
 
You have entered the Twilight Zone or Night Gallery. Basically, you are on a Mixed 10 or 10.5 team. Enjoy the experience cuz there are very few posters at that level. Expect EVERYTHING including the proverbial kitchen sink to come back with interest. As far as snacks, guys are cool with beer, hearty sandwiches and chips. [2 foot long deli sandwiches cutted into 2-3" chunks will suffice} Ladies desire something different. Fruit, sparkling waters, cheese, crackers, wine coolers, iced coffee are more to their interest. [Though some ladies will have a beer etc with the guys afterwards. :alien::)
 
spt said:
I was in a similar situation years ago. 4.0 player - played upper lines on a high A team. The AA1 mixed team out of my club needed a body for a match and I had a blast getting blown out. I have a pretty good serve and my memory to this day is how hard the guy kept hitting it back. AA1 players fail to recognize winners that my 4.0 counterparts do.
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That’s pretty much what happened.
Guy was from Russia and played D1. Girl was from a Eastern Europe country as well.
I felt sorry for my partner who currently plays at Northwestern..kind of embarrassed
 
esgee48 said:
You have entered the Twilight Zone or Night Gallery. Basically, you are on a Mixed 10 or 10.5 team. Enjoy the experience cuz there are very few posters at that level. Expect EVERYTHING including the proverbial kitchen sink to come back with interest. As far as snacks, guys are cool with beer, hearty sandwiches and chips. [2 foot long deli sandwiches cutted into 2-3" chunks will suffice} Ladies desire something different. Fruit, sparkling waters, cheese, crackers, wine coolers, iced coffee are more to their interest. [Though some ladies will have a beer etc with the guys afterwards. :alien::)
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I was told this team takes fireball shots before matches :laughing: especially during playoffs
 
Ha! I personally cannot handle more than 2 drinks an hour now a days. May be able to handle one. but multiple shots of the hard stuff would put me to sleep.
 
MRfStop said:
That’s pretty much what happened.
Guy was from Russia and played D1. Girl was from a Eastern Europe country as well.
I felt sorry for my partner who currently plays at Northwestern..kind of embarrassed
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There's a local league made of ex-collegiates like UCLA & USC; 4.5 is the bottom of the barrel. I got asked out of desperation to sub but fortunately, they found a 5.0. Likely I would have been very embarassed.
 
S&V-not_dead_yet said:
There's a local league made of ex-collegiates like UCLA & USC; 4.5 is the bottom of the barrel. I got asked out of desperation to sub but fortunately, they found a 5.0. Likely I would have been very embarassed.
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I don’t know what to rate them. I’m assuming 5.0 to 5.5
 
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If they're in their 30's, 5.5 min. They may be 5.0 if they are older than 45. Ex pros could probably still play futures, which basically is 6.0. They're still playing so they won't have much rust. As I said, just enjoy it if you get to play. And I am serious about expecting everything to come back on your 'winners.' o_O
 
@MRfStop How many teams are in the AA1 league, what D1 schools were represented, and how old were the youngest players? I have heard rumors of teams with guys just a couple of years out of D1 play. Probably easier for recent D1 college grads to play ALTA over USTA because they might not qualify to play 5.0
 
jcgatennismom said:
@MRfStop How many teams are in the AA1 league, what D1 schools were represented, and how old were the youngest players? I have heard rumors of teams with guys just a couple of years out of D1 play. Probably easier for recent D1 college grads to play ALTA over USTA because they might not qualify to play 5.0
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There are 8 teams.
My partner was 21 going into her senior year. Not sure about my opponents but your assessment is spot on.

most of the ladies on my team is playing D1 or played D1.
Bama
UGA
Northwestern
Harvard
UNC to name a few
 
They would all be 5.5's under USTA rules. Very few leagues or teams at that USTA level. And they would only need enough people for 1 singles/2 doubles.
 
MRfStop said:
There are 8 teams.
My partner was 21 going into her senior year. Not sure about my opponents but your assessment is spot on.

most of the ladies on my team is playing D1 or played D1.
Bama
UGA
Northwestern
Harvard
UNC to name a few
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It's great that ATL has a place for college players to play once they start their "real" jobs. I see a lot of smart college players with a decent degree that go into coaching or teaching or if they have generous relatives play the low level Futures for 6-18 months because they dont want to to give up their tennis. ATL is a city where they can have both-a career and keep up their tennis.
 
esgee48 said:
They would all be 5.5's under USTA rules. Very few leagues or teams at that USTA level. And they would only need enough people for 1 singles/2 doubles.
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If a player was top 125 ITA ranking or earned a point at a Future in the last 5 years, the minimum ranking is 6.0 until 30+. Considering the teams listed above, some of those ladies are probably former top 125-glad there is ALTA for them.
 
*click watching thread
Dude, how did you get sucked into AA level!? Haha What level did you play last season?

I recently joined my first ALTA league as well, in mixed dubs last weekend. Playing A4 and they added me right into Line 1 w/ my newly met partner at the start of the match. We eventually lost in 3, 1-6, 6-3, 2-6. Both of us are rusty asf, but had fun. Looking forward to my next one this weekend, weather permitting of course.
 
OnTheLine said:
All joking aside, how was the match on Saturday?
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Enlightening...I dont think I will ever see any one better than who we played....unless its on tv or I am sitting in the stands watching and if I do they will have beaten me so quickly I won't eve know what happened. It amazes me that that level exists and that there is levels well above it. Two things stood out to me: The girl moved extremely well, she looked to be late 30s early 40s and pretty sure played D1 or ITFs until she found a real job coaching, she ran down a lot of winner balls...especially volleys. 2nd thing is the placement of serve and shot. The guy (prob a couple of years out college) was around 6'4 so he hit a lot of heavy kick above my head and I'm 6'1 and a heavy/hard first serve. Not something I see at any time just playing 4.0. The girl didnt have a killer serve but she hit with a lot kick and she could hit spots easily especially out wide on the deuce side.

I did get pegged by a line drive overhead that was headed to the fence :p

My partner was no slouch but I was no help to my partner from Northwestern, we took the L at 1-0
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David Le said:
*click watching thread
Dude, how did you get sucked into AA level!? Haha What level did you play last season?

I recently joined my first ALTA league as well, in mixed dubs last weekend. Playing A4 and they added me right into Line 1 w/ my newly met partner at the start of the match. We eventually lost in 3, 1-6, 6-3, 2-6. Both of us are rusty asf, but had fun. Looking forward to my next one this weekend, weather permitting of course.
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Tricked? LOL
No, a friend and I were on a AA2 team, she helped me get on it even though I didnt play. The team won AA2 and got bumped to AA1. We met the captain of my current team because I have bought tennis stuff from him via the interwebs. He asked if me and her would be interested in joining his team and play together at line 5.
 
MRfStop said:
Tricked? LOL
No, a friend and I were on a AA2 team, she helped me get on it even though I didnt play. The team won AA2 and got bumped to AA1. We met the captain of my current team because I have bought tennis stuff from him via the interwebs. He asked if me and her would be interested in joining his team and play together at line 5.
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Ahh I see. Would definitely love to watch you guys play one of these days. I honestly joined ALTA cause I feel like USTA is a bunch of politics, but I also heard that ALTA has a great program overall.
 
David Le said:
Ahh I see. Would definitely love to watch you guys play one of these days. I honestly joined ALTA cause I feel like USTA is a bunch of politics, but I also heard that ALTA has a great program overall.
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This team is usually in the final 4 so I can let you know if or when that is.
 
MRfStop said:
Enlightening...I dont think I will ever see any one better than who we played....unless its on tv or I am sitting in the stands watching and if I do they will have beaten me so quickly I won't eve know what happened. It amazes me that that level exists and that there is levels well above it. Two things stood out to me: The girl moved extremely well, she looked to be late 30s early 40s and pretty sure played D1 or ITFs until she found a real job coaching, she ran down a lot of winner balls...especially volleys. 2nd thing is the placement of serve and shot. The guy (prob a couple of years out college) was around 6'4 so he hit a lot of heavy kick above my head and I'm 6'1 and a heavy/hard first serve. Not something I see at any time just playing 4.0. The girl didnt have a killer serve but she hit with a lot kick and she could hit spots easily especially out wide on the deuce side.

I did get pegged by a line drive overhead that was headed to the fence :p

My partner was no slouch but I was no help to my partner from Northwestern, we took the L at 1-0
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Well usually one has to pay big $$$ to play in a pro-am. Bet this was a lot cheaper!

Pretty impressive ... no doubt Atlanta is adult recreational tennis Mecca.

I would think the experience has the potential of helping your game and it does sound like good fun!
 
OnTheLine said:
Well usually one has to pay big $$$ to play in a pro-am. Bet this was a lot cheaper!

Pretty impressive ... no doubt Atlanta is adult recreational tennis Mecca.

I would think the experience has the potential of helping your game and it does sound like good fun!
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Definitely has the potential of helping my game. Ive already seen that in the Wednesday night drill that I go to.
I just wish that I lived closer to ATL so that I could see it more.
 
I think you will eventually get use to their pace and heavy balls. The more you are exposed to it, the more familiar it gets. If you can find a kid or ex-college player who just wants to hit, ask them/pay them/bribe them with snacks. Does not matter if male or female. Failing that, perhaps a hi-end ball machine that can shoot balls over a half the court at its highest speed setting with you on the BL.
 
Little update: played my 2nd match at line 4 this time. I wouldn’t say that the players weren’t as good as the first but they played a different style of tennis. Lost 2-1, but it was fun and cool to see better tennis
 
MRfStop said:
Little update: played my 2nd match at line 4 this time. I wouldn’t say that the players weren’t as good as the first but they played a different style of tennis. Lost 2-1, but it was fun and cool to see better tennis
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Given the score of your first match, this was exponential improvement!

Honestly, as a decent 3.5C and playing 4.0 competitively enough, I cannot imagine going and playing with 4.5+ players.

For you as a 4.0, hanging in a match with these 5.0/5.5s is great.
 
OnTheLine said:
Given the score of your first match, this was exponential improvement!

Honestly, as a decent 3.5C and playing 4.0 competitively enough, I cannot imagine going and playing with 4.5+ players.

For you as a 4.0, hanging in a match with these 5.0/5.5s is great.
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Thank you.
I had shoulder surgery (labrum) May 2020 and went through 10 months of rehab and even though I was able to hit ground strokes and volleying in October of last year.

I served well but not good enough to hold serve except once. I’m happy with how I feel played and how I served.

I can see how the ATL 4.0s can be that much better than the rest of the state
 
I have a nice counter to your match -

I played 2 matches for my senior men's team (I CAN'T BE THAT OLD!!!!) and won half of our 4 total points for the season...

I played a couple seasons at AA4 years ago, that level ain't no joke.
 
bcart1991 said:
I have a nice counter to your match -

I played 2 matches for my senior men's team (I CAN'T BE THAT OLD!!!!) and won half of our 4 total points for the season...

I played a couple seasons at AA4 years ago, that level ain't no joke.
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Anything AA is definitely no joke. A lot of the veteran captains know how to hide the D1/D2 players especially the ones that have not played ALTA before.
 
MRfStop said:
Yep definitely lines 1 & 2. 3-5 usually below that. I played line 5 for a A1 team and I mostly saw 3.5s
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Seniors doubles (B-5) a few weeks ago, I came up against a guy who played at Young Harris back in the day. Big strokes but I was able to get him off his game and won 2 and 2. I still swear I'm not that old...
 
bcart1991 said:
Seniors doubles (B-5) a few weeks ago, I came up against a guy who played at Young Harris back in the day. Big strokes but I was able to get him off his game and won 2 and 2. I still swear I'm not that old...
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Nice, I think that definitely goes back to how captains can hide players.

My dad played on a B level team (hes 61 y/o and 4.0) and he was blowing through the competition. He had several 0-0 matches. Grant it he did play with a younger kid but his advantage was his speed and not really his strokes so it wasnt like he was so far above the competition. I just remember going to watch them play...and the match was over in 30 mins.

That being said the lower As and the Bs have a mix of USTA levels, some really good teams and some teams that will stay at their level for a while. The upper As and the AAs will always have the former college players and you will see the ones who have played ITF matches at AA2 and AA1.
 
bcart1991 said:
Oh yeah, B-1 to A-6 you get some real solid 4.0 tennis. Lots of guys who just want to play and not drive 45 minutes for high-A/AA matches. Like me out here in west GA.
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I am currently on an A3 men's team and playing line 5. There is competitive tennis and I enjoy playing it. Won my first match 1-3 against a team from Capital City TC and then lost my 2nd match 0-3 to the Bitsy Grant team.
 
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