Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Well, my body has finally broken down enough that I need to put down the rackets. I'm getting surgery on my right wrist tomorrow (torn ligament or something and a bone spur). And I went to an ankle doc today for my achilles issues (degeneration of the achilles and big bone spur at heel), and that means a couple of months in a boot followed by PT. And if that doesn't work, surgery with a crazy long recovery.
So with all of that going on, I played my final 7.5 combo match last night against two really solid opponents and with a lovely, new partner. Even though I normally struggle with my FH return, I hit great returns. My approach volleys were pretty good, given how my wrist wasn't enjoying that at all. We won the first set 7-5, then went on a walkabout in the second 1-6. I persuaded my partner to switch sides for the match tiebreak because my experience is that this tends to get opponents out of whatever groove they found to win the second set. We won the 3rd set tiebreak 10-8.
But the best part was that I hit a particular shot that I have never handled well in 15 years of tennis.
Late in the tiebreak, opponent hit a defensive lob to the ad side that was either going to land just on her side or just on my side. I knew if I tried to take it out of the air I might make contact on their side (or be accused of same), so I waited close to the net, on my toes, watching the ball carefully. It landed on the net strap, and then fell gently onto my side. For once in my life, I didn't panic and try to hit some impossible shot. I just carefully popped it over into the alley, with just enough angle that neither of them could reach it. What a way to go out!!
Anyway, I hope I can get back to playing someday. I was definitely on the verge of a bump to 4.0, and I went undefeated in Combo this fall. All of my work on volleys and FH was finally paying off, and now I'll have to start all over. Ahem.
Cindy -- finding this walking boot far preferable to limping
So with all of that going on, I played my final 7.5 combo match last night against two really solid opponents and with a lovely, new partner. Even though I normally struggle with my FH return, I hit great returns. My approach volleys were pretty good, given how my wrist wasn't enjoying that at all. We won the first set 7-5, then went on a walkabout in the second 1-6. I persuaded my partner to switch sides for the match tiebreak because my experience is that this tends to get opponents out of whatever groove they found to win the second set. We won the 3rd set tiebreak 10-8.
But the best part was that I hit a particular shot that I have never handled well in 15 years of tennis.
Late in the tiebreak, opponent hit a defensive lob to the ad side that was either going to land just on her side or just on my side. I knew if I tried to take it out of the air I might make contact on their side (or be accused of same), so I waited close to the net, on my toes, watching the ball carefully. It landed on the net strap, and then fell gently onto my side. For once in my life, I didn't panic and try to hit some impossible shot. I just carefully popped it over into the alley, with just enough angle that neither of them could reach it. What a way to go out!!
Anyway, I hope I can get back to playing someday. I was definitely on the verge of a bump to 4.0, and I went undefeated in Combo this fall. All of my work on volleys and FH was finally paying off, and now I'll have to start all over. Ahem.
Cindy -- finding this walking boot far preferable to limping
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