First league match back and I got absolutely clocked, 6-2, 6-1. The guy was phenomenal and had me second guessing all life choices, including tennis as a hobby. Any short ball, blasted out through the corner. He was just free and loose and on fire. And I was out at sea, contemplating a Clash. (his frame)
When we shook hands I told him how good of a player he was and he said, actually, he wasn’t usually: he’d never played a match that well. Trying to make me feel better, the b*st*rd.
Loads of time left, so we played on. New match for practice. At which point, went to the bag for the fresh toy sent to me recently by legend 808 in a hilarious sampler box of opposites: the Rafalito (modified to 330s sw) and a TGT 312, the 93 sq inch Prestige pro stock Marin Cilic uses now. I’ve been hitting with these samplers this week and both have been very fun, in different ways: Rafalito is a video game, the spring out of the bed is hilarious, and epic on the forehand when one is feeling good but, but, that spring means the slice gets away from me too often, as I just can’t feel the ball sit on the bed long enough for how I like to knife and throw the slice low. The Marin, meanwhile, has been great but I have preferred the feel of my 293.1s and their more manageable SW to Marin’s 339 (on my Briffidi). However, I have been flummoxed by how well and easily Marin serves. To the point where I almost feel Croatian.
So, to the practice match against the beast who just killed me: I grabbed Marin, needing some serve help. And I just began clubbing them. The serves as well as the forehands and backhands. Hitting all my spots except a few balls maybe a foot long here and there.
Before I knew it, I had won a set 6-1, and Mr. Clash was saying, “See? Told you I wasn’t actually that good.” And then I was up 5-3 in a second set when we had to stop.
Adding to my reputation (given by me) as the GOAT of practice matches following losses, I am now questioning everything. Even wondering if I actually may love the TK82S grip shape that’s on Marin. Or was it just the classic “nothing to lose” mentality vs a guy who’d relaxed after his league win and didn't have much to play for?
I’ll say this, some lead is now going to be slapped onto my 293.1s to get the SW up from low 330s to higher 330s. The security of the higher SW hit me today. Why was serving at A 339sw a million times easier and more effective than serving with a 331sw? Was it just the fluidity of the mid? (mids always pop, and hitting spots somehow so easy - I remember fondly here my all time serving frame, the K Blade Tour) …
Maybe JollyRoger was right all along with his 93 Redhead that he always championed.
Or maybe I was just too nervous and “off” after so many months off from match play, and the rust and the nerves finally gave way to proper spacing and freedom forehands. Maybe I do have some Croatian blood. Maybe it’s Maybeline.
All in all, a great fun day. I knew I might get killed. And I may get killed some more before I really find it again. And that Marin feeling may very well crash and burn out next time or the time after. We know how this goes.
But for a brief moment there in the middle of winter, I saw light sparkling off the Adriatic.
It’s all about the serve, boys.
