So here's my Tournament results:
Friday: Played one match. Opponent was an older guy, but right from the warm-up I could tell he was very consistent. No weapon but anything that came to him would come back. He held the first game and I went away with the rest. I kept the ball away from him and used his lack of movement against him. Won the match 6-1 6-0 and he said "I better win or he's gonna be pissed" (very nice guy, he came to the rest of my matches).
Second match was Saturday. Played an 80 (some say 87) year old (couldn't believe it!). He played for Georgia Tech back in the 50s. He was consistent and could take my serves extremely early but he didn't do too much with his shots. Very short slicey strokes. I won 6-0 6-2 (last two games I felt like a jerk. I probably hit 30+ winners because he couldn't move well. Turns out he's good friends with my first opponent [who was watching] and they bet to see who could get the most games off me). I think at the end of the match he shouted "I won!" haha.
3rd match I played Sunday (it was the Semi-finals). Another older guy but this guy could move well and had a very solid slice backhand (I'm 6'4 so slices aren't my favorite). Right from the start I took a solid lead but let it slip and he broke back for 2-2. As the match progressed I became more and more unconfident with my strokes. I just couldn't get enough whip action to bring his slices up and down so I found myself pushing the ball at times. I played the worst net play of my life (had tons of put away opportunities and fluked) and I started to think of how I could make the best of this bad day. He took the first set. The second set I started to play more aggressively on his serve. I could easily pounce on the second serve and hit either a winner or a good approach. I got in the groove of breaking his serve, but for some reason couldn't hold mine. He ended up going up 5-3 with me serving. I played some very loose points and went down 15-40, giving him two match points. I was already extremely frustrated with myself, so I decided just to go for some big serves and hope for the best. Hoping worked! I hit two bombs and brought the game to deuce. I ended up taking the game for 4-5. On his serve I broke him very easily. And then he returned the favor and broke me back. I felt very comfortable in the tiebreak and took the set 7-6 (1). Third set I played much better and started hitting my net shots. Won the match 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-1.
DIRECTLY after that 3 hour 3-setter, I had to go play a final. I decided not to take too big of a break so that I wouldn't lose momentum. My opponent was a much different look that my previous match. He had a hard return and hit deep with topspin. His first serve was hard and flat but his second sat up right where I liked it. He had a flat backhand and not much of a slice. I started weak and went down 0-2 but found my focus and brought it back to 2-2. He held after serving 4 big first serves and then I held. When he was serving at 3-3 his first serves didn't work so well and I had alot of looks at second serves. I pummeled the ones that came up shoulder high and broke him for 4-3. I held to go up 5-3 and ended up serving out the set to win it 6-4 after he held serve. I played very lazy in the 2nd set and missed alot of opportunities. My strokes began to feel powerless and I started to get a little tired. My feet were so wet that when I went to run for a drop shot my foot slid into the tip of my shoe (bruised my toe - O____O). I lost the set 6-3 or 6-4 I can't remember. During the break I changed socks, grips and shirts and felt very fresh. I went up 3-0 right away and he held a very hard deuce-ad game to bring the score to 3-1. I played loosely after not converting and got broken. He held again and we were back on serve. At 3-3 I gave him one break point opportunity. I decided that I needed to start going for my big serves again. I hit some very important aces and held serve to go up 4-3. He held for 4-4 and I held for 5-4. We had a tough game but I ended up taking the set 6-4.
Overall I had alot of fun in the tournament. I found some flaws in my game though and I look to improve them. Think I'll try 4.0 next time around (2 months).
Thanks to anyone that read!
