Ran into Goldstein at the neighborhood public courts

[atatu]

It was weird, I took my kids down to knock some balls around. It was still pretty wet out so I didn't think anyone would be there, but Paul Goldstein was there hitting with a buddy of his who apparently lives in Austin. I loaned them my broom so they could clear off a puddle and asked him what he was doing in Austin. Apparently he's on the way to Houston to play River Oaks and the US Clay courts. He was using the 03 tour and he had a blacked out Prince sitting on the court also. I resisted the impulse to demonstrate that I was a total tennis nerd by reciting to him his junior career, college career and best professional wins. I did mention that I saw him play high school tennis at Sidwell Friends in D.C., couldn't resist that. I should have asked him if he knew Fee, that would have really thrown him...

 

[Fee]

It would have thrown him because he does not know me by the name I use here. To be honest, I don't think he knows me at all except by sight. It's neat that you got to meet him, he's a pretty decent guy from what I've seen.

 

[guedoguedo]

did goldstein go to sidwell

 

[atatu]

Yeah, he played at Sidwell back in the late 80's or early 90's, he was called the best high school player in the US, because he was one of the only top juniors who actually played on his high school team. Can you imagine if you're the top player at Saint Albans or someplace like that and you show up and have to play Goldstein ?

 

[texastennis06]

His coach also resides in Austin now.

 

[Ken B.]

Which courts were these? The ones at Tejas Tennis over on Cumberland (the place now run by Brie Rippner, the former WTA player)?

 

[SoBad]

Yeah, he played at Sidwell back in the late 80's or early 90's

Yes, some Goldstein scholars believe that up and down turbulence of his pro career is related to those early traumatic tennis experiences. Practicing and competing at those khaki-coloured cracks-covered little tennis courts that were apparently last resurfaced around 1917 when Paul's great-grandfather fled the communist revolution; with no wind screens, squeezed between a noisy baseball field and the smoky traffic of Wisonsin Avenue...

 

[califsurferboy33]

haha he's one of the best high school players of all time. But like jared pinsky is playing at winston churchill in Maryland and such. Actaully Churchill just played sidwell and beat them 4-3.

 

[SoBad]

pinsky bros are our pride and our bright future...

 

[atatu]

Which courts were these? The ones at Tejas Tennis over on Cumberland (the place now run by Brie Rippner, the former WTA player)?

No, these were the courts at Highland Park/Perry Park, two little hard courts off of Balcones and Hancock.

Not sure what the courts are like at Sidwell now, but back then they were pretty nice.