Our Friday doubles quarter finals match was against the #2 seeds, Tom Galeazzi and Bob Gargiula, both from Long Island, NY. During the warmup, we could see they were steady players with goods hands; but, again, not as mobile as Dick and me.
So we tried to play our steady and net-aggressive game; and were able to take the first set 6-1. They then took the tactic of “changing a losing game†by switching return sides, playing Aussie on many returns, and going to the lob.
But while Dick and I missed only one return of serve between us in the first set, we missed ZERO in the second; and were able to coast to a 6-1, 6-1 victory.
Our opponents confessed as to not knowing why they were seeded #2, since they hadn’t played very many tournaments recently. And under the “small world†category, Bob Gargiula graduated from Hofstra University in 1965 and had a brother Jim graduate in ’63 – just like I did! But since he was a multi-sport jock and I was a multi-beer frat boy, we didn’t know each other.
Today’s doubles semis is against the #3 seeds from near Tampa, Florida.