Today, Tom McCune and I teamed up against a solid doubles team of Tony Cessna (seeded singles player from KY) and Roger Upton, who I beat in the first round of singles.
The first set started with several long and close, deuce/add games — which we lost. And found ourselves down 0-5. We managed to hold serve to save the bagel; but lost 6-1.
We talked on the changeover about one of my cardinal rules: change a losing game. I suggested we could either go defensive and retreat to the baseline, or just the opposite, hit out and play stronger offense. We agreed on OFFENSE.
In the second set, the first nine games were on serve. With their serving at 4-5, we ‘attacked’ our way to a break and the second set.
In the third and deciding set, we maintained the MO and the offense and had them serving at 2-5. They held serve. And then we served for the match at 5-3 and lost that game (lack of offense).
They served again at 4-5; and again we attacked and were able to break for the game and the match: 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
A good victory, setting us up for Thursday’s match at 2 p.m. against the #2 seeded team of Corso and Long from NY.
P.S. My groin pull was not an issue.
Nice win, geo. good luck in the next round