Consolation singles quarter finals match against Gary Wilson of DC, who beat me two years ago 7-6, 6-4 and I returned the favor by beating him in the same score two weeks ago (both matches taking two hours).
Well, another battle today.
I was able to control the points and the play for a set and a half… having a 6-2, 5-2 lead, with Gary serving to stay in the match. Double fault. Another double fault! Although his strength is his first serve, I said to myself, “He will now spin one in at 0-30 and I will attack it.”
To his credit, he stayed with his big serve and hit some aces and unreturnables and clawed out that game. I guess I lost some focus and stopped moving my feet; because he then broke me… he held again… and broke me again… and was serving 6-5, 40-15 for the second set.
I somehow saved those two set points and one more after that; and actually broke him back to go to a second set tiebreaker. He took the early lead; but I came back and was serving 6 points to 5 for the match. We had a nose-to-nose point at the net and I missed a match-point backhand volley just wide.
He then went on to win the second set tiebreaker; and we played a 10-point Champions Tie Break for the match. Unfortunately, his serve was really on; and my movement was really off… and at the end of two hours and twenty minutes of tough singles, he won.
To be honest, after five matches in three days, I am ready for a day of rest on Friday (and get ready for the BIG Category II tournament next week at Naples Bath).