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Archive for January, 2011

Rules, Results, and Reality

Here are two interesting tennis rule issues from this week’s USTA Super Senior event at Sterling Oaks in Naples, results from there, and a look ahead to next week’s Category II at University Park in Sarasota.

Results and Request for Medical Advice

One of the problems with having a blog is that you have to report the losses as well as the wins. Oh, did I leak “the end of the story?” But first, a request from a tennis buddy who is suffering with a torn rotator cuff…

Singles Quarterfinals

( USTA )

I’m sorry, I am too tired to type. Here are just highlights from today….

The Halo Effect

When I took a pysch course in college, I remember the professor talking about “The Halo Effect” … people being studied will react differently (better) than normal. Well, that is what happened on the tennis court today for my second round singles match.

Start Slowly

In “Winning Ugly,” Brad Gilbert reminds us, when playing a Big Match (and for us, ANY tournament match is a Big Match), start slowly and don’t go for any big shots for the first few games. I tried that in my opening round singles match at Sterling Oaks today.

Playing in the Wind

Gary Williamson of Springboro, OH was my opponent for the Cape Coral 65 consolation singles final, played here in Pelican Bay with northwest wind gusts of up to 30 mph. So what do you do?

The Match of the Day

Not my Cape Coral consolation semi-finals; but it was the 65 singles finals between #1 seed Fred Drilling and #2 seed Don Long.

Roy Replies

Before going on the court for our second round doubles match at Cape Coral on Thursday, I received an email from Roy Emerson about Tom and I switching return sides.

Emmo Was Right

Three years ago at Newk’s Camp, we had a debate about which side the “steady player” should play in doubles. And it impacted Tom and my doubles match at the Cape Coral USTA tournament.

Unswept Lines At Cape Coral

( USTA )

The second of the USTA Super Senior Series is this week at Cape Coral (north of Ft. Myers) and they have an interesting policy: they sweep the baseline and the parallel service line; but do NOT sweep the side lines or the service box center line.

Lessons Learned: Colonial Day 2

Second round of singles and I played #5 seed, Tony Cessna from KY. I played him twice before … lost once and beat him in three sets two years ago (when he had a bad shoulder and really couldn’t serve well.)

USTA Colonial Day 1

Today was day one of the first of the four southwest Florida USTA Super Senior Series, this one held at the Colonial Country Club in Ft. Myers. I am playing only singles (since I have family coming in this weekend) and Tom is teaming with a Minnesota friend, Dave Spilseth.

The Ball Matters

What is the best tennis ball to play with? The world is full of opinions on this topic… so here are mine.