tennis, life and a few things in between

With the World Cup still fresh in mind, during which time, Chinese social media was surprisingly full of praise for the good old USA. I wouldn’t be surprised if Donald Trump wrote all those positive posts himself! Joking aside, one thing I really appreciate here is the ticketing service—even if I constantly complain about the absurd fees. A $47 per ticket online processing fee? Why so expensive? Isn’t modern technology supposed to make our lives easier and cheaper? In reality, it seems to do just the opposite.

Here is my tennis toureys this year:
1. Miami Open
2. Sarasota Open @ IMG
3. Madrid Open
4. Tokyo
5. Seoul
6. Beijing China Open
7. Shanghai Rolex Masters

I’ve attended or have the tickets to all the tourneys, except #5 Seoul, which will be held from Sept 20-27, isn’t on sale yet.

The first three I’ve attended were easy to buy and to attend. #3 Madrid Open has no problem but won’t return: shabby.

In the past, my friends in China always handled my tickets for sports and concerts. This time, I wanted to try buying them myself after running into so many headaches trying to get tickets for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open, the ATP 500 event in Tokyo.

I finally secured tickets for my 6th and 7th tournaments, which are in China, but only thanks to a friend—I was totally defeated by the booking sites. I had to download two separate apps, neither of which functioned properly. The registration forms didn’t even ask for an international country code, meaning I couldn’t get a confirmation SMS. To top it off, you have to submit your full passport details just to buy a ticket and show it at the gate. My goodness… they’re just sports matches, not border control! … and there is NO way I can add the ticket to my wallet – so many days ahead, the screenshot would be buried in the Photos.

世界杯的余热还没散去. 其间中国社交媒体上居然破天荒地对“老美”一片赞誉. 不知道是不是川建国同学发的. 不过调侃归调侃, 有件事我确实挺赞赏这里的——那就是票务服务,虽然我经常吐槽他们收的附加费简直离谱. 47美元的手续费? 现代科技难道不该让我们的生活更便利、更划算吗？可现实却恰恰相反.

除了第 5 站——9 月 20 日至 27 日举行的首尔站还没开售之外，其他所有站点的比赛我要么已经去现场看了，要么已经买好了票。

前面我看过的头三站，买票和观赛都很顺利。第3站马德里公开赛虽然买票没遇到问题,但我以后不会再去了: 设施环境太简陋了.

以前在中国看体育比赛或演唱会,我的票都是朋友帮忙搞定的.这次我想尝试自己买,主要是因为之前买东京木下集团日本网球公开赛(ATP 500) 的票时碰了一鼻子灰.

今天我终于搞定了中国的第6站和第7站的门票,但这完全多亏了朋友帮忙——我彻底被那几个订票网站折服了.我得分别下载两个不同的App,而且两个都运行不畅.注册界面甚至连国际区号的选择都没有,导致我根本接收不到验证码短信.更离谱的是,光是买票就必须提交护照的所有详细信息,入场时还得出示护照.天哪……这只是体育比赛而已,又不是过海关边检！而且我根本没法把票添加到“钱包”里——因为离出行日期还早,截图肯定会淹没在相册里.

Hope and I won 6-2; and Gray and I lost to Dave & Hope 3-6. They needed 4th so I played.

The first set, I served at 0-1. At 3-15, the rally was long, Hope and I switched side three times. Although we lost this point, but I held on to win the game.  At 4-2, I hit a winning backhand half volly, which was pretty.

The second set, I didn’t hold serve at all. And each serve, I’ve a double.

I went early to practice serve, as usual. Coach said, “You’ve great serve, don’t understand what ”

oh well… from my right hand, I can see my wrist is not correct – not showing salut!

Today’s weather is comfortable, no blazing sun. It rained after our game’s done, while I was in the pool and locker room. Then pouring hard after I got home.

A lucky day, done 🎾 before the☔️⛈️ 好运气 离场时开始🌧️游完泳后就停了 现在又开始兴风作浪的 [玫瑰]

6-2, 3-6

非常好的一场
三个小鲜肉都棒
第一局俺守住了二次发. 尤其是0-1, 30-15发时. 我和搭档换了三次位置 虽然输了这个球 30-30 但是赢了盘.

早上教练经过看到我在练发球 说 “你发的已经很好了 不知道你在担心啥…” 酸甜苦辣咸的 俺就想改掉饼 但他就是看不见 🙈[咒骂][偷笑] 服

I lost two sets with two partners.

There was a bad line call when Jeff served from the deuce court side. His ball landed on the side of the tap. I heard it and saw it, so did the receiver. But his partner called it out and said it was her call.

I agree, it was their call, but I also have the right to say what I saw. Nearly 70 years old, someone has to have the last say: so sickening… it was double fault -:).

~ ~ … still struggling with my serve! ~ ~

So, it was a second serve. Although we won the game but lost the set.

During the changeover, the receiver whispered

to me that it was a good ball.

“I knew.”

I despise the receiver-sort-of players: if you knew it was a good ball, why didn’t you say so?

… a few forehand and backhand

&

Matt & I v Dave L & Tony: 6-2, 4-6.

We were leading 3-0, but then took a long break, then lost drive -:)

… still working on my serve: tossing high and drop low, and I served up two aces, all from the ad court to the ally!

It may not be an earth shattering thing, but I served well, even tray is still there: by tossing first, I’ve a better serve.

Hope and I def Sandi & Matt, 6-2
Matt and I def (well … ) 4-1 when Hope quit.

6-2, 4-1 someone quit

屡教不改的又一场
第一盘从0-2 追回来的

发球不错 小开心… 有tray 那张不能放 [捂脸]

自欺欺人 [调皮] 不过俺真的有改进哦 -手腕不行

What a comeback – however small!

Serving second in the set, promptly went down to 0-40. Then, one point at a time, I got to duece.

9 of them!

Clinching the win was such a joy.

I’ve not been playing since the Douro River trip. Today I served well. The feedback:

The good news

1. You are reaching a true trophy position

* In frames 2–4, your tossing arm is up and your hitting elbow is separated from your body.
* Your shoulders are tilted nicely.
* You are not serving with a pancake motion from the start.

2. The racket drop is real

* By frame 5, the racket head is dropping behind your back.
* That’s something a severe waiter’s tray serve cannot do.

6-3, 7-3
… from 0-40 down to 9 deuces and won

9个平分 [白眼] 赢的艰难

我的第一个发球局——也就是这一盘的第二局——竟然从0比40落后,一路打出了9次平分! 二个男娃 来势汹汹 最终赢 累死大妈了