tennis, life and a few things in between

The first Friday of 2025 Wimbledon. women’s doubles second round: Jelena Ostapenko & Su-wei Hsieh v Marta Kostyuk & Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
Both Hsieh and Kostyuk top open back design. But I think Kostyuk’s is better.

Hsieh is too wide open, not really practical: who can wear it without showing the undergarment?

Other matches:

• the mens’ final, Jul 13
• Amanda into final July 10
• Shelton came back to finish the job
• Amanda Anisimova def D Galfi in 3
• Taylor Fritz de A. Davidovich in 4
• Madison Keys lost to Siegemund

Other matches and happening at 2025 Wimbledon:

• Bencic def Andreeva
• Jelena Ostapenko’s underwear
• Benny’s cupping marks
• Benny‘s 2nd round match def Hijikata

Benny (Atlanta, 2002-; 2022, $7,364,929 on 2025.7.03) is my favorite player: flashy, athletic, fun, … he also has a pair of likeable parents.

• the first Friday, 7.04

From the start, Ben reminds me of cartoon character in the tv show Rugrat (never watched it). He’s really fun to watch, a rascal.

He’s playing his second round match at Wimbledon 2025 today, against the Aussie player Rinky Hijikata (Sydney, 2001-; 2021, $2,861,238). Not sure why didn’t he close out the match at 4-5, 0-40 in the third. It’s suspended, till tomorrow.

American players have lost today to non American:

1. Tommy Paul lost to Ofner
2. Giron lost to J. Mensik
3. Sophia Kenin lost to J. Bouzas
4. Caty McNally lost to Iga
5. Caroline Dolehide lost Barbora Krejčíková
6. Katie Volynets lost to E. Cocciartetto

Happy to see

1. Emma Navarro def Veronika Kudermetova (1997-)
2. Danielle Collins def Veronika Erjavec
3. Hailey Baptiste def Victoria Mboko
4. … Will Ben make the 4th?

Two Americans played, Brandon Nakashima (2001-) def Reilly Opelka (1997-).

Ben also reminded me of Donald Young (Chicago, 1989-; 2004, $4,694,661) whose career didn’t really pan out. Somehow, Taylor Townsend (Chicago, 1996-; 2012,  $6,171,091) did.

A bragging day: 🎾 5-4, 5-1, 5-4 😉 … while my left forearm is still in pain. I took both 5-4 sets’ one point decider and won: the golden rule at my level is to make less error.

I got two treats: one is the last bag of Chinese tea from Georgia 🇬🇪 (the country).

Second, we went to Lilac, the dinner was pretty good.

The 3 sets of match went:

1. w/ Greg: trailing 0-3… At 4-4, 40-40, my partner indicates to Ed that I’ll be receiving.
2. w/ Ed: 4-0, 40-0, I was serving … hoping to close out 5-0, give Ed a payback for dragging him into getting a bagel
3. w/ lady P: a rare treat, playing with a girl. At 4-4, 40-40, she said, “I know you want this …” Sure, I took it … and won the one point decider.

🎾 5-4, 5-1, 5-4 😉 犒劳自己一下
喝杯精品茶 格外绿

第一局 0-3
第二局 4-0, 40-0 俺又心思思 … 搭档是上次和俺一起吃🥚 想替他挽回一下 很把自己当根葱[Lol]
第三节 难得和一女娃

今天俺打的不错
胳膊疼 只能靠集中精力- 迫不得已
想想 平时 如果也集中精力 是不是应该打的更好一些
人笨无药医

1-2, one of the two losing sets was a bagel: can’t hit double hand backhand. Single hardback hand isn’t too effective. Oh well.

Got a bagel
1-2 输了
其中一个是🥚

左手痛 不能用
只能单反
自己都被自己帅昏过去了[Lol]
赢不到分后才醒过来
…才知道每个肢体都挺有用的 [偷笑]

说点证痣正确的话
无语
就是想显配一下刚刚学的词 ‘证痣’ … 🐮🦷

… two serves, forehand and back

The lower part of my left arm hurts so much, I quit at 5-5 in the first set (went to acupuncture in August).

serve 1

… and serve 2

… and four big birds sandhill cranes

So, another lesson in serving, and the take home note:

1. Left foot 45° to the baseline
2. Make a box
3. 2 seconds medication
4. Toss
5. Look up at the ball
6. Rotate to face the net and hit

A winning day: Graham 5-3, Dave G 5-2. It’s my first time playing with Vijay who has serious spins, not much serve tho.

Bob took a fall from one of my forehand drop shots… I felt terrible … but at the same time, each player has to know his or her limit, (?)

I always utilize drop shot, especially backhand. But since I decided that I prefer forehand side of the court, I also practice forehand drop shot: it’s decidedly obvious, that my backhand drop is lower and better.

^{Isn’t the court looking beautiful? … eeehhhr … the irrigation has problem.}

A 3-0 day: w/ Graham 5-3 & 5-4 (Denny said they want a rematch), w/ Denny 5-4. Didn’t get to play with Alan – we were all pretty tired.

For the past two matches, I felt pretty good about my serve.

… and a few forehands, and backhand