tennis, life and a few things in between

At the last match of pickleball, one of the teammates reminded me about my serve: might not be legal. So here are two recordings, in slow mo and regular motion.

After warming up, we played regular games.

The five week long Minor League Pickleball starts tonight. This is the second season. I missed the first one due to travel to Antarctic last year.

There are five teams, all with whimsical names: Rally Cats (my team), Dinkers Anonymous, Dinkers & Drivers, Golden Gherkins 2.0 and Hell’s Kitchen.

Three teams have 14 players (we do) two have 15, dividing into two brackets: A (8 players play two matches each week) and B (6/7 players play two matches each time). B bracket is less skilled that includes me. Each team gets a bye week; ours comes next Tuesday, Feb 18. When the score is ties at 4:4 or 3:3, dream breaker is played.

Each team have a specific color of t shirt, substitutes wear white. All our matches used subs. I missed one; three male subs in the final.

The rally scoring is used, which means every point is scored, either by the serving team or receiving team. Normal recreational play uses sideout scoring system, only the server or serving team scores point.

• First to win 25 points by two points, wins the match, on your own serve
• When serving team loses the point, the OP not only gets a point but the right to serve next
• Partners don’t switch side
• At 13 point, two teams switch court
• In case of a tie, skinny singles with 4 points each time, decides.

For example, if opponent serves and missed, we get a point, and get to serve next.

During this period, my game has improved – learned a few pointers:

• holding the paddle vertically!
• to serve better
• watch the line when serving – no foot fault

The standings

The last two weeks March 18 and 25 are playoffs, score is independent: winner takes all.

I’m in bracket B, and our bracket has been doing great: won all our matches.

One observation: compare to tennis players, pickleball players are less athletic and rougher, in term of etiquette. For example, they’ve no qualm of exiting through another court while the ball is still in play in that court. I mean, you should wait, show some courtesy and respect!

The first week (today) I played two matches: one mixed doubles and one doubles. Both matches’ opponents were male.

1. w/ Carlos, def Rich M & Bill B: 28-26
2. w/ Karlina, def Rich M & Joe B: 26-24

The first match, OP chose to serve, I was receiving. It zoomed by me so fast, I didn’t see it.

Later in the game, Rich was serving even when I held up my paddle as I was rushing to my position. He served without hesitation, anyway. After the point was over, his captain who happened to there watching, said, “When they hold up paddle, you need to wait.”

Hmmmm… even you don’t know this rule, but should know common courtesy, don’t you? If the player isn’t in position, you wait.

The second match, down to the wire again.

When I was serving, Rich said he wasn’t looking. Hmmmm … I hope this isn’t a payback. But “I’m not even looking” is NOT a valid excuse. You play at server’s pace.

At 25-24, I said to my partner, “win by two points?”
“No, three points.” She said.
I turned to face the server and thinking better to confirm it, so I help up my hand. Just then Joe served to my partner. I stepped into the kitchen and blocked it casually.
My captain who just got there, said “that’s it.”
“No, I held up my hand.” I said.
“Yes, she did.” Joe said. I won’t know what would be the result if Joe didn’t speak up, back me up.

So two points it is.
And we come from behind to seal the victory.

Joe is less skilled than Rich but he has good control, able to consistently hit to my partner – they both are tier 4 players. Being by the kitchen line, there isn’t a room for me to cut in and hit back at a better angel or faster pace. Nevertheless, we cliched a win, which pleased me very much, given the unsportsmanship conduct.

I checked with coach Byron Freso, below is his reply ↓

The server is always in the driver’s seat. However, if the receiver is not ready, the server has to wait. In pickleball, they both have 10 seconds to serve or receive the ball.

There are three way the receiver can indicate they are not ready – paddle up, the other hand up, or back turned.

Aside from pickleball, today is the 14th of the lunar new year, the day before the 元宵節 / 元宵节 Lantern Festival when the moon is at fullest/the first full moon of the year, which also considered the Chinese Valentine’s Day.

It’s a busy day for me.

A beautiful full moon night 花好月圆夜
tennis pickleball swimming ♠️❤️
㊗️福亲们 元宵节快乐哈

🕖 getting up
🕢 🏊 warm up
🕗 🎾 tennis
🕛 聚餐 pastrami sandwish
🕐 ♠️ 桥牌
🕒 📖会
🕕 第一个星期的皮克球比赛 – 共五周
🕗 🏊 full moon

🎾 二局4-0, 我发球 … 失掉送🥚的机会
(是潜意识不想 还是简单失误? 鬼知道)2:1
还有鸡爪子 🤣 练

♠️ 几手牌都不太好 小2 老3 的多多 😂 一手拿齐J 啥牌呀 🃏
但机会难得 练技巧 😁

皮克 热闹. 打了两场 都赢了 – 搭档好

三进泳池 抬头看见圆圆的月亮 明天吃汤团 甜的咸的

但我现在想吃烤鸭 小笼包

…Gulf of America
以为川建国同志就是随口说说
真改呀？
上午看时 谷歌地图6️⃣已经改了. 苹果地图5️⃣还是墨西哥湾
现在已经改了 …

咱们学的那点地理可能不够用了. 看来又要进修了 continue ed [憨笑]

周二的流水账

元宵节快乐🏮

^{It’s a 50° day, perfect for a warm drink: my bean-milk}

So, we played the last game of the five week long team tourney: we won 3 out of eight, failing to be the spoiler, unfortunately.

One match, our mates got cheated with bad line call, detail will follow.

Some mates played three matches while I played only two:

1. w/ Dave, vs Beth n Melanie: 11-4
2. w/ Bev, vs Beth n Melanie: 7-11

With Dave, at 6, we forgot to switch. I won the next point, at 7:3:2. After switching side, I said, “let’s start from 6 …” We played it out and won 11-4. After it done, my partner pulled me aside, said, “never again to give a point away.”

“What if they disagree?” I said.

“Let me deal with it.”

… I understand his point of view, totally. But this is a neighborly tourney .. oh well. I don’t have killer instinct. Silly me.

Both matches went well. However, Linda’s match was marred with bad line calls.

Afterward, I went to swim. The water temperature is 76°: couldn’t be better!

We played the second to the last team tournament. Due to the contractor’s change of schedule, I missed last week’s play when my mates won 5 out of 8 games: my team is better off without me -:).

Today’s games are flawless, everyone, us and opponents played well and no bad line calls at all.

My 3 games:

1. w/ Bev, v. Matt / Bob: 1-11
2. w/ Linda, v. Tia / Jeff, 11-9
3. w/ Barb v. Matt / Tia, 1-11

Ultimately, we won 4 and lost 4 games from the #1 standing team the Kitchen Crew. Their cumulative total win is at 23 (us at 14). One more match to go, against the current #2 who had 18 wins.

We played our second game today, against the Crushers that had 4:4 from week 1. I played two matches

Needless to say, I played terribly. What’s happening? Afterward, I played with one of the opponent who said, “it’s so difficult to play with you. You need to come up. You’re playing tennis on the pickleball court.”

So right.

Oh Gosh.

1. with Ava v. Nancy n Beth, 7-11
2. with David v John n Beth, 9-11

Today starts the five-week long tournament, with six teams, each team has 7 players.

Bad line calls are prevalent. During our first game, there were two bad calls from my shot to the right side of the line. We lost to them 9-11.

The next game, there was a bad line call again. One of the spectators said it was good. One of the opponents said, it was their call. So the out stayed. A little moment later, my partner called their shot out, the same opponent said that we were event. It didn’t sit with me well. I let go the close calls, always thinking that 99% out is still 100% in. Oh well.

The standings

Pickleball five weeks tourney

昨天开始五周长的皮克球比赛
这次是分几个队赛 双打
我们小队有8个人
俺打了三场 只赢了最后一场. 太多好球被对方叫出界 [吐][抓狂]
11-13: 二次
9-11: 一次
11-1
…
俺修养不够 会不高兴一阵儿[偷笑]
教练常说 好球被对方叫出界 是不可避免的. 完全知道 所以俺通常不叫近线球
… 游泳就不会有这种情况 [偷笑]
🏊🏊

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 卧虎藏龙嘛 – Byron Freso ran our pickleball tournaments, who also ran the one at USTA.

Byron is our pickleball head coach, likes to call me Miss Irene. He gives private lessons, both individually  and with group up to four.

My first lesson with him is fruitful. He’s a good coach, in that, he builds on what you’ve.

“Take your time.”

CAN you imagine, taking time to line up shot in pickleball? Time, is what the sport doesn’t have. All goes quickly and intuitive reaction. But listen to him repeatedly, I do see the point: that, I do have time to pause, see where the ball is coming from and where it would likely to land.

He likes my forehand topspin, “I was never a good tennis player,” he would say. Toward end of the hour, he suggested two paddles. I tried them both and liked them both. He sells at cost. So I’ll have a new paddle … my last tennis racket purchase was a century ago -:)

He was at my first pro pickleball tourney which was held at USTA in 2022. He remembered the Jewish graduation ceremony. “That was the first time. I went there this May again. It’s annual event now.” He’s the chief umpire.

“Jack Sock got destroyed …” he said. I last saw Sock playing was this April, at Sarasota Open. How did he degrade into such low state? He was once No. 8 in singles (2017.11.20) and #2 in doubles (on 10 Sept 2018) in tennis.

Although pickleball is easy to get into, but to master it, request the same hard work -:) duh. “The top pros make over $1m and the top 1 or 2 travels with their trainers. … A pro team sells for $5m. Tom Brady, Kim Clijsters, etc. are owners.” According to him, Clijsters lives in Florida with her three children.

After the lesson, he said, “you’re going to play tennis …” Of course I’m -:).

有眼不识泰山🦷

皮克球的风云人物
一堂课下来 累死了
…
他说 “明天又去打网球🎾…”
俺 “施压”
简直糟蹋他的时间 [偷笑]

6⃣️ 是去年俺第一次看皮克职业赛 … 他是那里大拿 大碗 大大大
“年年都要去…”
…
他介绍的拍子都非常好用
鸟枪换炮 [偷笑]

周末快乐

Just played my second pickleball tourney (the rained out day from Thur)… feeling the urge to share this video: 2019 Wimbledon when Jelena Ostapenko hits Alize Cornet with a serve and … wins the point. Oh ya, rightfully so.

Ok, if you’re not familiar with USTA rules, you might feel for Cornet’s ‘outrage’ but in fact, I think she’s full of shxt – being on tour and being a pro for so long and doesn’t know this basic rule? Come on, get real and stop acting. Even I knew Jelena Ostapenko wins the point – thanks to my usta league days, which is regardless intensional or unintentional (this isn’t the point here).

Most weekend warriors, usually don’t bother with game’s rules other than to count scores. Therefore, many funny things happen, such as this one, when I played with other groups who don’t know much about the rules, they always refuse to believe, and won’t take the point.

I thought of this episode when I played today.

I’ve not played since my first a month ago. So I was rustic with the game as well as with the rules: I charged in without waiting for the return to bounce, and then three-pete by failing to call the score before I served.

Just so you know, not calling out the score before serve, warrens a void (couldn’t remember the exact word they used), regardless I/we won or lost the ensuing point.

As it happened, I lost all three times.

As it happened, the pro was watching, who provided concise commentary and affirmed the rule. One would think that would be the end of it.

As it happened on our court with three women and 1 gent, which was the first set of the day. After my first failing to call out the score (after I charged in without bounce), the man walked off the court and over to the pro between the points, and said something unintelligible to me. Although it looks like “mommy I want milk” -:), it feels odd, and a little guilty (might be it was me he went to complain??) – even this group isn’t all that competitive – if they’re, I won’t have made into playoff the last time, would I? – but good natured, I apologized, yelled out loud, that due to my lack of playing, not familiar with the rules, if that causes you discomfort, I apologize, totally hoping to smooth thing out and get on with the play.

After my third crime – totally dumb on my part, but again, I’ve told you repeatedly that I’m pretty dumb, haven’t I? The man argued loudly, with the pro too. A few moments have passed, with patiently waiting, I finally asked him, “How long have you played pickleball?” … so you might know the rule, better … so we may move on?

“As long as you’re.” He said. That, didn’t sit well with me. I asked you a valid question with respect, please return in kind.

Now, I’m wondering, who’s dumber, me three-peat or him saying as long as: in fact, how could he know how long have I played? My contempt is same as for Alize Cornet: garbage. Please be real and respectful.

They won the set 11-4. I played him again later, and at 6-4, he quit due to an injury. Whatever. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

Teammates I played with

1. Mary 3-11
2. Angela 4-11
3. Steve 11-4
4. Donni 5-11
5. Alicia 6-4
6. John 11-4

The last set with John was really enjoyable. He was my partner at the playoff and I felt I ruined his chances to win. He’s very polite and provides me with many pointers even as we played. I’m very grateful and feeling lucky, Thanks J! Actually, many players are willing to help me out, with rules and reminders. Some even says to my partner to “help her out.” THANK YOU ALL!

The other team in red won the tourney. Afterward, when I returned to court after washing the glasses my teammate lent me (THANK you mate!), he was there again with the pro, talking. After seeing me, he stopped, silently waiting for me to leave. What’s more could be said? Rule is rule, dude. SO petty. So non stop, like the bunny the energizer.

if you think women are petty and non stop nagging. Think again.

I’m petty and nagging in writing and posting this.

2019 年温布尔登网球公开赛,耶莱娜·奥斯塔彭科 (Jelena Ostapenko) 发球击中艾莉兹·科内特 (Alize Cornet),并……赢! 哦, 是的, 确实如此. … Cornet 婊 职业生涯这么久 还不知道这个 基本规则? 演啥戏呀 😂 (非常好笑的是 有二次🎾 发生 对方不肯相信我的解释 硬是把分塞给我们)
想起这个是因为第一局一矮胖男 喊打喊杀的和教练争论一个规则.

Pickleball injuries could cause $500 million in medical costs, analysts say I’m not surprised: it’s easy to pick up and play, that’s why it’s so popular. How many of them are doing proper warm up and stretch afterward?