Archive for January, 2010

My little tennis corner

2010-10-28
Pictures:

2010 Nov 23 warming up at NTC
2005 vs 2009, Sept 29
Aug 29, 2010 one serve; more; 52 Pick-Up
2009 May 24, Forehand and back, Backhand, Watching TV

2008
Oct 9, serve

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Videos:

2011
Apr 14 Whitney no. 1, no 2, no 3, no 4
Jan 1 Working hard even on New Year’s Day

2010
Dec 26, forehand
Dec 24, working hard on Christmas Eve !!
Dec 4, playing at Bay Terrace
Dec 4, warming up at Bay Terrace
Nov 23 warming up at the NTC
Nov 21 at the North warming up
Nov 18 at the Randalls Island
Nov 16 at the NTC
Nov 14 warming up at net; at baseline; a serving game and receiving
Oct 30 Serves, more serves, finally a game
Oct 31 warm up, a game and a more serving game
Sept 6, a point; one more; and 1 more
Aug 29 a few serves
April 7 at NTC with Larry
2008
Oct 9, some serves at Whitney Pond

serve12

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Tournaments
2011 Mar 19, a friendly CatsNY tourney
2010 Dec 28 USTA National Open Indoor Championships
2010 Aug 14 friendly match with NJ
2009 Aug 22-23 Tatang’s Memorial Cup 2009
2009 June 27 CatsNY

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Volunteering
2010 Nov 4-5 National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships at National Tennis Center
2010 June 10-13 the 2010 Jana Hunsaker Memorial at NTC
2010 March 28 fund-raising for wheelchair tourney at NTC

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MTG calendar

mtg cal

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Foot fault

The last team practice was great, five were non-team members. It’s so great to play Speedy Simon who’s, well still speedy. He’s a dear and a great guy but just likes to serve inside of the baseline. So I jokingly told him to serve behind the line – hope this would not cause any trauma or anything of the sort. Kai joked that SS should start his serve motion from the back wall -:).

A small world: my partner was on a LI men’s 3.5 team and actually played against Ting Ken Zhang’s team last year during the play offs.

Ohhh .. Ken, the great 3.5 captain that led the team to the Nationals. I’ve seen but never played against him before. So last night when he teamed up with Lum, I found myself laughing hysterically. He’s hilariously – he serves like a shrimp – and got absolutely everything back even with those winning shots I thought was over and done. Golfer said the same thing about him on golf course – entertaining.
“I can’t stop laughing.” I complained to Lum.
“Good, that’s our strategy.” She replied with a poker faced.
That just made me laugh harder.
Sugar, I just added few more wrinkles since last night – now I look my age, people will give away their seat on subway and bus. Great. Thanks people.

Ok, on foot fault ..

Q. Can your opponent call foot fault on you when there is no referee?

A. The Code states that “compliance with the foot fault rule is very much a function of the player’s personal honor system.” If a player is committing flagrant foot faults, then an opponent CAN call him/her on it. But it is a pretty bold move to do so. He/she had better be certain that you have stepped on or over the line prior to contact before making this call.

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What a bunch of nerd. I now won’t go to bathroom without consulting the rule or route.

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My Tennis Group

MTG is a site for tennis junkies: captains, players and pros to schedule matches/courts, manage their teams, etc., just everything tennis. I found this site out at the captain’s meeting from the Metro League Coordinator (in fall 2009). A friend did a search also recommended it.
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To use it:

To log in: MyTennisGroup.com
Username: your first initial + full last name, i.e. ieng
Password: find it in the email from MTG for first timer or request one if you forget

Once logged in, please add your phone #s and validate your availability. You can change your availability any time, as often as needed.
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______________
To add extra match or two
The availability
Teammates: how to validate your availability
______________
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I’ve been trying it and found it to be useful (pls keep in mind that I’m new at organizing an USTA league): pros out weights the cons. Some features may not be what I think it means to be, so pls take my random thoughts and observations with a grain of salt:

The Pros:

  • The set up is easy
  • The Calendar page is useful and functional
  • The Availability page is useful and functional
  • Line up is a breeze
  • Adding additional match(es) – like playoffs – is easy
  • It tells me what to do on court – geeeze wizzz believe me

The Cons:

  • The calendar is only a holding cell: you can’t create an event on the calendar directly like with gmail or yahoo’s. The events will show up once you created them elsewhere. For example, from MyGroups/Manage Groups.
  • Too many e-mail spams: (not sure if there is On and Offoption)
    1. I normally receive double confirmations from the players.
  • There are glitches: the Availability page isn’t showing everything
  • When entering match info, the ending of the time of the match won’t adjust accordingly – I think set the default to one hour would be practical.
  • Once I scheduled a match, it offers following two options:

    – E-mail all team members the lineup

    – Save but do NOT e-mail all team members the lineup

    E-mail line up will send message out immediately and Save option will not save it for your for long: sends out the following day

  • It doesn’t cook me dinner or improve my forehand .. darn .. I knew there is a catch 🙂

More later .. WIP …

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My Tennis Group

Once I scheduled a match, it offers following  two options:

– E-mail all team members the lineup

– Save but do NOT e-mail all team members the lineup

E-mail line up will send message out immediately and Save option will not save it for your for long: sends out the following day

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Jia Baoyu 贾宝玉

Jia Baoyu, literally “Precious Jade” and his surname is a homophone with “false” or “sham” is the principal character in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber.

Having a nervous breakdown few days ago during the first league match as captain, I experienced heart attack this afternoon, during a practice run. The great champ came to play, so did the 4.5 whom I kept on romancing him .. .. in the hope that he’ll get demoted next year to join our team. I don’t know about you but I was flattered by being just on the same court with those tennis royalties. I was so tense to the point of shxxless sugarless, more nervous than playing an actual match. Did I tell anyone that my hearing was diminishing? When my partner was telling me what to do, his voice was mostly lost in the bubble. I just kept on nodding rapidly like a woodpecker even I understood nothing or very little. Every time I shakily raised my rocket, trying to return a shot, I was either getting hit or hit it out, totally interrupting a nice flow of the game. If I was lucky, managed a return, it would cut the speed to half. Everyone stood still, waiting for it ..

Ok, joke aside, I was musing about why those high flying 4.0 bombers, the golden boys would want to play with us, the sissy girls (ok .. you girls are great .. not sissy .. only Irene .. no, not that Irene, this Irene ..) I think I figured it out today: they’re bunch of Precious Jades. Disagree? Look at my girls, don’t they look like modern Lin Meimei 林妹妹Daiyu 黛玉?

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West Side Story

.. A love story but I didn’t feel loved upon entrance at the Westside tennis club in Forest Hills. The foyer (can’t call it reception area) is so small to the point of feeling chocked. The tall receptionist who resembled Lily Tomlin but without the comedian’s facial expression was poker faced, as if starring down on bunch of country hicks invading the venerable (she might think) club – former US Open was played there. Big deal, small time :). Few steps to the right was the bar, with huge pictures on the wall that reminded me of Yale Club by Grand Central in the city. Smell of money yes, but it could use some updates and touch ups.

the club house, Aug 24 The young guy at the pro shop (don’t know if he’s pro or just a kid making few bucks ..) downstairs was friendly and helpful, took us to the court immediately – we were 20 minutes early. The assigned courts 2-4 were empty. There was a waiting area but the receptionist didn’t bother to direct us there. So I called Susan asking if we could in fact start warm up – there are rules and regulation.

Matches cannot be extended over the 2 hour time period. Please do not try to talk club staff into letting you play on. This will jeopardize the league being able to use the clubs.

The rule is pretty explicit about time on court although it didn’t say anything about getting on early. To be fair, I called opposing team’s captain too, telling her the empty courts situation. They came over quickly, began warming up as well.

The har-tru courts were not prepared/cleaned which annoyed my partner to no end. They were littered with balls and dingy.

I went there in 2006 during the pre-match prior to US Open with a friend. Most courts were taken up by kids all dressed in white. The main stadium was feeling ghosty, and the parking lot was like a jungle – I could image one walks there to play in the winter time – and very far from the club house.

the littlest ball girl; 2006The little ball girl was really cute, the tinniest one I’ve seen so far. During the warm up, a ball was dropped and creep up to the player. Neither the chair umpire nor the linesmen/ball persons said anything. I almost screamed when the player was retreating, about to backstepping on it. It might be her experience, she looked down and then said something. Can you image if she were to sprain her ankle before the tourney? The pro girls were all unknown, that’s quite telling of the state of the club today. Small time indeed.
The Hamlet Golf and Country Club in Commack used to attract bold names years back (haven’t been there for a long time): Jimmy Conners, Michael Chang .. and the stands were packed. It was very cozy.

.. .. Making the story short, eventually, we managed to win 2 super tie breaks and had sweep the opening matches. Guess we were loved after all.

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I wouldn’t worry about ..

One of the 9 teams in our group (region?) played its season opener on Wednesday without surrendering a set and only donated 15 games. Wow that’s a fantastic start.  So I wondered out loud to my team .. and .. got an earful. Among lectures, I found this one reassuring:

I wouldn’t worry about the other team so much. I’m only worried about our women as they are the weakest links. [hey isn’t that my line??] I’m still playing in 3rd gear and will step it up only when the male opponent steps it up. I don’t want to be hitting any hard shots at the women unless they start first.

I have a staple of beautiful girls. Me worry? Are you kidding?

As I was playing my first league game after long hiatus on Tuesday, I found my legs weren’t mine, plus loaded with lead. I thought I don’t get nervous. I hit a lousy shot followed by another one .. one more .. double faults .. 3 in a row!!! I never knew that I was capable of that! I felt terrible and sugarless when my man put his head down after the lousy point or better yet, he didn’t even move, just let the ball screaming passing by.

Me worry? You got be kidding.

We were the second fiddlers. Two teammates were playing the first doubles and two to my left were doing the third 轰轰烈烈. The thought that they’re my responsibilities plus the partner who shared the court with me suddenly loomed large. I must be nuts: all those five players are better at tennis and knew what’s going on. It’s me who’s clueless, the weakest link.

I brought V8, water, snack bars and seaweeds .. .. just in case any one feeling Hungary or thirsty. I swear to lord I’ve never done such thing for my own kids, and pray to lord they are not going to read this.

Some clues.

Looking to my right, Lum was playing 热火朝天 with her guy. 我就有点气不打一处来: I had to blame them for my own sorry situation. They must be eager to show off their improved partnership (It’s cute that Wah could never beat Irene on court), so egged me on. Why don’t they volunteer to be the captain? Barack Obama wanted to show off his wife’s arms to the world hence he ran for the skipper. Booo hoooo .. .. no love them no more .. I’m the least connected and talented in this tennis cosmos. Never wanted to be in charge of anything or anyone. Most girls I knew all have strong tennis-playing husbands or significant-others, or patrons to look after them. I’m totally alone out there. Poor me .. cry.. cry.. cry..

Alright, let’s move on, shall we?

The opposing team’s captain stoically stood by the revolving door, watched. I like her: responsive, able and professional. Very pleasant to deal with. She wrote neatly on the sheet and even indicating which court the team would be play on. When we had question regarding the tie break in the first set – if to play regular 7 points tie break or the Coman rotation which is 10 point: teams switch sides after the first point, and then after every 4th point (after 1st, 5th, 9th point, etc.). She came over quickly and explained precisely. It’s regular 7 points.

We were leading 3:1 in the first set but lost in tie break by a fair large margin.

I’ve been playing mixed doubles for too long and been taken care for for too long. I’m used to carry about only 20-30% of the load. Come to think about it, that’s why I can’t play with the girls where equal partnership is required. I become lazy and especially after serving, I’m always kind of expecting my man to put the ball away for good. Or wander into the no man zone, taking a break there :). I think I install my sofa in the no man zone permanently.

At beginning of second set, I thought about winning the match but felt very daunting. The mountain was just too high to climb over: we needed to win the 2nd set plus the tie break.

Why was I there?

Thinking hard, I calmed down:

I felt guilty that I let my team down, especially the few good men. The handsome 4.0 boys would never even look at my direction if were not .. .. There’s pair of veterans, a 4.0 girl no less; a pretty woman .. ya ya .. I’m corny, low on self-esteem and a shameless promoter. In any case, I don’t think I’m allowed any error – they might kick me out of the team (I’m only the airhead prop) or form some sort of committee [ha ha ha hhhmmmmmm ..]. Those fears chased my anxiety away.

As we were enjoying a healthy lead in the second set, the tall guy on the other side had a cramp. He asked for a time out between a deuce. Not knowing the protocol or rules – there are many (which is good), we just waited on our court. After about 3 minutes or so, we walked over to the net. He said he’s fine so we resumed the play. We took the set at 6:2 – they insisted that we won 6:1. In the super tie break, I did relatively well. Remember, in this level of play, your opponents are just as nervous as you are. We took the tie break at 4 or 5. It wasn’t close. Looking back at the scores:
6:7 (3:7), 6:1, 10:5
I don’t think I perform well under pressure. Need to learn to deal with mental game as well.

The girl failed to return a shot that ended the game. I felt so relieved and happy that I won a match on first outing, sort of. I knew, as usual, it was more of Wai’s doing. But what the heck. A win is a win. I could have screw it up big time. I must have hugged Wai, Irene and Wah were laughing. 投怀送抱 -:) Ewwwwww .. what a desperate house wife Wai must have thought.

Wait, did I really hug him? Or they made it up? Whatever.

Sleep tight Irene. It’s only a game.

1st doubles: 3:6, 6:2, 10:5
2nd doubles: 7:6 (3:7), 6:1, 10:5
3rd doubles: 7:6 (?), 6:1

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Ruby Tuesday

Tuesday was my first league match day. The only agenda on my schedule was a lunch with another group of tennis lunatics. But my little crackblackberry gone mad the night before, refusing to wake up no matter how loud I yelled and how hard I shaken it. When the phone carrier told me that either wait for them to mail me one or go to Hicksville to pick up one. I opted to pick up. Can one live without a phone for a day or two nowadays? The replacement of the crackberry wasn’t new nor whole: they used my old battery and old cover. Lord, they’re cheap but I was thankful that I have something in hand.

Tuesday should have been a relaxing day before the night match. When I rushed to the buffet restaurant after picking up the cracks few players were already seated and eating. Among them was someone I wasn’t expected to be seeing. Ok, someone I didn’t want to see for we broke up in an ugly fashion more than two decades ago. I marched into the small alcove and sat at the larger different table and immediately engulfed with my buddies. In between bits and chats, I managed a few words with my buddy about my old feuds. Next time I looked, my former roommate was gone.

Our relationship started off fabulously. I shared my friends. When we cooked too much for dinner, Eric (my pseudo brother) would be called. Our little dingy apt was often packed with orphans like us – Chinese transplants. I learned how to cook 白切鸡 from her – just dip the bird into the hot water!! We had fun.
When Golfer called for the first date, she was next to the phone.
Golfer: “.. let’s go to a light show after dinner at amnh ..”
“Ok, we’ll go to the live show.” Light into my ear, after the processor it became live out of my mouth. I thought I said light. My language skill has always been superb.
Then I saw her eyebrows rose up considerably.
After I hung up she said in disbelieve, “this is the guy you met .. but you said he’s very nice ..”
Still had no clue, I defended him, “Of course he’s nice .. ”
“Do you know what a live show is?” Light or live, it beats out the chess club outing by large margin. Oh well, this blog isn’t about my dating ..

One winter day she was sick with flu and overworked so I made chicken soup for her .. few days later she took us out for dinner to reciprocate. Those kind exchanges happened often between us. Personally I did it for the joy of caring for a friend. At the bill time, she insisted to pay for it, citing she had few comps from work from overtime, would expire if unused.
(Later when things didn’t go well between us, she would telling everybody that she not had to buy me dinner but my boy friend also. This, did NOT sit well with me. Golfer isn’t a free loader .. ..)

Around that time, she decided to buy a house and asked me to lend her money for down payment. She also asked Eric. Although I could only fork over a meager amount but I was more than happy to help her out anyway I could.

One day she sat in the living room red eyed. It turned out the land lord was giving her hard time for moving out; withholding her deposits unless certain conditions were met. It was the clueless Irene went to bat for her, telling the landlord she was wrong should refund my roommate’s money immediately. ya da ya da ya da “Mom, don’t bother with her, I’ll call the policy .. ” The old woman’s daughter threatened me.
“Go ahead.. ” Guess I was a raging bull. The old woman told me to get lost and shut her door on my face. I often dumbfounded by my own little heroic doings for I neither possess the size to intimidate nor the oration to negotiate.

Anyway, it went without saying that we (another friend Alan and I) would all move to Bayside with her, regardless the inconvenience of transportation, etc. to help her out as renters. Once she became the landlord, things changed drastically. Our rent didn’t include electricity. In the winter, she won’t supply enough heat. The remedy? She bought electricity heaters for each room. On top of the over charged rent. I didn’t find this out until I moved out that Alan checked around and realized the rent in that area was far less for what she was charging us. He soon moved out too.

I didn’t remember what prompt our blow out. Perhaps the built up over the months. The following day after our fight she came home and returned my money.
“Irene, here is your money, with interest.” When she saw my distort face, she asked,
“You don’t think it’s right?” She arrogantly pointed to numbers listed on the piece of paper:
“I checked money market interest rates over the past few months. I’m repaying you with interests.” Then added,
“If you don’t like it here, feel free to move out.”

I was mad and hurt. It was like you handed your heart out on a plate but the receiver knocked it to the floor without any appreciation. I didn’t lend her money to earn the interests. The bank paid far better interests. It was really out of friendship.
On another thought: if she could secure the money from the bank, would she have borrowed from friends?
Beside being belittled isn’t a nice feeling. She knew I wasn’t fluent with financial terms and she played the
sophisticated banker, toying with a FOB.
Eric told me quietly,
“Take the money.” Then wondered when could he get his money back now that his wife had arrived. He eventually did get his $5,000 (?) back.

I forfeited my deposit, moved out that Saturday without giving her a month notice. I’d rather saved the friendship than have a last laugh, and I’m not sure it was the last laugh. Losing a relationship is always hard, more than any one willing to bear.

We ran into each few times in Flushing. Once was weekend in a restaurant, she was clad in a white fury short coat with a man who looked very provincial. Another time on the street; then we both boarded the LIRR. I had the feeling she was following me. As the train rambling on, I debated if I should say hello.

No one is perfect, that includes myself. I’m simple and straightforward, appreciate the fundamental quality of fairness, honesty and consideration in a person, regardless my friends or foes. What got to me most was the fact I helped her to fight her landlord but in return she treated me just as bad and unfairly as the landlord she loathed.

In a way, I always felt she needed me to be her friend and protector. She lived rather solitary life, dating a boy friend who lived in Toronto with a wife in China. Then the feuds over come the caring or whatever was left of our once close friendship. As the train pulled into station, I got up and left.

Do I hold grudge? Not sure. Probably not. I think time has grinned any hard edges off that parcel. But whenever I saw her, it brought back the hurtful feelings .. and my naïve .. that I’d rather not to experience hence I don’t want to see her.

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Time out ..

The situation occurred during one of our mixed matches. At the beginning of the second set and after winning the first, the opposing male player started to cramp and needed time to rest. After about 4 minutes our guys were wondering if he should forfeit, but none of the players knew the rules. Luckily, play resumed soon after and was completed.

The following is from the league coordinator:

Cramping does get a medical time-out – however it’s only one.

I think 5 minutes is reasonable – and then they have to continue playing. If they cramp again (even if it’s in a different area of the body) they have to continue play or retire.

Bill found the following on old ITF rule book..

30. CONTINUOUS PLAY & REST PERIODS

b. Play shall never be suspended, delayed or interfered with for the purpose of enabling a player to recover his strength, breath, or physical condition. However, in the case of a treatable medical condition, the Umpire may allow a one-time three minute time-out for that medical condition.

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US junior ice hockey team won the championship

Some win, on Canadian ice .. That reminds me of 1980 against the USSR. US was leading 5:3 in the third period .. then the northern brothers caught up with 2 goals to tie the score. The house was almost came down in joy – they have nothing but hockey, sorry to say. Then at over time, John Carlson (move to 8 min mark to watch ..) scored a beautiful goal to break the Canadian’s strong hold on the title – 5 straight years. He did it without looking .. all the while he was looking at his teammate. The goalie got fooled. The kids range from 15-17 years old. Next year, the championship will be played on our side.

Go USA ..

So graceful and powerful, why it isn’t as popular as other major league sports??

WJHC 2010 Canada vs USA Gold Medal Game Extended Highlights

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