A color-coordinated but nerve-racking first doubles match at National Tennis Center on Feb 19. The Our love birds prevailed. We were at USTA to cheer our squad on – most our teammates were there, except Sir Can Not Lah who’s back home.
Looking at those pictures did I realize she now dresses just like me, in drabs. What’s happened with her dazzling tennis outfits? Hey, girl, I didn’t recuite some grandma .. 🙂
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We had few discussions on let and if and when to award fresh two serves, stemming from my last match: we didn’t offer our opponents ‘take two‘ when ball rolled onto our court or I went to ball-chasing in between their serves. Simon even followed me once to the court behind us (with thick blue vinyl): the pro was helping too.
Q ..
Also a ball rolled onto our court before the second serve. Shall we award her a fresh first serve or continue with her second?
If my memory serves me right, she hasn’t started her motion. She saw the ball was rolling in and stood there watching Andy swiped it back to the next court with his racket.
A ..
You are only required to award two serves if the interruption occurred while the server had started their motion. In this case it didn’t, so it’s up to you.
Q ..
If the server is on his second serve, why would you give him 2 serves, even if there was an interruption before the motion started? Logic would say he gets another chance at his second serve. But the rules say he gets 2 serves again?
A..
Its a let. So replay the point, 1st serve.
Kai is forever the gentleman and generous on court. I actually learned this act – ‘take two’ from him during the years playing with his group: I didn’t get to play with him often because he’s super doper popular, everybody wanted to be his partner.
The reason we didn’t offer them ‘take two’ I felt was due to the strained atmosphere on court. I have never played with any one who didn’t at least occasionally raise their hands or nod their head after my loud “good shot.” shout Andy make a great shot to the deuce court, landed on line and skipped out. Simon went to chase but couldn’t even touch it. He shouted “great shot!”
I looked at them, high fiving each other .. .. then moved on.
A ..
You don’t have to if the interruption is short, but if the incident causes a delay (let’s say 15 – 20 sec’s +) then good sportsmenship warrants that you should
Here’s what I found on the net ..
Let in tennis is when a point has to be stopped because of a distraction in the middle of a point from something like a balls rolling on to the court. A let is also where the serve hits the net and goes over into the correct service box. This rule applies to everything but the lets in World Team Tennis and Division one mens college tennis.
A let is a stroke that doesn’t count and must be replayed. This most commonly happens when a serve touches the net before entering the proper service court. It’s also a let if the serve is delivered before the receiver is ready, if play is interrupted by some unusual occurrence (such as an animal running onto the court), or if a linesman’s decision that resulted in stoppage of play is reversed by the umpire.
During my trading days, remembered few big swing dicks or Master of the Universe had said repeatedly that don’t squeeze out the last bit of profit. It sounded so untrue given the cut throat nature of the business they inhabit. But I do believe that everyone should leave something on the table for the opponent. This may come bite me if I were to make the playoffs? Will see.
I’ve told our teammates don’t dish out bagels because, well, we’re all players and would meet again some times down the road. .. I don’t think anyone liked what I said. It met with deadly silence. One player later retorted:
“I would take it at love .. ”
It was bit of surprise and bit of shock that one of our pairs bagel-ed their opponents not once, but twice in a match. I said nothing since I wasn’t there and two they’re all more experienced players than I am. After a week or so, the bagel lady told me why they did what they did: They had no choice because each game had gone to deuce multiple times. We’re talking about one point here and there and the game and match’s over.
She said they did consider what I’ve said, but then the opponents began to double faulting that gave them the match. During the play, her partner told her a match he played once: he and his partner were leading 5:2 and they were goofing off .. ended up losing it at 5:7.
Momentum is a tricky thing.
I should learn to say less is more.
#1 Doubles: 6-3, 1-6, 0-1
#2 Doubles: 6-0, 6-0
#3 Doubles: 6-3, 6-2
Manhattan’s USTA mixed doubles league had its area playoffs this past weekend at NTC. I went there on Sunday, watched 9.0, 8.0 and 7.0, a little before and after my own game.
I stopped at the first court once I got there. The play was great, hard hitting and gung ho. I gently asked a spectator who looked like the supportive teammate/friend if they’re 8.0.
“9.0” she rolled her eyes.
Sorry sis, I don’t tennis much. No offense.
Common mistake from watching too much Sampras and Federer? I probably play like a 1.0.
The 7.0ers were quarantined to the courts 10-12 on the second floor. My little CoolPix performed poorly here.
Manhattan has three 7.0 divisions with total 17 teams (Queens has only 9 teams, in spite of being a larger borough: population 2.3 millions vs Manhattan’s 1.6; area is 109 sq miles vs Manhattan’s 23). Team 6 A. Dalla Ragione beat Kim/Seto to victory, 3 love no less. It’s the same Kim/Seto who cut our sweeping winning streak short – handed me my only personal loss so far on the Queens team. Kim/Seto is on Brooklyn league too, holy smoke. Brooklyn league looks thin: 7.0 flight has only three teams.
After my game’s over, we watched the the end of 8.0 that was decided by the third doubles in the third set super tie break. 3rd D of Johnson vs Hockett: Team Ronald Johnson won the first doubles (in the third set super tie break) and team Mathew Hockett won the 2nd doubles. The decisive third doubles was in play when we sat down, next to an nervous Asian girl, in a pretty tennis attire. She yelled ..
“Come on baby ..”
Some one in that team is her loved one. She would putting her head down, couldn’t bear to watch .. then stood up by the rail waving her fist when her baby and partner pushed for third set super tie break. Apparently they lost in the first set tie break and took the second set at 4. I cheered with her. To be fair, I also clapped for the other team when they hit a winner. But my clapping didn’t prevent one guy from the other side of the post told us to tone it down in a rather nasty gesture. The guy on her 3rd D was 4.5 teaming with a 3.5, the opponents were both 4.0. Both girls played bit like chickening out, toss over candy bars serves. Double faults were all around. After building up a comfortable lead of 4:1, she was still tensely fidgeting in the sofa, taking in huge chuck of air ..
They quickly clinched the victory at 10:3.
She was jumping up and down.
When it’s crunch time, the winner is usually decided by the one who could control their nerve and limit errors. Even in 8.0. IMHO.
I don’t get sick. The last time I was sick was .. ? Couldn’t remember; and I almost forgot what it feels like.
It started Friday, the headache came visiting. At first, I didn’t know what it was, just feeling little uncomfortable, my head was mushrooming. Not myself. Then by 6 pm, I diagnosed that I was sick, like ill; had headache and been frequent the little bathroom more often than usual. Sorry I’m slow. At hot pot dinner, I joked my headache was because kids were home – they had a snow day. We watched Apolo Ohno jumping and sliding to avoid two disasters then only being robbed away a silver medal by the Canadian referee. How convenient. 狗急跳墙 gouji tiaoqiang – a cornered beast will do something desperate?? US beat the Canadian in ice hockey, their own game at their own backyard. How grand. The little bros are in shock. ha ha ha… It’s bemusing that USA is doing so well in the Winter Games.
So is China.
So is Korea .. but why their males speed skaters all look like girls? Jap included. The pretty K men are all dirty and assertive.
What’s the matter with the Olympic? Shouldn’t they use a referee from other nation than the skaters’? With cheat (isn’t that K’s specialty?), Canada has the most gold medals.
Anyway, I took two aspirin and went to sleep in disgust, emailed my LI cap that I was sick.
Bathroom need woke me up.
More trips.
I was scheduled for my LI team match at 6pm. Cap said she couldn’t find anyone.
Haven’t I always swim off my sickness? How about tennis it off? Actually I was thinking of going to swim. But duty call.
I got to the court 2 minutes late. We were facing the team that has a perfect season so far – 8:0. I played them in my first outing and was routed 1 and 2. What was I thinking and doing there?
The girl either nervous or has senior moment or overly courteous (I think nervous was it) because she introduced herself to me twice. I take that as comfort. Michael served first. Great. Very wide. She had to reach hard to return. Only managed it to my backhand. Sweet, a huge piece of char siu – fillet. Just what I was waiting for and somewhat good at.
But ..
I was too ecstatic .. 乐极忘兴
.. and hit it out. Ouuuuuch.
The gentleman was a lefty. My partner warned me that he’ll serve to the center .. .. then did I realized he’s left. What IS the matter with me? I warmed up against him, for Pete’s sake.
Old and blind.
We took the first set at 4. It was the best set I’ve played on the USTA league: no clear advantage and every point was being fought vigorous.
During the second set, the lady’s first served was way wide that I didn’t even bother to call. Michael didn’t called out either, just hit it back to her. She paused then continually played as if it’s good.
“Oh, it’s out.” I said.
“No call .. so it’s first serve.” The guy at the net said.
The rules.
I understood there are rules. They were not at fault for following and enforcing it. But come one, the serve was arm length out. We said nothing. She put her next serve in that avoided any further argument. I was bit mad – more at myself.
Please remember to call out scores, and call out out, loud and clear, regardless it’s out by a mile or event landed in New Jersey.
I was able to serve the set hence match out at 1 after few deuces. Michael put away their returns of my serves often, gave me a lots of relief. Great team work. Hope my partner isn’t reading this: I missed many hand signals he gave when I was serving, or was expecting he put away immediately – too lazy to run. Over all, it was us who made less errors.
The pair who had routed my previous partner and I the last time split up last night: he played first doubles and she second, which was next to us. She moved well and had many great shots. Oh, she had a really pretty long sleeve metallic green top on.
Oh sugar .. Canada beat USA for the ice hockey gold … Sidney Crosby (Mario Lemieux‘s replacement?) scored a goal by in sudden death over time who’s team – Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup last season. Darn.
Having played 7 matches we have three more to go till the regular season ends on March 21.
~
Flight: 7.0 Mixed Adults
League: 2010 Queens Mixed Doubles Leagues – Adults
District/Area: Metropolitan Region – Queens
USTA Section: USTA/Eastern
~
Queens Winter 2010 has 3 Mixed Doubles flights:
6.0 Flight: 5 teams
7.0 Flight: 9 teams
8.0 Flight: 14 teams
The real captain called today. My heart stopped: there has been few issues within the team .. and he’s had enough of the nonsense and calling it quit. I was ready on my knees (ok, this is an inside joke: someone made the partner kneed overnight .. we knew who you’re .. hehehehe .. and we’re forming a facebook group to support the victim .. ha ha ha). But it turned out rosier. Most my teammates are super wonderful, courteous and considerate. I asked them at the last second to sub, they would rush to the club only be benched. Non of them uttered a word. No matter what they had to cancel at the last second. I’m deeply grateful.
Grandma Luck used to say that to know a person’s to travel with him/her. I fully appreciate this. If not on the road, but doing something. The experience of togetherness, of facing ups, downs and emergency would tell you a lot about the person. I’m thankful most of my children are low maintenance (or maintenance-free) and very supportive. Thank you teamo. Only three more matches to go. You’ll never see me again, never have to deal with me again, never have to receive long winded email spams again. Sees no evil hears no evil. Amen.
I don’t feel that I get nerves before a match, and I play it as normal as I normally play. Hmmmm … The other day Feb 11, returning to the Westside tennis club I was bit jumpy. As soon as I sat down, I suddenly felt my knees were going.
Oh sugar, I forgot to bring balls: home team supplies balls.
Think quick. Ha, no worry. I have extra cans in the truck.
Quickly I raced to the car and got an armful of balls.
Oh, sugar. No, we weren’t the home team.
Anxiety. Not me. Ya right.
Paul perhaps sensed something or he never had confident in me, rearranged the line up, pairing me with him in the third. It wasn’t a close match. I’ve been playing lopsided matches except the first one when it was decided in the third set tie break .. but we got a 3:0 lead to start off .. so, it wasn’t a tight match as one would like to have.
#1 Doubles: 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10:8)
#2 Doubles: 6-2, 6-2
#3 Doubles: 6-1, 6-2
Team USA beating Canada 5:3 in ice hockey. YAAAAAAA! It’s preliminary run in Olympics, but still. At tonight’s match, one of my teammates wore a bloody red shirt with Canada printed across the chest. It’s front and center. Cheering for the little bro instead?
Go USA
Go China
In that order. The rest of the world can fight for whatever the medals those two giants don’t want/care. 🙂
I was amused to see China is doing rather well on ice skates. Did anyone notice that few Asians on the speedy skates are all very girlie looking? They skated pretty dirty and aggressive too.
I felt soooo bad for Shani Davis who only got a silver in 1,500 event. Isn’t he good looking, with great diction?! Tiger shall move aside ..
Ok, back to tennis. The first set went quickly. It began with a bad line call from me: she served to the alley. I thought it was way out. But from the body languages across the net, I knew they thought it was good. Man, that haunted me for the rest of the match. Our opponents were very gracious. That just compounded my guilt. A perfect match to me is no questionable calls.
I had no idea why and how did we loss the second set. I had a double fault that handed over a game and back hand netted that gave the set away at 4. The lady had great serve. I was thinking the whole time why hadn’t I take that into consideration when I called her serve out in the beginning?
During the 3rd set tie break, I asked my partner .. please just don’t abandon me. I didn’t think I could play against 3. He didn’t, thanked lord – in spite of few times he wasn’t pleased with my play. What else is new? Irene’s trying to get everything by jumping, reaching and backtracking, etc. After the match was over, Paul told me how/why we lost the second set: I was standing in the middle. Doesn’t Wai always tell me to stand there? Guess tonight I didn’t play with Wai. Not making an excuse but shows I have no clue.
Wah was sitting at the first doubles court by the entrance. He later told me that as our opponents were leaving, they sported such huge grins and were very bubbly he thought that they had won.
#1 Doubles: 4-6, 1-6
#2 Doubles: 7-6, 4-3
#3 Doubles: 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10:6)
P.S. I just watched world atp tour’s the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis this past weekend on TV: John Isner lost to Sam Querrey 6:3 in the third set. At award ceremony, little John slowly walked over and instantly drowned everyone in his presence, one would or could appreciates his 6’9″ frame truly. On court alone all by himself doesn’t show that much. Anyway. I thought about last night: our first doubles team had to face off with a huge guy who’s tall, speedy, lefty, moves well and runs fast. And with a booming lethal serve. He was the captain and when we exchanged our sheets, my neck hurt from looking up at him 🙂
Calligraphy isn’t big in the West as it is in the East: we Chinese prize a great penmanship. I thought by now I’ve asked enough questions about dos and donts and know what to do, as a captain.
Obviously wrong again.
First, I found myself looking for my counterpart in a crowded lounge. Scanning who’s having a piece of paper in his hand – I’m new, don’t know anyone. After hitting on every single man in there (mind you, since I’m no longer a spring chicken, all of them just ignored me ..), I finally found mine. Ok. We exchanged the line up sheet. He asked if Su’s here and sent her his warm regards. So did his fellow players – they all played together or against each other forever. We’re all big happy family.
I didn’t look closely at the names he listed. What’s the point? There are only handful people and one could easily found the one from the USTA site.
Apparently I was wrong again.
London that is. Anything resembles London on this sheet of paper to the left? I saw Paris, I saw New York .. 🙂 Guess I need to drink more alphabet soup. Lots of it.
After the game when I tried to enter the score, I couldn’t make out the name. Yes, there are only handful players on his team, but it happens there are two players who shared the same first name. .. Ultimately I picked the wrong player to enter.
Anyway.
It’s my third outing. And did poorly. Earned my team’s first defeat.
At my last match with my Long Island team, Bob commented at the end ..
“My wife often asks me what’s like to play mixed doubles .. ” he paused and took sip of his water then gave out his conclusion:
“It’s like a marriage.”
It’s a precise one liner.
He’s of course absolutely right. Regardless in a doubles or mixed doubles.
The goal of the little team is to win. On a good hair day, they may win easily without much effort but on a stormy night with a bad hair cut, they may played their hearts out still lose. It’s test on those bumpy matches that the two belong in a team. 取长补短 quchang buduan learn from others’ strong points to offset one’s weakness – helps a lot. Be there, be accommodating and be supportive. Don’t go out there looking to change your partner in this short span of time. If one married long enough or in a long relationship, you know it is you who’s going to change, not the other way around if you want to live happily ever after. Coaching and pointers are greatly appreciated and probably work better than yelling and screaming. I know I would play better when my opponents are arguing and berating each other.
I often wondered why those high flying 4.0 boys would want to play with the weak 3.0 girls – because once I get involved, you could see the speed of the ball immediately cut into half, if not to a standing still. JK .. Ok, some girls aren’t exactly 3.0 but this old Irene is definitely a legitimate 3.0. The only reason I could think is they’re bored playing hard hitting men’s game and want different experience. Or using this as their warm up time for the more serious mens season ahead in the summer? In any case, they should know what to expect out of 3.0 – that I have limitations; lucky to even get the ball over the net, once in a while.
The competition. .. After the last game, I gently mentioned that there wasn’t much of resistance. Su wrote that competition comes fast.
She’s right.
It comes unannounced and furious. You’d better be ready.
Was I ready? Perhaps as ready as I could be. I am always late for my shots. It’s so much easy to be the arm chair general, but on the battle field, I am usually clueless. I had no idea how and why we won the previous outing but how and why we lost last night. 兵败如山倒 bingbai rushandao – defeated army retreat like a mountain collapsing. I had this sinking feeling after the first set. But I experienced that exact feeling the first time. Come to think about it, the opponents were more self-destructive and my partner was more supportive during the first match. I remembered Jim Courier said to Andre Agassi at their 1991 French Open final ceremony after his won 6:4 in the 5th set ..
“Sorry Andre,” Jim looked genuinely sorry .. “I knew it’s just a point here and there .. ”
Really, there was few points could have gone our way and hence could change the out come of the game.
Chivalry. .. My partner lost his cool and yelled at me. Really, yelled, outburst. It looked just very uncouth. I was shocked, my little heart shrunk. To be honest, it’s very nerve-racking. Harmless little Irene being yelled at. I was embarrassed. Although I’m clueless but I do know the stereotype Asian men have .. the image of being less chivalry, weak and geeky .. so I was particular aware when things happened when non Asians are around. That’s where my embarrassment came from: one for being on the receiving end and two for being Chinese. My partner is Chinese and that alone made me feeling short and small instantly. I DO NOT think one race is better than the other but I can’t deny the perception.
Partnership .. I always enjoy a talking partner who tells me what to do. My partner has been the solid rock in there with me and I felt very secure and couldn’t possibly do wrong. He would rescue any bad shot I made and correct any mistake I just invented (if there were only 3 commonly committed mistakes Irene would sure create the 4th and 5th). Basically I was getting a free ride. A joy ride I shall say. But when he suddenly turned bit off, it surprised me to no end. I was very lost and feeling abandoned. It’s easier to weather a storm but far more difficult to deal with a rejection. Ya, I felt like a reject out there. I think this feeling also stemming from the fact that I don’t know him well. I was playing against two players across the next from the starting then I was facing 3 players .. brok my back mountain ..
Back in the first set, there was this crucial line call .. one side said ..
The game took a turn for the worst when I drew the guy super wide and I smashed his lob crosscourt on the tape. He hesitated and then called it out fm across the other doubles alley. The court was clean and for an overhead smash to not leave a mark was outrageous. I was fuming and went into punishment mode which didn’t turn out well. ..
and the other side said ..
There was some line call issue at one point and your guy was staring over the net looking for a mark on an out ball but Kristin said it was OUT and she’s honest.
What I saw was .. he called it out quickly but she hesitated. I was on the ad court and saw it pretty clear. They conferred then the call stood. If you cared about my opinion, I wouldn’t call it out: too close to call. I thought it touched the outside the tape (line). But it’s their call. The guy said it loud enough.
The guy was really skillful, never hit anything hard. The girl has great forehand but played on the backhand side. Hmmmmm ….. I really didn’t feel all the balls came to me during the match. It could be ..
1. I’m clueless
2. I’m used to it since I’ve been the weakest link for all those years
First doubles: 1:6, 3:6
Second doubles: 6:4, 6:4
Third doubles: 6:1, 6:1
The match fee $30 ($31 if we’re the home team) is due on 3pm the day before the match. Please feel free to pay for the match online (estimate # of matches you’ll play) or paypal, Chase QuickPay, or settle it with me at match. The payment site has a clear record but I don’t check it often. I will put in few dollars as cushion just in case anyone forgets and pay up the full balance on due date February 3, 2012. You should NOT pay online after the due date because it will result in double payment. You’ll be reimbursed after the season but it’s an extra work we can all avoid. The actually match play is based on availability not on number of matches you paid, we’ll settle the over payment at end of the season.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAYING FOR MATCHES — PLAYERS
To pay for matches:
- Have a credit card ready (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- Have your 10-digit team code (starts with “1002”) from your captain
- Know how many matches you are supposed to pay for (your captain will tell you this)
- Go to www.metrotennis.com On the top, select USTA Leagues Tennis. On the left, select “Pay for Matches Online”
- Fill out the form, using your team’s 10-digit team code
- Enter in the number of matches you have been asked to pay for. Each match is $30.
- At the bottom, if you have not already joined the USTA or registered for your team on Tennislink, you can do that here.
- Submit your info & wait for confirmation (only click once or you’ll be charged multiple times!)
- If you experience any problems, contact your captain right away.
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Pay to play, Jan 13, 2013
