Posts Tagged tennis
Slow serve ..
Pumpkin’s serve is getting better slowly, but she’s getting there. This semester she seems to have a lot motivation to play. .. .. Everything takes practice and hard work to get it right.
Her g/f
Pumpkin’s partner Tiffany is a sophomore who loves to coach, or giving tips. I went down to watch with my camera in hand. Pumpkin told her .. that’s my Mom. Tif waved a hello, said “hi Mom ..” So cute. They were leading 2:0. Then Pumpkin served and lost the game with two doubles. The opposing team won their first serving game. It was 2:2. For a moment, I thought I was distracting them. Then Tif played a very smart serving game; Pumpkin’s forehands were really working .. .. their opponents began to falter. Next thing I knew they won the set 8:2 – first to reach the 8th game wins. Tif has a great serving motion .. .. Pumpkin began to bent her knees too.
After the match, I greeted Tif. She came over and gave me a very firm hand shake. Wow. I like a positive and firm hand shake. Shows your sincerity. I dislike the half assed limpy hand shake, especially from a man – pun intended. Tif seems a really nice girl, who knows what she wants and going after it. Her parents try to discourage her from playing tennis (more time on books) but she took a job and pays for herself. She also got accepted at pre-college division at Julliard for bassoon. A go getter.
They know each other from lacrosse but I think the partnership has made them closer. I’m grateful for her influence on Pumpkin. Choosing your friends is very important.
Sharon’s Dad said that one other area’s courts have been renovated already too. I got to check that one out too.
Is south of LIE a tad hickier or what: last time they played a team from the south and the coach brought a huge bag of junky snakes and they littered the wrappers all over the courts.
My kids got a raw deal ..
I played good tennis this glorious weekend, despite of my tender right wrist hurt while making my little tables. I know .. I know .. complaining shows character flaw and .. but I’ve been making ado with it and hopefully get over it soon. My buddies are pretty sick by now that every time we play, I have use of one part of body, could only play either forehand or backhand.
What the most masmezing time came on Saturday, was not that the four sets William and I won, (that too was great but I shouldn’t take any credit) but I played with Pumpkin afterward.
I went home after the morning game, had breakfast and went out again with her. As we were warming up, I noticed she has far better control by the mid court or near the net than before. We could rally for a long time, often 20 strokes or so. After an hour or so, she called it quit. We sat down, had water and then she asked,
“Have I improved?”
It might just be what it is, that she wanted to know if she has improved from the last time we played. But what immediately creep into my mind was what I told her when she first got into it.
Couple of years ago, she just got to know Sharon (but before they ever played) and asked how she measures up to the Ace. Being tactless, I replied in my most famous way,
“She’s much better player ..”
At the time, she showed nothing just took it in. I forgot the moment all together. Till this Saturday.
Lord, What did I do to my kid, I asked myself silently. I felt sick and wanted to kick myself. Should I answer it with bit more sensitivity? Absolutely. Was I able to answer it with pride and encouragement while convey the truth? Well, if I try little harder, I might, 20% chance .. .. On the brighter side of the equation – although I sometime feel sorry for my kids that they got a lousy deal from me .. but nevertheless, I love them very much, and very proud of them – that they’re experiencing the real life, starting right at home. Might not be too bad after all.
Hey, I got to make myself feel good, right? On the expense of my kids? That’s bad. Parents on both side of Pacific Ocean are busy driving their little ones to somewhere and do something, while Irene is busy with her own thing. Lousy and selfish mom.
Serena’s bra straps
Has anyone told her that her black straps are kind of, well, an eye sore under a red dress? How about a racer back bra or a similar color bra? The opening on her lower back is neat and sexy. In terms of fashion, Venue is doing much better.
The Williams sisters are not only written up on the sport pages and business page, they appear on Week in Review too. One I think the US Open did a poor job in putting them on the same drew to meet in the quarters. They should meet in the final. Two, their out side interests maybe the best medicine to keep them still interested in tennis, and most importantly, doing great. If we see the sisters playing three of four grand slams year in and years out, I’ll be bored and I think they’ll be bored too.
Hope she and Andy Murray win the titles. I’m a chicken: I don’t want Roger Federer catch up on Pete Sampras.
10 minutes of tennis
Between the rains and men’s semis, I got to play with Pumpkin briefly today. It’s very humid and uncomfortable. Pumpkin said there is an upper class girl on the team who loves to give advice to others. Most looked at it as annoying but Pumpkin said she actually enjoys it. Finding a mentor at the right time isn’t always easy is how I look at it. Seize it when you can.
One day we went to shopping and ran into her English teacher, the previous year’s. The young teacher was very pleansant and lively, they almost hugged each other. .. She said the current one is trying to fail everyone .. tough love baby .. look at it from another angle.
New courts
I came home after some games and took a chance, asking if Pumpkin would like to play some tennis with me, halfheartedly. It’s 8:30pm. To my surprise, she said yes. She made the JV team and has practice every day for the past two weeks. And enjoying it.
Thank god one of the four cluster of courts at school had been renovated. They look very nice and inviting. Tennis any one? Tomorrow looks very rainy .. Serena will play Jelena Jankovic who .. lord .. wears make up while playing. Oh well .. a Williams in the final at least. It should have been an All Williams Final ..
Sam’s Club
You go SAM .. Sam Querrey. The stadium is rocking and he is doing fine. Won the second set 7:5, and just broke Nadal back at 4:4 and just held serve, leading 5:4 the third set.
The American sport commentators are fair and most of them are worldly. I just couldn’t forget one tourney that held in Europe one year. Pete Sampras was playing someone, a human obviously. He had won US Open and with few injuries he didn’t conquer the tennis world as I thought he would. But, Pete was Pete, he was a great player and was dominating that match. I was in Frankfurt and watched it in frustration: the European male commentator would be silent if the American made a marvelous shot and talked his head off when Pete’s opponent won, a, point. The victory was landslide.
People, let’s cheer for Sam. You dude, make my dream come true so that at least a pair all American quater final.
Nadal wears a flaming red Capri and still does his G-string thing.
