tennis, life and a few things in between

The sunrise, and decent forehand won 2-1:

• w/ Ken, 5-3
• w/ Zag, 0-5
• w/ Breet 5-2

… but my serve is still work in progress – scratch back!

I ended up not going because the organizer was unresponsive. The tennis photos of the trip are from my friend M.

After M told me of the trip, I immediately called C, who returned my call the following day, Friday, May 9th. I provided him with my sign-up info and paid the deposit. 

Here is the trip info:

• the company name
  • matchpointtenniscruise.com
  • Pickleballa8122788473 on the credit card
• 5-night Key West Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale on Celebrity Summit Oct 13-8
• Port of Calls: Ft Lauderdale→Key West→Bimini→Nassau→Ft L
• Cabin cost pp,  including tennis lessons
  • $790 inside
  • $1,279 window
  • $1,490 balcony 
• tennis lessons
  1. Veltri @ Ft. Lauderdale / Planatation
  2. Sugarloaf @ Key West 
  3. Baha Mar resort @ Bahamas 

After the deposit, I heard nothing from him for the next five days, no receipt, no acknowledgment, no itinerary. Have I even signed up?!

I finally texted him: Receipt or cancel my reservation. A receipt is sent that day. Still no itinerary. 

C’s claim is that I’m part of M’s group, that’s why no individual receipt will be sent. 

“Did you receive any notice that I’ve signed up to your group?” I asked M, who replied “NOPE.”

In early July, I randomly called Celebrity to check if I was signed up and to see what my balance was. The Celebrity agent said, “Yes, you’re. But you’ll have to pay $276, which is due today, if you want to find out your balance, which is due August 15.”

When C called ten days later, July 15, for the final payment, I said, “Please send me an email with details.” 

No email sent. Two weeks later, I sent him the final email, asking to cancel my reservation—no reply, of course. Days later, I disputed the deposit charge with my credit card. They dealt with him promptly.

My friend M faired the same but decided to go. The day before departure, he still hasn’t received the itinerary, “C said he has emailed me, but that didn’t seem to work, so he said he’ll screenshot the itinerary and text me. Of course he didn’t.” 

Since the first tennis lesson is scheduled for 9 am on the first day, just a few hours before the ship’s boarding time, the tennis program offered a night stay at Hotel Dello Ft. Lauderdale, at $350. M booked this 3-star hotel himself at $135.

I’m a firm believer in paying for service. But what this tennis program does, I failed to see the value they think they deserve to charge.

M is over the moon about the tennis and C:

• Actually I met him and he is really great. 
• he does everything for you .
• Ordered cab, paid for dinner last night, and more
• He even took us out for ice cream last night

Why did he act the way he did?

They’ve 11 players (M’s wife doesn’t play) on this trip, and M’s the only man – what a marvelous time with his harem -:).

4-5, 4-4, rain begins …

My serve works today when I make the box! It doesn’t look good at praceice but once the game begins, I made a mental note to do the box, and it works!

After being down 0-30, we came back and I held my serve

^{The autumn sun in the morning}

Yesterday, 5-1, 5-3, 5-2: but couldn’t get my first serve in 😭, for not playing for a month or what?

My first serve was like 20%. However, my second serve – all underhand – was nearly perfect, except one double fault.

Today, is a different story, that I got all my first serve in, except one; no double but didn’t win all three sets: 2-5, 5-1, 2-2 (someone retired).

From yesterday:

5-1, 5-3, 5-2: but couldn’t get my first serve in 😭

第一局的 1 是俺输的[闭嘴]

一发只有20%
二发靠 under 小球 95%
一个误发

不知是男娃们不肯占俺便宜 没有一个在我二发时挪进几步. 感觉多数人都不喜欢或者很少变更. 习惯主宰一切.

我还怎么活下去呀
球都不会发了 喔喔喔

左胳膊还在疼

撞墙吧 大妈
嗯
… 南墙 还是北墙?

😤🤔🫢🤭

From today

🍂 the autumn sun

秋天的太阳🌅

🎾 2-5, 5-1, 2-2 有人病退

昨天撞墙很有效
今天只有一个二发

撞的哪面墙?
… 您觉得大妈还能记得吗 [偷笑][Lol]

On Sloane Street in London, there are two small private parks, Cadogan Place garden North & South, which has hard tennis courts.

The Color Purple was Steven Spielberg (1946-) movie, came out in 1985. This year at the Open, purple seems the color many players are wearing.

Y-3, which is part of Adidas, is sporting by many players.

• Taylor Townsend lost to Barbora Krejcikova in 3, after dominating the first set.
• Taylor Fritz def Tomas Machac easily in 3
• Jiri Lehecka d Adrian Mannarine in 4 set.
• Jessica Pegual d Ann Li in 2
• Elena Rybakina Marketa Vondrousova

The French player Mannarine advanced to the Round of 16 when Ben Shelton retired on Aug 29, last Friday.