In this section you’ll find the latest trials and tribulations from my own sorry tennis ‘career’ if one could call it that.
Much like football, my love for the tennis has not materialized into any real ability, still I enjoy playing and can at least pull off some satisfying shots or rarely whole passages of play.
Now I won’t be troubling even the most average of club players – I simply haven’t got the basics nailed to prove reliable at rallies.
Instead I would describe my game as a mix of Santoro-esque shot selection and variety with a decent enough forehand and Roddick serve which – when on song – is more than enough to seal a game or (more frequently) rescue me from being broken once more.
Surface-wise as I discovered last year, it is grass that suits best, flattering that serve and helping with my do-or-die slice backhand and love for the cheeky dropshot.
As the scorelines usually suggest it is my fitness which lets me down again and again, may have to invest in contact lenses too – when your opponent is just a blur it is time to change something!My regular opponents (my mates) are all more accomplished and all play differently.
Sophie – my fiancée has only been playing for a couple of years but is already competent and owns an aggressive set of groundies, a proven matchwinner in mixed doubles!
Mike – Most frequent opponent who used to be a whipping boy of mine but for the last few years has turned the tables somewhat (2011 representing his best year and a 100% record against me). Big serve and devastatingly relentless flat groundstrokes off both sides. Recently incorporated slice and net-play.
Rob – A natural sportsman with spot-on technique and a devilish amount of top-spin of both sides. Serve can be attackable one minute and far too good the next.
Dave – My longest running rivalry and first tennis partnership was with a man whose natural ability has been suffocated beneath a lack of regular play. Fine serve and deep groundstrokes are matched by excellent ability at the net. He’ll be the first to admit that his tendency for the spectacular and less than optimum fitness allow me a chance or three.
Before embarking on the first 2014 match-report a quick run-down of my 2013 season
Lost 2-6 5-7 Mike (indoors)
Won 6-0 6-2 Sophie (grass)
Lost 4-6 5-7 Mike (hardcourt)
Lost 6-3 3-6, 7-6, 5-7 3-6 Dave (indoors, floodlit outdoors hardcourt)
Lost 6-7 6-0 1-6 Mike (hardcourt)
Won 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 Mike (grass)
Lost 0-6, 2-6, 3-6 Rob (hardcourt)
Won 6-0, 6-1 Sophie (grass)
Won 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 Mike (grass)
Won 6-4 Sophie (grass)
Won 7-6, 0-6, 1-0 champs tie Mike (grass)
Lost 4-6, 5-7 Mike (grass)
Lost 6-4, 4-6, 3-6 Mike (grass and floodlit synthetic)
Won 6-3 Sylvia (hard-court)
Lost 6-7 (5) 7-6 (5) 6-3, 3-6, 1-6 Mike (floodlit synthetic & indoor onion)
Won 6-4 Sophie (floodlit hard court)
Won 6-1, 6-2 Sophie (indoor onion)
Won 6-3, 4-2 Mike (indoor deanes)
Win-Loss = 10 – 8
H2H
Sophie – 5-0
Mike – 4-6
Rob – 0-1
Dave – 0-1
Sylvia – 1-0
All Things Tennis 