Brutal initiation

League tennis can be a cruel mistress sometimes. Like last night. We lost all three courts in straight sets.

The opponents teams were different to what we usually see. Each team paired a seasoned older white guy with a young black kid not long out of high school. The ones I played had all kinds of angles. I never felt we were completely out of the match, but suddenly it was over after my partner hit an uncharacteristic double-fault. 6-3, 6-2. I'm amazed the second set didn't turn out closer, since we were getting used to their game.

On the plus side, everybody liked the lion rampant t-shirt I've found for an impromptu uniform. A couple of my girls from mixed season stopped by too; that was nice. And it was a lovely evening, with pinto ponies lazily munching grass on a field under cerulean skies. No rain in spite of T-storms all around.

First match o' the season

I hardly know where to begin. But tonight is the big night: our first real match of the season (we had a practice match last week that got rained out).

I am happy that we have all been practicing a lot. Bob & I have been playing tournaments too. Unfortunately he is out with a strained back. I am glad to be able to bring Jim in though. Our newest 3.5, Dave, is on vacation, so it is just Bill and & in the 3.5 department tonight. Two of our 3.0s, Phil and Roy, have played a lot of doubles together, so I'm keeping that pairing in the hopes their synergy will help them rise above their rating. Phil was bumped to 3.5 anyway but was able to appeal down (unlike me).

This first match will be a doozy. The other captain is one of those who goes to extraordinary lengths in recruiting, and cuts people when they don't make their numbers (e.g. my own brother a couple years ago). Also, he dicked me over last year when he said I could join his team but never gave me the number to register. That stunt kept me out of combos for another year. So yes, winning would be nice. Won't be easy. But will be worth it.

The Elder & More Terrible

Danger knows full well that Caesar is more dangerous than he. We are two lions litter'd in one day, and I the elder and more terrible. - Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

This is what happens when an English major gets put in charge of a tennis team. The name spoke to me on many levels; it seemed appropriate as my (younger) twin brother is on a rival team. If other, less literary teams think they are going to be up against a bunch of geriatrics who can't play, that is fine with me!