Division Champ - Beaten

I played the division champ and won. The first game I was up huge, but I also found a way to give the lead away and lose the game. I seem to love adversity!!

I dropped game one 15-13. That was a very bad sign due to my current conditioning level. I am strongest at first and then taper off, with a slight boost in game three knowing there is no fourth game I can officially empty the tank.

I bounced back in a hard fought game two. I think I was able to gain and hold the lead due to smarter service instead of my usual drive serve. I switched to a deep lob and high floating Z serve, which certainly mixed up the temp and speed. I did switch often to the drive serve, so in the end it was the mix of serves that proved to be successful.

In the tie breaker... I got a lead and just leaned. Fortunately - his shots broke worse than mine.

2-1 - division winner taken down.

9-2

Well another season in my racquetball league has come to a close. I finished in third place, if you can believe it.



Division Champ: 10-1

2nd place 9-2 (and I beat him)

3rd place 9-2 (me, but the 1st tie break is game record vs to match records)



So, the player I beat soundly had a better win-loss-tie record in route to completing his season. Also, due to some family events, I needed to take a Loss By Forfeit to the Division Champ. All in all, I am happy with the season results.



I think it is pretty safe I'll be moving up to White. (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Red, White. and where I am currently at Purple.) If I do move, it will be the first time I have done so without winning it outright... (Green, Teal, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Lavender, Grey, and Black were all conquered with almost flawless victories.)



My first tourney match is what I wanted to comment about. After each season we have a tournament to give players a second crack at winning. It is a seated bracket, so naturally I was facing the 6th place opponent. Not all players participate in the tourney mostly due to schedules and availability.) In game one, I blew him out winning 15-3 without much effort. My serve and positioning on court sealed that deal. Game two, I felt as though a bag of bricks was placed on my back. My dad has an arrhythmia... and ever so occasionally I get it odd beat going in the pumper. If I relax, it usually goes away. I already walked off the court during the season for this very feeling... I was up huge in a tie-breaker game and I decided to take the loss and just chill. This whole odd beat scares the crap out of me. Not to mention, it is a bleak reminder that my days are numbered on earth. For obvious reasons, I lost game two. I played it pretty much cool. I did not overly push myself and served nice easy lobs to his backhand. The tie-breaker started out the same way. I was down 0-7 in an 11 point match. I used all my timeouts. After coming back on the court know I cannot stop play at a significant level I just accepted how I felt vs what I could do.

I broke his serve; got back in the box and started chipping away at his lead. Over several side outs the score leveled and then I pulled ahead. 10-7 I was up and my opponent was able to tie it up. I got a side out at 10-10. Next point wins... I put a great serve in a different way from what he was expecting and I took the game. Not a pretty win, but a win nonetheless... and I am especially pissed about how I felt. There is nothing medical science can offer me. It is what it is... a condition that will not necessarily kill you, but it sure makes you pause each time it creeps up.

Next up... the division winner.... muhahahaha! Time to end his run.