Day 809

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Went to the gym at 5:30 and practiced for an hour.  I worked exclusively on my forehand and backhand passing shots, staying relaxed, while keeping my racquet even along a horizontal plane all the way to my follow through.  I really want to play well in my semi-final match tonight against Ramon.

Came home at 7:30, had breakfast, then worked about both Varinsky and Wendel until 6.  My match was supposed to start at 6 against Ramon, but he arrived late, at 7:30, giving me 90 minutes to warm up.  I feel good and relaxed and took the first game 15-6.  The second game, I was behind 0-6, then came back and led 11-6.  He came back and even took the lead 11-12, then I scored three in-a-row and was ahead 14-12.  I had at least six opportunities to put the game away, but either missed my shots or left them up.  Ramon also played extremely tough in keeping the game alive.  He ended up winning the second game 14-15.  Damn!  He took a 0-3 lead in the tie-breaker, then I scored 9 in-a-row and took a time out at 9-3.  I needed just two more points to go to the finals.  He scored the next five points with tough serves and it was 9-8, then I scored a point, then he scored a point.  Finally, at 10-9, I served a touch drive to the corner which he left up, then hit a corner pinch to take the match 11-9.  I would have been so bummed if I'd lost this one.  Ramon's a great player and it feels really good to beat someone in a playoff match at that level.  I meet the winner of Steve and Tyrone in the finals. 

I came home, ate a burrito, talked to Alice, then watched an episode of Louis and fell fast asleep.

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