Yesterday was the biggest disappointment I think I've ever had in tennis and my greatest accomplishment. I played and lost the third place championship match at the National Women's Indoor Tournament in Sacramento, CA.
It has been a long time since I felt that devastated after a loss and of course, my exit from the court couldn't have been quicker. I was up 3-0 in the first set. I was hitting the ball as well as I've ever hit the ball and then, as tends to happen to me at times, I decided to play cautious, which cost me the match. It's weird how even though that is my tendency and even though my part of my mind knows that is not a good strategy the part of my mind which controls my body totally decides to ignore reason. I am working on this and might, soon, enlist the help of a trained sports psychologist.
But it only took a few seconds to be reminded by everyone who helped me get to CA, that it was okay. That rarely does success come on the first try. That I did try when so many others are too chicken to. And that fourth place isn't something horrible that should have me reduced to endless tears.
Thank you, to all of you who believed in me and didn't laugh when I told you that I was going to play a national tournament, someone who'd never played as a child and who'd learned 60 percent of what she knew about tennis by reading books. For a second when I was on the court, I felt alone. And I never felt that way before because I had always traveled with people who were quick to show me encouragement. Without that, I had to reach down and try to remember that there are so many of you back home in Michigan (where trust me, they are laughing at us in CA, wondering how in the world do we play tennis in foul-weather Michigan), believing in my and wishing me success.
I annoyed Mark in the weeks coming to the tournament, "If I don't win any matches, will you think that I failed? Or that it was a wasted trip?"
Always quick to reassure, he always answered with his own question, "Will you think it was a wasted trip?"
The absolute best part was that I played a match with a chair umpire, who announced me and where I was from. He called the score and corrected calls and I felt so much like a champion. If only they would have provided ball kids, I think I would have been in tennis heaven.
So, no. I don't think it was a wasted trip.
Stay tuned...(Because I think there is a national clay tourney coming up : )
KS
Monday, May 3, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
First Match
OMG! I am in CA playing in a National Tournament. Though the draw is small because evidently women between the ages of 30 and 35 have better things to do, I am so glad I entered.
I am thinking that somehow my reputation for a meanie preceded me. My first round opponent withdraw as my plane was touching down, so bye in the first round. Yea, me!
I was disappointed because I knew the competition would be tough, but I really wanted to kick off my USTA season with the best tennis possible and I thought I would be able to get that in a national tournament.
It annoys me when people roll their eyes at my Pollyanna-outlook, but the fact that my opponent dropping out meant that I would face the number one seed in my first match, was not as earth-shattering as you might think. I am very pragmatic about mostly everything and the thing is, I did EVERYTHING I could to prepare for this match. I ran when I hate running. I worked out when I didn't want to. I played tennis against some rather cocky and rude Big Bangers who enjoyed kicking my butt whenever I would allow. So the only thing I could do here was my best. I couldn't have done anymore.
And so it was proven in my first match which I lost 1-6, 0-6.
The woman I played was a player ranked 5.5, which as far as I can tell, they rank her that as a warning to everyone who comes near her on the court. Kind of like a high voltage sign is there for your protection.
She was a very experienced player who'd spent ten years on the pro circuit. There's always something to take out of the match and what I found was that I wasn't out played. I could hold my own. I aced her a few more times that she aced me. She blazed winners by me at the same speed I blazed them by her. The difference was her experience. She seemed to be that smart kid in class, who has all the answers before the teacher ever asks the questions.
But I wasn't outplayed.
Back when I first picked up a racquet and there was nothing about my game worth watching, a teaching pro told me that I would be hard pressed to find another woman who could outhit me. He said that I had the power and once I learned the game I would be great.
I've believed that all this time, but this match was like a confirmation.
At any cost, I play doubles today. Hopefully, it will be fun. I have not played doubles really with my travelling partner so all I can hope for is fun, to work on some things and to get some more tennis in.
Tomorrow morning I play for the third place bronze ball. My opponent is a psycho who tried to cheat her way through her semi final match this morning, so I look forward to her theatrics.
Stay tuned...
KS
I am thinking that somehow my reputation for a meanie preceded me. My first round opponent withdraw as my plane was touching down, so bye in the first round. Yea, me!
I was disappointed because I knew the competition would be tough, but I really wanted to kick off my USTA season with the best tennis possible and I thought I would be able to get that in a national tournament.
It annoys me when people roll their eyes at my Pollyanna-outlook, but the fact that my opponent dropping out meant that I would face the number one seed in my first match, was not as earth-shattering as you might think. I am very pragmatic about mostly everything and the thing is, I did EVERYTHING I could to prepare for this match. I ran when I hate running. I worked out when I didn't want to. I played tennis against some rather cocky and rude Big Bangers who enjoyed kicking my butt whenever I would allow. So the only thing I could do here was my best. I couldn't have done anymore.
And so it was proven in my first match which I lost 1-6, 0-6.
The woman I played was a player ranked 5.5, which as far as I can tell, they rank her that as a warning to everyone who comes near her on the court. Kind of like a high voltage sign is there for your protection.
She was a very experienced player who'd spent ten years on the pro circuit. There's always something to take out of the match and what I found was that I wasn't out played. I could hold my own. I aced her a few more times that she aced me. She blazed winners by me at the same speed I blazed them by her. The difference was her experience. She seemed to be that smart kid in class, who has all the answers before the teacher ever asks the questions.
But I wasn't outplayed.
Back when I first picked up a racquet and there was nothing about my game worth watching, a teaching pro told me that I would be hard pressed to find another woman who could outhit me. He said that I had the power and once I learned the game I would be great.
I've believed that all this time, but this match was like a confirmation.
At any cost, I play doubles today. Hopefully, it will be fun. I have not played doubles really with my travelling partner so all I can hope for is fun, to work on some things and to get some more tennis in.
Tomorrow morning I play for the third place bronze ball. My opponent is a psycho who tried to cheat her way through her semi final match this morning, so I look forward to her theatrics.
Stay tuned...
KS
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