Round 2.

Rnd 2. Away match

Played on clay, weather once again was ridiculously windy. I didn't bring a jacket since it was so sunny but the wind chill factor was a zillion. I arrived late so I had zero warm up. I haven't played on clay for maybe 12 months? I have previously spent five years playing at this club so I am no stranger to the surface, it doesn't suit my gamestyle but it was the main reason I chose to play there, a method to improve my weaknesses

I was lined up to play against a friend of mine, not a close friend by any stretch but someone who I happily get along with. He is an amazing player when he is on, almost unstoppable, really good hands and touch but he is as big as me and twice as strong. Heavy spin off both wings, slice and topspin backhand, heavy high kick serve and can bomb flat ones too. He hasn't played for a few seasons due to work / family / injuries but is getting back into it, this being his first match of the season.

I lost the toss and to my surprise he chooses the end, he takes the wind assisted end. I take the serve as I would on every occasion. Without a decent warm up my serve is everywhere and pretty ugly but I struggle thru with a hold. I break fairly easily and hold again for a 3 - 0 lead. He is rusty as anything, making way too many errors. 4 - 0 after another break and my mind starts to wander to a donut first set. I hold again and finally he holds, 5 - 1, I am at the wind assisted end and holding at this end has been far easier, a few good volleys later is all wrapped up 6 - 1.

We sweep the court and he takes the serve, having found some rhythm he holds and after a long service game I lose my serve. Really battling for any sort of fluidity on my serve into the wind. He starts moving around my second serve and pounding forehands with the breeze, I feel stuck on the back foot struggling to keep rally depth. He serves well again and its 0 - 3. Getting back down the wind end I manage to hold serve again, the difference in ends is crazy, everything happens so much easier. I take the initiative to break back in this game, pushing harder against his serve I finally work a break point in this set, with a running forehand pass lined up I manage to spray the ball over the fence! Super ultimate choke. Next thing I know its all over and the set is blown 1 - 6. He attacked more efficiently and played the ends better then me, found some range whilst I probably eased off having been so comfortable in the first set.

The third set was a great battle, neither of us lost serve, we both found a bit of form in our own games, forcing errors and making winners. My volleys were so good all day, my half volleys were terrible as the slight off-speed ball from the court threw out my timing. Most interestingly was my returns which are always my problem, they were pretty good today. I find the extra time and height on the clay gives me time to really pick my return out. I'd almost like to play on the clay / grass court that Nadal/ Federer had that exo on. I'd like to return on the clay side and s&v on the grass side.

I digress...

We hit the TB after a couple of intense games with neither player having a break point but missing opportunities to take the momentum. Final set I am serving first, reasonable serve - no return 1 - 0. He plays a good point and its 1 -1, I make a nice return 2 -1 with a mini break. He pummels a return at my feet 2 -2. We flip back and forth 3's 4's 5's 6 -5 to me, my serve but I can't do it, he nails a lob into the breeze off a solid volley, I couldn't even move. Switch ends, I take the end with the breeze in my face, I scramble the point for my second match point, 7 - 6. I miss my first serve and decide that I am not going to S&V my 2nd serve, he attacks and I lose the point, cursing myself for not playing my own game when the match is on the line. I manage to hit a good serve and get a free point, match point 3. He hits a good serve and I miss my return, 8 - 8. A kick serve down the T and a short slice return from me gives him an easy cross court winner 8 - 9, match point down. I play a little safe on my first serve and he makes a cross court return, I move to my BH and slice back cross court, he sees the line and bang, into the net. 9 - 9.

He isn't happy, we switch ends, I have the wind with me and this has been the successful end all day. Fault, second serve is mid box and I pump a FH cross court and he misses his FH down the line. 10 - 9. Whats my best serve? How can I finish this right now? Ad court, my best serve is a kicker wide and follow it in for an easy cross court volley. I try to serve too short off a low toss and it clips the tape for a let. Pretty obvious what my plan is, do I change it since he knows or stick with it anyway? Stick with it, if he can beat it on match point then make him do it. I tell myself I must hit it from higher up and get some high bounce, serve - short, wide, ACE! All over : red rover.

W: 6 -1 , 1 - 6, 7 - 6

Evaluation: Serves are horredous, fluidity is terrible, cannot get comfortable. Volleys were outstanding, groundstrokes pretty reasonable and happy to get away with the victory. Feeling much better post match and maybe fitness is picking up a little.

TTDL:
- keep searching for serve
- practice passing shots ASAP
- Stretch a little more

until next time... if you can't trust your best shots under the most pressure then what are you doing out on court? Surely playing your so-so shots even if it is to your opponents weakness is not as good as playing your best and challenging your opponent to beat you