Author Topic: Euroka's Tennis Journal (Read 42759 times)

monstertruck · « **Reply #460 on:** January 29, 2010, 05:47:21 AM »

Quote from: euroka1 on January 29, 2010, 03:47:19 AM

New guy subbing at Thursday night doubles tennis. Killer forehand and very fast on feet. As always takes a while to get accustomed.
But like Dmast at tennis4you event a couple of years ago, he was, in turn, somewhat flummoxed by my quirky serve. Also I did OK going to his backhand on serve and this strung things out.
Score 4-6, 2-6 when he was on the other side and 6-1 when I came around to his.
Still a very sociable night was had by all . Nice to be playing inside with all this bad weather going on.

***murmur amongst forum members at the mention of the venerable DMast***

Nice to hear you're still whacking it E!
Always cool when a sub comes to play and fits in.

euroka1 · « **Reply #461 on:** February 18, 2010, 03:31:22 PM »

It's been a real effort here even getting to the INDOOR courts here this last week but finally made it today for a game.
Good to be hitting a ball again. My serve was really on and we had the pleasant (but suppressed

) pleasure of scoring a bagel against the other side.

However, it will be nice when it warms up a bit.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #462 on:** February 18, 2010, 05:52:09 PM »

Warm? What is warm?

euroka1 · « **Reply #463 on:** February 18, 2010, 06:05:06 PM »

Quote from: Tennis4you on February 18, 2010, 05:52:09 PM

Warm? What is warm?

40 degrees for a start; Fahrenheit (now

) or even Celsius (sitting at tennis tournaments in August

).

euroka1 · « **Reply #464 on:** February 26, 2010, 06:36:50 AM »

I had one of those miserable playing nights

last night when the racquet either could not connect with the ball or when it did, sent it off in unpredicable directions. In our mens doubles group, we were nearly bageled in the first set when I pulled of a serve game. Second set we lost 4-6 but in the third we were ahead 4-2 when the court time was up. It was a congenial group, however, and much enjoyment. The other side was in great form

which did not help our score.

euroka1 · « **Reply #465 on:** March 02, 2010, 07:59:41 PM »

Quote from: monstertruck on January 29, 2010, 05:47:21 AM

Quote from: euroka1 on January 29, 2010, 03:47:19 AM
New guy subbing at Thursday night doubles tennis. Killer forehand and very fast on feet. As always takes a while to get accustomed.
But like Dmast at tennis4you event a couple of years ago, he was, in turn, somewhat flummoxed by my quirky serve. Also I did OK going to his backhand on serve and this strung things out.
Score 4-6, 2-6 when he was on the other side and 6-1 when I came around to his.
Still a very sociable night was had by all . Nice to be playing inside with all this bad weather going on.
***murmur amongst forum members at the mention of the venerable DMast***

Nice to hear you're still whacking it E!
Always cool when a sub comes to play and fits in.

Similar problem today but this time the new guy could really put weird spin on his ground shots. It takes a while to get accustomed to that too!
However, my first serves saved all but one of my serve games and we did OK in an hour with 6-4, 5-6 before the court time ran out. (I was due to serve then so there was a reasonable chance of 6-6)

monstertruck · « **Reply #466 on:** March 03, 2010, 06:44:23 AM »

Funky spins can be a pain in the butt, whether on the serve or from groundies.
Making the necessary adjustments in recognition and reaction to the funk can take time in competitive play.
Nice to hear your first serve is clicking!

It sounds like you're very confident in that stroke. Sometimes that's half the battle!

euroka1 · « **Reply #467 on:** March 08, 2010, 01:48:40 PM »

Good weather here too at last for outdoor tennis.

Four of us got together to battle, wind, sun and to hit the best we could with the heavy clothes and lack of practice. In just under two hours, one set 9-7.

Game a lot calmer than the Baker family match with fewer lethal overheads.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #468 on:** March 08, 2010, 05:49:06 PM »

Lethal? I did not kill anyone.

Nice to be outside for sure! Cheaper too!

euroka1 · « **Reply #469 on:** July 19, 2010, 08:58:45 PM »

Quote from: euroka1 on March 08, 2010, 01:48:40 PM

Good weather here too at last for outdoor tennis.
Four of us got together to battle, wind, sun and to hit the best we could with the heavy clothes and lack of practice. In just under two hours, one set 9-7.

How life changes

.
I was out twice today, hot sun, 90+ degrees and high humidity. Got by by sipping water often and am drinking lots of water tonight. Also played on Saturday and Sunday but both weather and tennis were less intense. Still needed a few hours after to recover.

monstertruck · « **Reply #470 on:** July 20, 2010, 06:33:37 AM »

My guess is that the on-court temp. was even higher!

2 outings in such conditions is awesome.
Sounds like you've got the right hydration plan as well!
Remember, Mojito's don't count in the plan!

euroka1 · « **Reply #471 on:** October 10, 2010, 06:59:54 PM »

Anyone playing outdoor tennis in this wonderful fall weather

? I got to play twice this weekend with mixed results

.

It had its challenges. The leaves on the tall trees surounding the court impress a light and shade pattern on the tennis ball which can upset one's timing a lot. In addition, the turning leaves are more or less the same color so sometimes you don't see the ball until it is almost on top of you. Soon the leaves will all be dumping on the court and this means 15 minutes of sweeping and blowing before we get started.

But for now it is great weather just to be outside and (mostly) hitting a tennis ball.

conchita · « **Reply #472 on:** October 11, 2010, 12:02:35 AM »

Hola Euroka! I always play tennis on saturday afternoons if it's not raining, there are some nice tennis clubs in Barcelona. at least 8.

I only play doubles, it's more fun and easier. I don't have time during weekdays. I could try to play from 7:30 am to 8:30 am but I am too sleepy. The problem here is that we don't have grass courts, only clay and hardcourts. for example the Catalan Tennis Federation has a new complex outside Barcelona, wonderful but there are 13 claycourts and 18 hardcourts. We don't have trees surroundings the tennis courts, one notable exception are courts 1-2 at RCTB, very popular, when with the shade it could be very tricky to see the ball.

the weather here is excellent, you can play outdoors during all the months, well, sometimes it's quite cold in january or february like 10ªC but you are still able to play.

during the summer, the Aussie top juniors players come to the Catalan Federation tennis federation to practise on clay, it's very nice to talk with them. Also there are many chances to chat with retired pro players and active players. Sadly Ferrer practises all year in his home club in Valencia.

euroka1 · « **Reply #473 on:** October 23, 2010, 06:31:19 PM »

Greetings to all, and especially to Conchita.

Great outdoor weather here for tennis still

but starting to get a bit cool. Starting to pile on the extra layers.

I had a good game this morning. Serve good but more than that I'm rather pleased that my backhand has become a lot more powerful and much more reliable. It's all in the turn.

P.S. Especially for Conchita. Good music here this week. Yo-Yo Ma emoting over the Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata on Thursday night. Do you know that one? It's right up there with the piano concertos.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #474 on:** October 23, 2010, 07:24:37 PM »

Getting cold here too but certainly still great weather for tennis! Being that this is Ohio they moved us indoors about 6 weeks ago. Still some outdoor tennis going on though. Glad you can still enjoy some of the nice weather. It won't last long here!

conchita · « **Reply #475 on:** October 23, 2010, 08:04:39 PM »

Hi Euroka! I guess in winter you play indoors!

here it is almost impossible to find indoors courts available! the weather is nice! this afternoon, 2 hours, 20ºC.

wish you will keep improving your serve and bh!

you should see mine, as a lefty, very tricky, sometimes 1 handed bh, others 2 handed bh, most of the times no bh at all!

yes, I know Yo-Yo Ma :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SppyoLiRomE

Rachmaninov is always beautiful and powerful!

euroka1 · « **Reply #476 on:** October 23, 2010, 08:26:38 PM »

Yes, we've moved inside too for the Thursday night game, missed this week because of the Yo-Yo Ma concert. Tennis generally comes first in life, but occasionally gets displaced for special happenings such as this.

Getting indoor court time here is also very difficult. There are not many such courts and it is a very "in" thing to do for young, upwardly mobile Washingtonians. One really has to know the system to get the time. Outdoors, however, there is little problem if you know where all the neighborhood courts are hidden so it is good to play there for as late in the season as one can.

That's a splendid youtube excerpt, Conchita! Shows what I mean. Like all of us, he's aged a bit since that photograph was taken

but he still manages to coax the most beautiful sounds from his cello.

conchita · « **Reply #477 on:** October 24, 2010, 01:32:23 PM »

I also go to Teatro Liceo for Opera or Ballet, the last one, Carmen - Bizet was so horrible, no comment. At least you spent your time enjoying yourself in the concert!

Here 98% of the courts are outside and on the other 2% it is very difficult to play, there you find the pros, juniors, legends or important people.

do you know Alicia de Larrocha?

euroka1 · « **Reply #478 on:** October 24, 2010, 03:21:21 PM »

Good tennis again this morning. Even a bit warmer. That won't last for long.

I heard Alicia de Larrocha play here in Washington three times before she retired. The concerts were good but not especially memorable. One included Nights in the Gardens of Spain with Fruhbeck conducting but it was only so-so

. I wish I had been able to hear her play the Albeniz Iberia or the Granados Goyescas. She left great recordings

.

euroka1 · « **Reply #479 on:** November 06, 2010, 04:43:39 PM »

First cold day(high 30s)

of outdoor tennis. Most of the leaves have now fallen

. Hard to get accustomed to hitting a ball with all those layers on. Must start looking for tennis gloves not used now for many months.

Final settlement for Australian Open trip yesterday. It will be warmer there.

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Author Topic: Euroka's Tennis Journal (Read 42759 times)