Topic: OSU Buckeye - Journal

[OSU Buckeye]

Your game is about as steady as anyone's, at least as far as always playing pretty much the same.  In other words, you don't have lots of highs and lots of lows, you are always close to the norm.  From my math days your standard deviation is +/- 1 under the bell curve.   

Nice..............well put..........and, in language that I can understand!    

[OSU Buckeye]

Got outside and hit with Scott today in absolutely perfect weather.  I was pretty happy with the play today.  I was hitting the ball decently, staying down, watching the ball well, and getting around the court better than normal.  It all felt quite solid.  There were some real nice points I felt.  Scott mentioned his sweet volley in his journal.........I would like to add from my perspective.  He failed to mention that my shot was right down the line, within a foot of the sideline I would say............and, like he said very low, just over the net.  I looked up and he not only barely had it covered but he cut the nastiest angle drop/touch volley!  Points like that are just plain fun!       Good stuff, now on to singles match tomorrow night. 

[Jamesdster]

Got outside and hit with Scott today in absolutely perfect weather.  I was pretty happy with the play today.  I was hitting the ball decently, staying down, watching the ball well, and getting around the court better than normal.  It all felt quite solid.  There were some real nice points I felt.  Scott mentioned his sweet volley in his journal.........I would like to add from my perspective.  He failed to mention that my shot was right down the line, within a foot of the sideline I would say............and, like he said very low, just over the net.  I looked up and he not only barely had it covered but he cut the nastiest angle drop/touch volley!  Points like that are just plain fun!       Good stuff, now on to singles match tomorrow night. 

Glad to hear you 2 got outside and played.  It was a very nice day, although a little windy. 

[OSU Buckeye]

Got outside and hit with Scott today in absolutely perfect weather.  I was pretty happy with the play today.  I was hitting the ball decently, staying down, watching the ball well, and getting around the court better than normal.  It all felt quite solid.  There were some real nice points I felt.  Scott mentioned his sweet volley in his journal.........I would like to add from my perspective.  He failed to mention that my shot was right down the line, within a foot of the sideline I would say............and, like he said very low, just over the net.  I looked up and he not only barely had it covered but he cut the nastiest angle drop/touch volley!  Points like that are just plain fun!       Good stuff, now on to singles match tomorrow night. 

Glad to hear you 2 got outside and played.  It was a very nice day, although a little windy. 

It was only breezy at times for us but mostly not bad at all!   

[Tennis4you]

Got outside and hit with Scott today in absolutely perfect weather.  I was pretty happy with the play today.  I was hitting the ball decently, staying down, watching the ball well, and getting around the court better than normal.  It all felt quite solid.  There were some real nice points I felt.  Scott mentioned his sweet volley in his journal.........I would like to add from my perspective.  He failed to mention that my shot was right down the line, within a foot of the sideline I would say............and, like he said very low, just over the net.  I looked up and he not only barely had it covered but he cut the nastiest angle drop/touch volley!  Points like that are just plain fun!       Good stuff, now on to singles match tomorrow night. 

Glad to hear you 2 got outside and played.  It was a very nice day, although a little windy. 

It was only breezy at times for us but mostly not bad at all!  

You know it is windy when overheads are missed.  I cannot remember us missing any overheads.  We might have missed everything else, but not overheads...

[OSU Buckeye]

I was kind of humbled last night.  I played the girl (Corrine R) at our club that is a junior in high school and barely beat her.  She was hitting the ball cleaner and better than I was without question.  Funky match for me. 

She broke my serve right away and I didn't get that break back until she served at 4-3.  I got the set 7-5.  Then I struggled to get her in the 2cnd set at 6-2.  She hit way too many winners against me and I was not confidently being aggressive enough to hit enough winners on her.  She played great most of the match and I felt I played very mediocre.  I hit many solid serves and some nice drop-shots, both volleys and from the base-line. 

Scott served and volleyed at me for about 15 mins at the end of the night.  That was cash!  He was popping serves impressively.  I felt a little flat at that point but it was still fun and productive. 

[Jamesdster]

Hey, the last time I played her she hit many more winners than me!  I don't know how she has lost to Nate twice.

[jeffrx]

I was kind of humbled last night.  I played the girl (Corrine R) at our club that is a junior in high school and barely beat her.  She was hitting the ball cleaner and better than I was without question.  Funky match for me. 

She broke my serve right away and I didn't get that break back until she served at 4-3.  I got the set 7-5.  Then I struggled to get her in the 2cnd set at 6-2.  She hit way too many winners against me and I was not confidently being aggressive enough to hit enough winners on her.  She played great most of the match and I felt I played very mediocre.  I hit many solid serves and some nice drop-shots, both volleys and from the base-line. 

Scott served and volleyed at me for about 15 mins at the end of the night.  That was cash!  He was popping serves impressively.  I felt a little flat at that point but it was still fun and productive. 

Wow, she must be good for such a young player.

[OSU Buckeye]

Hey, the last time I played her she hit many more winners than me!  I don't know how she has lost to Nate twice.

You didn't lose 7 games though either!   

[OSU Buckeye]

I was kind of humbled last night.  I played the girl (Corrine R) at our club that is a junior in high school and barely beat her.  She was hitting the ball cleaner and better than I was without question.  Funky match for me. 

She broke my serve right away and I didn't get that break back until she served at 4-3.  I got the set 7-5.  Then I struggled to get her in the 2cnd set at 6-2.  She hit way too many winners against me and I was not confidently being aggressive enough to hit enough winners on her.  She played great most of the match and I felt I played very mediocre.  I hit many solid serves and some nice drop-shots, both volleys and from the base-line. 

Scott served and volleyed at me for about 15 mins at the end of the night.  That was cash!  He was popping serves impressively.  I felt a little flat at that point but it was still fun and productive. 

Wow, she must be good for such a young player.

She definitely is.  I would put her at least at a solid 4.0 male player level.  Her groundies are very very solid.   She lacks only slightly in serve and court speed.  She is extremely solid off both wings! 

[OSU Buckeye]

Hey, the last time I played her she hit many more winners than me!  I don't know how she has lost to Nate twice.

Good question.  She told me last night that she has felt crappy like every time she plays him, she was not happy with her play against him.  I expect he is a bit too competitive on the court and what-not.  Ask Scott about his on-court behavior!    

Interestingly, after the match she told me she played about as good as she could in our 1st set.  I had to agree as she was hitting winners all over the place.  She was missing almost nothing and I was really struggling to get a read on where she was going with her groundies. 

[Jamesdster]

Hey, the last time I played her she hit many more winners than me!  I don't know how she has lost to Nate twice.

Good question.  She told me last night that she has felt crappy like every time she plays him, she was not happy with her play against him.  I expect he is a bit too competitive on the court and what-not.  Ask Scott about his on-court behavior!    

Interestingly, after the match she told me she played about as good as she could in our 1st set.  I had to agree as she was hitting winners all over the place.  She was missing almost nothing and I was really struggling to get a read on where she was going with her groundies. 

If you know anything about Nate, he has a decent backhand and NO forehand.  So, Saturday I talked to her and "scolded" her for having trouble in a match that she should've won.  I think she just gets intimidated playing against "old men" because she seemed surprised that I thought she shoulda wupped him.  Or maybe, as you said, his behavior might have intimidated her because now that I think of it, she didn't appear intimidated playing me and from the sound of it, you either.  She asked me what kind of score I would have predicted.  I told her she should beat him 2 & 3!  She said "really???"   Then I asked her if she went at his forehand?  She look at me like I was crazy.  She proceeded to tell me that she never even noticed that.  This shocked me that she didn't pick up on that as it is very noticeable AND it was the 2nd time she has played him. Usually to be a good player, which she obviously is, this is part of the formula, to be able to strategize.  So we chatted a little more and I told her she needs to pick up on things like that, that she has all the talent in the world, now she just needs to think more.  I hope she took it the right way.

[OSU Buckeye]

Hey, the last time I played her she hit many more winners than me!  I don't know how she has lost to Nate twice.

Good question.  She told me last night that she has felt crappy like every time she plays him, she was not happy with her play against him.  I expect he is a bit too competitive on the court and what-not.  Ask Scott about his on-court behavior!    

Interestingly, after the match she told me she played about as good as she could in our 1st set.  I had to agree as she was hitting winners all over the place.  She was missing almost nothing and I was really struggling to get a read on where she was going with her groundies. 

If you know anything about Nate, he has a decent backhand and NO forehand.  So, Saturday I talked to her and "scolded" her for having trouble in a match that she should've won.  I think she just gets intimidated playing against "old men" because she seemed surprised that I thought she shoulda wupped him.  Or maybe, as you said, his behavior might have intimidated her because now that I think of it, she didn't appear intimidated playing me and from the sound of it, you either.  She asked me what kind of score I would have predicted.  I told her she should beat him 2 & 3!  She said "really???"   Then I asked her if she went at his forehand?  She look at me like I was crazy.  She proceeded to tell me that she never even noticed that.  This shocked me that she didn't pick up on that as it is very noticeable AND it was the 2nd time she has played him. Usually to be a good player, which she obviously is, this is part of the formula, to be able to strategize.  So we chatted a little more and I told her she needs to pick up on things like that, that she has all the talent in the world, now she just needs to think more.  I hope she took it the right way.

Indeed!   She went down line almost all the time on me and I kept being surprised by it because it is lower percentage and she was hitting the ball so well.  It was almost unbelievable to me that she kept landing those shots. 

Now, you must share your knowledge with me oh wise one!   

[Jamesdster]

Hey, the last time I played her she hit many more winners than me!  I don't know how she has lost to Nate twice.

Good question.  She told me last night that she has felt crappy like every time she plays him, she was not happy with her play against him.  I expect he is a bit too competitive on the court and what-not.  Ask Scott about his on-court behavior!    

Interestingly, after the match she told me she played about as good as she could in our 1st set.  I had to agree as she was hitting winners all over the place.  She was missing almost nothing and I was really struggling to get a read on where she was going with her groundies. 

If you know anything about Nate, he has a decent backhand and NO forehand.  So, Saturday I talked to her and "scolded" her for having trouble in a match that she should've won.  I think she just gets intimidated playing against "old men" because she seemed surprised that I thought she shoulda wupped him.  Or maybe, as you said, his behavior might have intimidated her because now that I think of it, she didn't appear intimidated playing me and from the sound of it, you either.  She asked me what kind of score I would have predicted.  I told her she should beat him 2 & 3!  She said "really???"   Then I asked her if she went at his forehand?  She look at me like I was crazy.  She proceeded to tell me that she never even noticed that.  This shocked me that she didn't pick up on that as it is very noticeable AND it was the 2nd time she has played him. Usually to be a good player, which she obviously is, this is part of the formula, to be able to strategize.  So we chatted a little more and I told her she needs to pick up on things like that, that she has all the talent in the world, now she just needs to think more.  I hope she took it the right way.

Indeed!   She went down line almost all the time on me and I kept being surprised by it because it is lower percentage and she was hitting the ball so well.  It was almost unbelievable to me that she kept landing those shots. 

Now, you must share your knowledge with me oh wise one!   

wax on
wax off
 

[OSU Buckeye]

Ran into a buzz-saw in Joe and Scott Wednesday night.  They played very solid!  MC and I played good at times but like crap at other times.  They smoked us!   On the good side, there were some really fun points with great rallies and solid shot-making! 

[Tennis4you]

It was a fun night for Joe and I, that is for sure.  It was an upset, I did not expect to win.  Wasn't the best I had seen you and Mikey play, but it was still good tennis.  Joe was on a mission, and I have zero complaints about Wed night.  Always fun to get out and hit with the big boys!

[Jamesdster]

I agree with Scott in that I would consider this an upset.  I would've guessed that Joe might have been in over his head a bit, which would've been the deciding factor, but from what I hear, Joe came out smoking and didn't let up, which is EXACTLY what needs to happen for an upset to occur.  Well done Joe!!

[OSU Buckeye]

I agree with Scott in that I would consider this an upset.  I would've guessed that Joe might have been in over his head a bit, which would've been the deciding factor, but from what I hear, Joe came out smoking and didn't let up, which is EXACTLY what needs to happen for an upset to occur.  Well done Joe!!

Almost all other nights Joe has been slightly in over his head but on this night he was the best I have seen him.  He has those skillz, he just needs to let them appear more consistently!  They played awesome! 

[Jamesdster]

How'd your singles mach go?  I assume you won?

[OSU Buckeye]

How'd your singles mach go?  I assume you won?

It didn't go great but I did learn some very valuable lessons last night.  I won 6-3, 7-5.  I was down serving at 2-5 in the 2cnd set and din't lose another game.  I woke up and decided to play some real tennis at that point.  What I learned is the clear difference for me between mediocre, unfocused, lazy tennis and solid, focused, and much more energetic tennis.  It was such a distinct difference in play from before this point in the match to after this point that it showed me what I always need to be doing.  This stuff can seem obvious when thinking about it but it is quite a different thing to go on court and carry out all the correct mechanics and mentalities. 

Before this point, I was playing unaggressive, unfocused, with poor footwork and mechanics in general.  After this point I got mad at myself and just focused in and started striking the ball much better.  I was more keyed into where he was going to hit the ball and also ran just about everything down that he hit. 

3 weeks in a row in singles now, I have come to the court expecting to win and playing very mediocre tennis which caused at least 1 very tight set in all 3 matches.  I should come to the court with better focus and energy and let the chips fall where they may as far as who wins and by how much.  It was very good to be reminded of this stuff.  BTW, Nate was a perfect gentleman last night.