Round up

A selection of snaps from recent tournaments

Mills College Spring NTRP

Round 1: Loss, v David Erb, 6-0, 6-1

This was a tough match. My opponent played some good ball. He played with lots of margin, kick and slice serve and had good wheels. He would get most balls back in play with deep shots and lots of margin. I started out being too aggressive and hit lots of forced and unforced errors. My first service game went to deuce but I lost it on a double fault.

I was playing from the back of the court and getting killed with his consistency. If I hit a good shot, he was getting a racquet on the ball and getting it back to the middle of the court. Drawing an error on my next shot as I went for too much.

The first set was closed out in 25 mins.

At the start of the 2nd set I decided to play with more margin, make him win a point by playing well and hitting a good shot rather than playing with good margin and letting me miss. The tactic almost paid off in the first game - I had break points and made him run a lot. He had some great gets and earned the game. My first service game of the 2nd set brought out my first ace. I was hitting my spots on the serve but he was able to get most of them back. As he was leading with ease, he started taking cuts on the serve if I hit to his forehand and a couple of return winners brought out another break point. Another double fault long. He held easy for a 3-0 lead and I had similar story on my serve. My ground strokes just not doing enough.

At 4-0 down I started to find a little range and put him under pressure, I was coming in and hitting some good volleys. I had an opening at 15-30 and hit some good shots to bring up a break point. A double fault gifted me the game. Back to my serve I was back to hitting errors and couldn't hold on despite having game points. He stepped up his game a little here and wasn't letting me off the hook. I saved one match point on his serve but a weak return on the 2nd match point closed it out.

Santa Clara NTRP

Round 1: Win, v Michael Maldonado, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3

This match started out with plenty of unforced errors. My opponent was playing smart tennis, keeping the ball in play by hitting with depth and margin over the net. I played aggressively but often choosing the wrong shot. I knew that my ability to stay in points was under my control so decide to play more percentage shots in the 2nd set.

The tactic payed off. I hit fewer errors and my opponent started feeling more pressure and making more errors of his own. My serve was solid but conversely, I was getting gifts on his serve and took the match to him for a 3rd set.

At the start of the 3rd set I started feeling hungry and tired. I was relying on my gu and cliff bars but knew it was too late. Cramps started in my right wrist and I very laboured between points. I was making my shots count and stopped running balls down if I played a poor point. I was stepped up when I had break chances and converted early to close out the match.

Round 2: Win, v Ji Zhang, 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-2

After the physical battle in round one, to come back a couple of hours later for another match was a tough ask. I really didn't fuel properly during the first match and was struggling for round 2. I didn't have time to leave and get real food so I was back on the gu and cliff bars. I ate a lot and drank plenty of fluids, but at the start of the match, I started to get indigestion. Not a good sign.

My opponent played with lots of spin and got the ball in play well. The points were long and tiring - this was going to be a tough match. There were no breaks in the first set and we headed to a tie break. There were some tight points early doors but I raced out to a 4-1 lead only to gift a few points back. We traded points again until I arrived at match point serving at 6-5. A lose point gave away the advantage. I hung in on the next point and took one point from my opponent on his serve before closing out the set.

The 2nd set was another tight affair but I was trying hard to close out in straight sets as I didn't fancy my chances in a 3rd set. I was getting very tired and was taking the maximum time between points. My stomach was hurting - I didn't know if I wanted to burp or puke. At 4-4 I played a lose game to hand the advantage to my opponent who closed out with a solid service game.

The 3rd set was going to be a challenge but I wasn't yet ready to concede. I tried to keep the points short and made my opponent but in some running which seemed to be working - I was getting some errors and winning enough cheap points to get an early break. Hi legs started getting heavy and lost a lot of footwork - I could smell victory and focused on keeping him running and playing aggressive. I had cramp problems again in my right wrist but managed to close out the set comfortably.

Round 3: Win, v Scott Lam, 6-1, 6-1

This was one of my best matches. I was hitting great 1st serves and keeping a really high %. My opponent was hitting hard and flat but making lots of errors - most going long. I was killing his returns if he missed his 1st serve so he started going for too much on the 2nd gifting me a lot of double faults. The first set was almost over in 20mins, I was serving at 5-0 to close out the bagel. I threw in a double fault and hit a forehand long to hand him a life line. He went after his next shot and I was down 3 break points. Another double fault handed him the game. I brushed off the previous game and went back to my tactics on the return. I got the break and went into the 2nd set with some confidence.

I started the 2nd set thinking it was going to be a walk in the park and again, through in a double and an early error to hand over a break. I re-focused and went back to playing each point and neglected the score. I started racking up winners again and forced the errors. I cruised through the games closing out in just over an hour.

Quarter Final: Loss, v Hien Jimmy Nguyen, 6-1, 6-2

Playing the #1 seed and it was obvious this guy had game. He was killing me early with his kick serve - I didn't know whether to stand inside the baseline or step back and take a cut. I was giving away cheap points everytime he served and didn't get close to breaking in the first set. I was struggling with 1st serves - making very few but hitting good 2nd sevres. He was getting most of my serves back in play and was too consistent with the ground strokes. I stayed calm and thought I was in each game. I was starting to get looks on his serve and managed a break in the 2nd set but it was too little too late.

Clubsport Pleasanton

Warmed up well - although it felt a little rushed.

I lost the toss and was receiving serve. The points were pretty short for the first couple of games. The games went with serve until I was serving at 2-3. I won the first 2 points but then hit a couple of lose shots - even at at 30-30. An untimely double fault set up break point which was converted with another errant shot.

At 4-2 down I focused on the ball and tried to keep the footwork and breathing on point. I hit a some steady shots and brought up a break point. Converted and moved on to serve a strong game - back on serve at 4-4. I had another solid return game and broke again.

Serving at 5-4, 30-0, I thought it was in the bag. Famous last words. I sent the next 4 balls out to lose serve. Annoying. Hitting the ball into the back net didn't help things much.

We were back on serve at 5-5. The next 2 games were full of errors. I went 7-5 with minimal fuss.

The start of the 2nd set was awful. Short points - he kept hitting down the middle with lots of top spin. There were lots of errors off both sides. I was not hitting the backhand well at all.

I was 3-0 down after dropping one service break. I seemed to snap out of it in the 4th game. The next 2 games went with serve. I was receiving at 2-4. I started to return with more authority and put some pressure on the 2nd serve. I sealed the break and was back on serve at 3-4.

Just when I fought my way back into the match I played a loose service game to drop a break. I wasn't able to hold off his serve in the last game and he closed out at 7-5, 6-3.

Matt Ray got through the first round - well done! Lets hope he takes down the #1 seed tomorrow!!

Practice match - Matt Ray, you've still got a ways to go....

So I wanted to start with a brief explanation of the blog title. My good friends John and Tim watch a Japanese cartoon pictured here about a young man who plays a lot of tennis. The name of the show - "The Prince of Tennis". Hence, in true English fashion, I inherited the name - POT due to my incessant playing of the game.

Another quick note, the idea behind the blog was to write some notes about how I played in my matches to help coach Ed to offer some advice on how I can improve my match play. I will post some pics as and when I can but for now, I will be writing things as I recall. Feel free to correct me if I make some errors on the way.

So, onto today's match. We played at 4pm at SF State, court #4 I believe. I had just come from a lesson - working on movement to strike, trying to keep the ball in the correct strike zone and not letting it get on to me. We tried a number of drills and this was my main aim to bring to the match.

Matt won the toss and elected to serve. A fairly comfortable start with a hold. 1-0. I began serving and immediately got myself into some trouble. Matt was hitting the ball well after playing Ed in the morning. 2-0, not a good start for Paul.

Third game was another hold, although I started to get some feeling on a few balls - but still hitting a few too many errors. Matt was up 3-0. The fourth game was little better - I was feeling a little better about my ground strokes and hitting through the ball a little better. The first hold for the match was reassuring.

Matt held for 4-1. The next game I started to find my range - hitting some good angles, and eventually getting through the game. 4-2. I then started to put some pressure on the Matt Ray serve - getting some balls back deep on the return and benefited from an untimely double fault. 4-3. I started feel a little more confident and fired off a couple a games taking a another break. I was now serving for the set at 5-4.

A loose game as I started to think about the score. I was down 15-40 before I knew and Matt soon got back in the set. Still thinking about the missed opportunity I found myself serving to save the set at 5-6. I played another weak game and lost the opening set 7-5.

I came out for second set determined to play more aggressive. I was thinking about watching the ball on the strings and hitting the ball out front. I had a couple of good returns and quickly broke to start the second. I held serve for a 2-0 lead then Matt held for 2-1. The next 3 games went on serve. Matt was serving at 2-4 and again I was trying to apply some pressure with the return. I managed to get the break and then serve out for a 6-2 set.

With light fading, we headed into a third set. The first couple of game went by in a blur. I was trying to mix up the serves -hitting some good angles on the add side and making a couple of volleys. I bagged a couple of over heads - silly shots into the net but they were pretty good lobs - forcing me back and hitting the ball while back pedalling. We had some good rallies int he third set and plenty of winners on both sides. I was really trying to focus on the ball and not think about score even though I manged to get up a break.

I faced a break point when serving 4-2 but managed to scrape through. With Matt serving at 2-5 I was again putting pressure on the serve. A double fault came again and I managed to close out the set 6-2.

A decent win 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 which made up for a dismal show last week losing in 3 sets to both Matt and Ed.

Not so bad mentally today with only a few brain cramps and mutterings to that nut job I have in my head at times.

Here's hoping for no rain tomorrow....

Backhand - Point of Contact

Not a bad picture, shame I'm not looking at the ball.

Forehand - Point of Contact

Tracking the ball initially but losing it before point of contact.

Volley

Bail out or bad technique (or both)?
or maybe this was a drop shot attempt?

Serve

Not enough wrist snap. What else??

Lazy Footwork

Title says it all but check out the last step before contact.

Forehand

No weight transfer through the ball.

Tip Toe Backhand

Footwork to backhand seems ok. But, I stand up to hit the ball instead of driving through it. (notice the wrist break again)

Backhand - Wrist Break

Early preparation into backhand. Loopy take back. Weight transfer seems ok. Hitting through the ball. But, look at the wrist break at the end.

Backhand - Slice

Bail out shot! Decided not to hit over the ball but instead went for a slice. Didn't hit through the ball. Nice easy floater.

Practice match against Matt Ray

Check out these pics from last Saturday - I have collected the images in sequence based on a stroke (or lack there of) that I'm trying to execute.