Game 4 : 11th Jan

 Score


6-3


6-4

Then fast fours

4-1

1-4

Rating:

Redemption


Venue:

Playtomic Barn - 90mins


Covered but windy and cold (7c)


Report:

Playing with my usual partner and it was an honour, he won the game.

We swapped sides so I was playing on the right and him on the left which is something we discussed after a bad loss before Christmas.

0-3 down after 15 mins and it was looking shaky but he put the game on his back and we rallied to win the set 6-3. Our opposition hadn't played together but you wouldn't have thought so they were very slick with really tricky serves and returns, the first few games flew past with lots of unforced errors from me. 

Id had a headache and was feeling lethargic all day (match started at 8pm) but At 0-3 I managed to refocus and start playing the simple shots. "If the shot is hard then play simple" was the watchword. My lobs were again my weapon to reset the point and allow us to get back in and my partner to finish. I also had one service game where my serve gave the opposition all sorts of trouble just when we needed it. Oh and we played the new "Star Point" rules which was interesting. The majority of the games actually went to Deuce but we didn't play any Star Points.

Match was played in great spirit (more on that later!) but there was some prolonged discussion if the fence at the back of the court was in play or not. I'd somehow managed to retrieve a failed pop out from that fence but the other pair stopped playing as they thought it was out and they'd won the point. I disagreed as you obviously get a por tres and a por quattro. Can't have quattro without the fence! It was an amicable discussion and  we all decided to play a let and they won the replayed point anyways. 

We wrapped up the first set and continued strong into the second set with a break in the first game and holding in the second game. Again my partner was just finishing points with aplomb and I was doing a good job in defending and serving. We got to 5-2 up on their serve and were leading 15-40 when my partner showed exceptional sportsmanship.

The opponent double faulted on his serve. However my partner (who wasn't receiving the ball) wasn't set as he was moving the first serve ball back to the net and so he offered a let. Let's face it, you don't want to win on a double fault. However, the other team came storming back to hold serve and then break me in the next game. So now, 5-4. I was nervous to be honest but unfortunately for the other team there were a couple of unforced errors and two of my best shots of the match, a gorgeous forehand service return to the fence then a lovely backhand passing shot down the middle from me. We wrapped up the set and the game.

Thankfully THANKFULLY and here's the redemption.

We'd played one of the opposition in a game before Christmas. Had lost the first set, won the second and were 5-2 up in the third before we absolutely collapsed to 5-7. Today however my partner was absolutely on his game physically and mentally, got me through my initial wobbly period, finished points very well and didn't panic or get down when the second set looked like it was slipping. Top tier performance from him today. 

As for me, I wasn't at my best, sluggish physically and mentally not as sharp. Still couldn't finish my dinner but that will come. I had a lovely vibora (singular!) in one game but I was happy with my mental side that I was a good teammate and opponent today. A match played in great spirit with good guys. 

After the official match, we switched to fast fours where me and my partner won 4-1 but my level dropped. I was literally so relieved to win that I dropped the intensity.

We then swapped partners and I crashed to 1-4 defeat, I was really really not great and my usual partner continued at his high level and tempo on the other side of the net.

So learnings for this one? Appreciation of my partner and my own better behaviour. Also that I need to be fitter. I felt my performance drag as I got more tired. A 90 minute proper match with long rallies and most games going to Deuce was hard going.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Game 21: 19th February

  No score Rating: Family Padel! Me and my kids Venue: The Local - 60mins on the Sandy Court Report from my 7 year old. Good shots Like I hit my dad right in the goolies. It was really funny.  He was like running off crazy and he did some great shots as well. But I also smashed it up against the wall and it went flying out of the court so many times About the game I think it was a tie cuz we each had 4040 and our time was up when we finished so we so then we got the set so we actually won against my sisters.  Final thoughts. I hit it to the other court like seven times and they kept throwing it back. My sister just hit a random guy's knee  with the ball. like what? it was so weird I was like bro. What the heck. I literally scored with like a backhand volley which was really good and also a power volley.
Read more

Game 8: January 25th

 Score :  4-6 1-6 4-6 Rating: mismatch Venue: Playtomic Barn - 60 min competitive game Report: Me up against two significantly higher ranked players and playing with a significantly lower ranked partner that I hadn't played with before. I'm rated midway between intermediate and beginner and that's what we had in the match. Tough tough match and the score flatters my side perhaps. There wasn't much in the way of rallies (as seem by the amount of games we got through) and I am not even tired after the game. Randomly, I tried a "willy" after getting surprised with a good return after my serve but it was a massive fail. I did do a successful backhand boast which I struggle with usually . Overall I didn't play bad. It was a 3.6 roentgen performance. But I was just unable to drag my team into contention.  I did play on the left and had no issues with backhand serve return all match. And some of my lobbed serve returns into the corner were excellent. the fact tha...
Read more

Game 1: 4th Jan 2026

Score 6-0 6-0 6-2 Then (6-2 and 6-3) Rating: Great Fun (for me) Venue: Playtomic Barn - 90mins Covered but very very cold (-3c) Report: So I've not played over the Christmas holidays and boy have I missed it.  Setup a match with people around the same rating as me that I hadn't played with before which is always a strangely nervous thing. Luckily they were all sound. The way the teams set up meant I was partnered with a guy who had experience of the tactics and unfortunately our opponents were always being sucked into no man's land. In saying that, I played really well for me. Lobs were on point, very few unforced errors, serve was good without being incredible.  Partner A also played really well, some buttery soft backhand volleys down the line from the right hand side. And communication was great throughout. A++++ would partner again. After 3 pretty quick sets we swapped teams and, although I felt like a dickhead doing it (as I am not good enough to give advice), I pointe...
Read more