One of my mixed doubles partners likes to say that he’ll only hit hard at the girl in retaliation. Although his manner on court is short of volcano but he’s true to his word. Of course there is a hint of bragging, a.k.a. he could extract a win from him (not her), which is often true too.
Yesterday I stayed a little to watch my team play. The 3D dude caught my attention right away: he hit very hard at my girl who’s at net. Then couple of games later he hit her back with an overhead. His partner made comment to my girl:
” .. oh at least you turned away.”
Maybe I’m just being a mother hen: I didn’t like it.
The only little comfort was that my team was leading, 4-1.
Then the lead faded. They lost the first set. I couldn’t bear to watch, and left. Near the end of dinner, Ron text me the result. I had a toast for the 3D win in the super tie break, a good pay back.
Tennis is a fair game and I’ve no problem taking a hit but for all the times I’m in the league (and elsewhere), guys in the mixed game are 99% gentlemen: they just don’t do maniac stuff. If there is a unwritten code or etiquette, this one will be on the top.
Ok, I know we the 3.5ers have limited skill in term of control the ball, but still ..
1D: 6-4, 6-4
2D: 6-3, 3-6, 8-10
3D: 4-6, 7-6, 10-4
Posts Tagged usta
Getting hit
Manhattan 2012 stats
This season we only have 8 matches – very short – but with two rescheduled 3Ds, it seemed long. We played our 8th match last night, without much fanfare because we’re the third, made into the playoff regardless of the out come of this match. However, our opponents had 43 pts, in 5th place was only half point behind the then 4th place team (43.5 pts). Winning half court would mean they’ll join the quarter final fun. And they did splendidly:
1D 5-7, 2-6
2D 6-1, 1-5
3D 6-4, 6-4
.
Ok something happened very unexpectedly on Feb 23: the #1 team with a perfect season (again) that raked in 96 (out of possible 104 pts) went to the bottom with mere 37 points, ranking 8th. Many matches/players are DQed, disqualified. The reason is
eligibility disqualification which altered the teams advancing to playoff’s
Queens mixed 8.0 2012
Erwin Avila/Mancuso’s Team #7 in Div 2.
Jan 3 match
Our second re-scheduled match. The third doubles was played tonight – a timed match.
1d. 3-6, 2-6
2d. 2-6, 6-3 0-1
3d. 4-6, 6-4
Queens 2012 mixed 7.0
The 2012 Queens
Date Weekday Time Location Level Home Team Opp Team
- 2-Feb Thu 8:30, National Tennis Center; Linda Acevedo: 2-1
- 6-Feb Mon 7:00, National Tennis Center; Erwin Avila: 2-1
- 10-Feb Fri 8:30, Westside Tennis Club; Fabia De Crescenzo: 2-1
- 26-Feb Sun 6:00, Westside Tennis Club; Fabia De Crescenzo: 3-0
- 5-Mar Mon 9:00, National Tennis Center; Yao Bailey 0-3
- 8-Mar Thu 8:00, Westside Tennis Club; 3 Jen Seltzer: 3-0
- 16-Mar Fri 8:00, Westside Tennis Club; 3 Linda Acevedo: 1-2
- 18-Mar Sun 6:30, NYTC Indoors; 3 Erwin Avila: 2-1
- 22-Mar Thu 8:00, Westside Tennis Club; Jen Seltzer: 3-0
- 26-Mar Mon 7:00, National Tennis Center; 3 Gavin Masterson: 2-1
- 1-Apr Sun 6:00, Westside Tennis Club; 3 Yao Bailey: 1-2
- 6-Apr Fri 8:00, Westside Tennis Club; Gavin Masterson: 2-1
- Flight Playoff: April 14 and 15
- District Championshipm: NTC
- Regional (Metro) Championship: NTC, May
- Eastern Section Championship: Schenectady, (June, first Fri-Sun)
- National Championship:
Updated Eastern League Regulations
Yes yes yes: my wish has come true today.
The Eastern Regulations are attached. Please note that there has been a change to the Mixed Doubles regulations:
“Early Start Leagues (leagues that begin before 2011 year end ratings are published) will use 2011 Early Start computer ratings (as of September 1, 2011) for players for their mixed local season as well as mixed championships. The date a player registers for an Early Start League will determine the rating used for early start league play. If a player registers for an Early Start League before year end ratings have been published, they will be allowed to finish the league season with the early start rating they had at the time they registered unless their 2011 year end rating reaches the “clearly above level mark”. If the year-end rating is higher than the rating used to register for the Early Start League AND the year end rating is ‘clearly above level’ then the player must move up to the higher level immediately. Matches already played will be valid. If a player registers for an Early Start League after year-end ratings have been published, that player must use their final year-end rating for the Early Start League”.
This change will pose issues for a few teams. Those players affected by the new regulations will be notified individually, with the captain on copy.
In order to provide teams the opportunity to make necessary adjustments, we will be re-opening registration to all teams starting tomorrow night. Registration will close on January 1st.
Roster size will be increased to 24 players to accommodate these new regulations.
The new caste
For those who doesn’t know USA, often say Americans aren’t class conscious. True they don’t have a monarchy or royal lords like many old Europa but the Yankees have been creating new kind of classes everywhere. I saw this Islanders pass access at the Coliseum:
.
.
Call it economic caste or whatever, it is everywhere in USA. The other day, I saw Cathay Pacific is promoting their premium economy class: first few rows of the mass seating section. For those who couldn’t afford Business but willing to pay little extra?
Anyway. We played our first re-scheduled match (3D rescheduled):
1D: 6-2, 6-1
2D: 6-3, 6-1
3D: 3-6, 5-7
The Queens 2012 captains’ meeting
It’s my 4th captain’s meeting (2010 Queens, 2011 Manhattan and Queens, 2012 Manhattan) and the most combative one so far.
The girls Pam and Deb addresses few issues that concern me.
- Reschedule. One captain at the meeting forcefully complained that the league never consulted him for the given [new] date
that might put him at disadvantage. Few captains voiced the rule .. that should you couldn’t make it, the initiator will forfeit. The forceful captain said, “.. then what IS the point of making every one work extra?” Why didn’t they forfeit the court to begin with?? I couldn’t agree more with him. Deb said, if you want to do away with rescheduling, we’re happy to oblige. - Money. The economy isn’t good and it affects the little tennis community too. Pam the treasurer said she’s seen the teams’ pay record with entries like $30, $60, .. she stretched out her two arms, one over her head and one was below her knees, to describe the difficulty some teams face in collecting payment. This is totally new to me. I think I’m fortunate in that regard becasue my mates were and are very cooperative and never needs to be reminded for payment. My way has been asking if anyone wishes to pay on their own as soon as the online pay begin or pay me at each match. I’ve been paying the balance. My preference is they pay online. But my attitude is, I’m a near poor but short of $30 won’t set me poorer. SO, if the mates remember to pay, it’s great. If they forget, no big deal – I trust people. The 2012 Manhattan league has few new players and they all paid online long before the first match. SO I’m fortunate and grateful.
- Referrals. The league refers players who are looking for a team or two to join, and the league expect feedback. IF the player is new or unknown for problem, they will be refer to us. There are players who bug them often but never actually join, or they always give captain a hard time, they don’t get
referred. This league is really a small world and people talk to each other. I made friends and look forward to seeing them on court or at the meetings.
Pam also mentioned that economy isn’t good but the tennis clubs are doing great (How could that be? She didn’t elaborate. Perhaps doves of Petes, Andres, Serenas and Venues are in training?! OR unemployment rate is high .. .. so the stay homers go to play tennis. I are really smart!), that’s why the increa$e of court fee from 2011 $29 to $30 in 2012.
Talking about money: there are couple of players we wanted to have. But ultimately it’s the court fees that prevent them. The husband said it costs him only in single digit to play at NTC. So no to the league. Never mind the league is more about team work and camaraderie than dollar$ and cent$.
Reschedule
I’ve my first postponement request this year two weeks prior to the December match. The league granted it and rescheduled it a month later.
I already know I am short one guy for this match. Already begged all the guys on my team, they are 100% busy/committed.
The intend is really for the unexpected event like injury, not for some team that couldn’t field a stronger pair. We’re all busy during the holiday season! The rule states:
Rescheduling Courts: Each team may request the re-schedule of a maximum of 3 courts per season. NOTE: You can only re-schedule one court per match — 3rd doubles. All re-schedule requests must be submitted no later than January 15, 2010. One date will be given for the re-schedule. If either team can not make the re-schedule date, the requesting team must forfeit.
My first thought was, why doesn’t the requesting team consider to forfeit instead? Rescheduling a match involves three parts: the requesting team, the opposing team and the league. The later two have to work additionally just to accommodate the first part, the requester. The league has to weight the availability of the club, as well as both teams’ schedules. The league will not consult either teams when they grant a new date. Is it worth it? Besides, the new date might put my team at disadvantage, and I certainly don’t want to my team to be viewed as uncooperative becasue a No/can’t make it from us means forfeiture for the requesting team.
My team has always been small. One of the season we navigated the entire season with only 10 players. Not a single match was re-scheduled. No sweat. Some players had to make sacrifice (i.e. job) for the game. Maybe other teams should try a little harder before troubling two more parties for the sake of their own? It’s the third court, counts only 3 points.
However resentful, I think most team would try to accommodate the request however unwilling. Because deep down we all try our best to be courteous and want to win fair and square.
Will someone/team abuse the system? Of course. But that’s life, chill.
The Coliseum
Golfer has his play off match at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum immediately after the Islanders game. That’s in conflict with my fourth match: we’re short of woman and must win IF we want to stay in the race. After begging and weighting to be a supportive wife once in a long while or not letting my team down (actually its quite a let down by losing 1D matches, twice). It’s my team in the end. Golfer was very supportive, saying no worry .. they’ll play at the Coliseum again. My plan for the night was: try to finish the match as soon as possible and rush to the Coliseum be the groupie. Got a chance to roam around the back but didn’t get to see the players’ locker room: pix on FB, on youtube.
I love ice hockey (and football): so much grace, speed and drama. I always wondered why ice hockey isn’t as popular as other major league sports: über unfair. Also wondered why the heck they say no to Wang’s new stadium. The Coliseum is so old that it may crack any time if the wind blows bit harder.
Back to tennis. I was running late but thankfully got there by 8:30pm. Our court: our opponents were very experienced, nice and enjoyable to play with. I made a late call for a wide shot, they didn’t flinch. We missed a clearly out call in the second set. Oh well, too bad, our fault. The lighting was poor. The tall guy has a mean forehand but he never hit hard at me or to me. The lady has trouble handle Ron’s serve but is experienced who hit quite few cute shots that were deadly. Toward the end, she asked Ron who’s Irene becasue I romanced few girls for recruiting before the season started and she was one of them. But guess I’m not too charming: need to hone my pick line -:)
One court:
Had one of the most exciting match last night. We were down the entire time in first set (either down a break or on serve) until we reach the tiebreak. We won the tie break 7-5 or 7-4 on a defensive lob. In the second set we were down again 0-2. With time running out, we basically try our best to fight for every point. Irene held serve to make it 1-2. Then we were down 40-0 again. We came back and won that game. That was a significant game bc that would be the last game due to time and if they won, we would have split. We won… I think I hit the guy with a high forehand volley. Oops.
Another court:
We went 6/4, 6/2 but we had been up 4/0 in the first set and they clawed their way back up to a tie grrrr. The second set we were up 5/1 and let them win one more to get to 6/2
I think we played the captains and he was a decent guy decent player but the woman was sneering ready to pick a fight from the get go. She yelled at me for swinging body waiting the serve to her as it was too distracting We called a ball out that was clearly out with the mark to prove it. That got her really going and every point got an argument or sneer. .. Then we were near the end of the 2nd set and she hit what she thought was a down the line winner and it was out so I called it out. So she said
“You’re not actually going to call that out are you ?”
And then Larry said it was out! Then she accused us of calling every ball out and that got Prince Larry going..hos lip curled and he gave her a “what for ” about how über -fair we were being throughout and even called very close ones that were likely out, in and In their favor and shut her right down and then of course we went on to win the set.Particularly when losing so badly – being nasty on top just doesn’t make you any better or any more likeable .. and in fact makes you want to call their balls out even more!!! Im happy to play anyone and compete fair and square but there’s just no rationale for that kind of behavior.
1D: 7-6, 2-2 (timed match)
2D: 6-4, 6-2
3D: 6-3, 6-2
