Match: David Barclay

07/23/2010, Friday
Fort Worth Major Zone, McLeland Tennis Center

9:00 AM: David Barclay 1-6, 0-6

The day before this match was the closest I've come to dropping out of a tournament as I was still pretty tired from the previous weekend in San Antonio and the subsequent Ultimate Tennis matches I had Tuesday and Wednesday. On Monday I had gone to yoga class so basically I had been hard at it for six days. Then Thursday brought the unexpected passing of our dog, Truman, and a night of very little rest. Even though I took an Ambian to try and help me sleep it was a tough night.

But I felt I had an obligation to my opponents and, more importantly, Keith my doubles partner to show up and play. I must also say that I felt having the distraction of some tennis might help deal with the sadness for a few hours - and it did. Keith and I were carpooling so I had to get up at 5:45AM so I could meet him at a Frisco McDonalds at 6:15AM. It was nice to have some company to the hour trip to Fort Worth.

My match against David Barclay was so totally frustrating that I was miserable. I felt like I was playing in fog. Not to take away anything from David as he is a quality player who is very consistent and was a 4.0 player for 15 years before dropping down to 3.5 a few years ago. David's strengths were his consistency and shot placement. His serve was surprisingly very mechanical and non-threatening but at the level I was playing it made no difference as I could not get half of my shots on the court. I won one serve game and that was it.

I tried to vary my approach to the match playing from the baseline and then attacking the net at every opportunity but it made no difference. My serve was not giving him any problems and he was truly just toying with me most of the time. This was the worst match I've played in a long time and I cannot take any positives from it. What I can take away is the hope that will meet David again and try to make a better showing. He is also in the Ultimate Tennis league and undefeated in his division. So we'll both be in the playoffs and could meet in the later rounds. Not thinking I could necessarily beat him but I sure as heck could make a better showing.