Actual Miles Flown Since 1/1/00
Made it to Aachen last night and played with Aleks Kitinov (MAC) today
vs. Luxa-Skoch (CZE). I'd lost to them two weeks ago in Charleroi, so I knew
it would be a tough match. Started off slowly and we lost the first set 6-2.
We played even through the second set to 3-3, but were down 15-40 on my
serve. We got back to 30-40 and then I let a Luxa's return go past me
thinking that it was going out. To my eye, it landed just out, but the
linesman called it good; the chair umpire overruled the call and gave us the
point. It was on the far sideline from his chair and a close call, so we
were a bit fortunate to get the overrule even though it looked out to me in
my unbiased opinion. We held serve and eventually went to a tiebreaker where
we came back from down a mini-break twice to pull it out 7-4.
The third set was much of the same as both teams held serve to 5-5. They
didn't play a good game on their serve at 5-5 and we broke to go up 6-5 and
Aleks served a great game to close out the match 2-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5. I didn't
play particularly well, but it was good to hang in and get a result.
The playing surface here in Aachen is carpet; literally like your living
room floor carpet, so it makes for an interesting game. Instead of sweeping
the courts between sets like they do on clay, they vacuum between sets. OK,
they don't but they could.
SECOND ROUND
Aleks Kitinov and I went down yesterday to Groen-Simerink (NED) 7-5, 7-6
(1). We were up in the first set, but I played a poor game on my serve at
4-3 in the first and then the tide turned in their favor. Picked things up a
bit in the second set, but it wasn't our day. To be honest, it was a bit of
a letdown week for me and hard to get motivated. No excuse, but that's the
truth.
I'm off to Brighton, England today; it's the last tournament of the year
for me. The season is two weeks longer than usual this year due to the
Olympics, so that's why I'm playing right up until Thanksgiving. Once I'm
out of the draw, I will make a beeline for Waukesha, WI and the couch. Will
try to prolong my season as long as I can, but this is a win-win week or
shall I say a win-home week. So, Aunt Pam, please save a little pie for me
just in case things don't go well.
~Jack
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