1523 The Racquetball Chronicles XV

All day I was out of sorts. My legs were aching and tired, I was fighting my trice-annual cold of doom, and just all over not feeling good. On top of that, I was very sleep deprived. Almost called off the game, but ultimately decided to see if I could "sweat it out". Plus I look forward to playing Coat.

Ended up having to cut my weight workout about 3 machines short...just not feeling it. Should have called it off right there, but some of the old drive is coming back...I will have to monitor that carefully so it does not get out of hand.

Anyway, you would not have been able to tell in the first game as I was playing exceptionally well. My serve was on, my passing shots accurate with touch, and my kill shots...well, I hit about four normal ones, then hit a running cross-court corner pinch that was about as good a kill shot as you can get outside of a roll-out.

It was a total domination, 15-4.

We sat down for a couple minutes and were back at it. I deliberately lightened up...he had made a comment that led me to believe the games were not as much fun for him.

Well, I toyed with him until he had about a 10-4 lead and then got serious. But there were problems.

First, I had intentionally lightened my serve and did not go back to the nasty one. Second, all the pinch shots and passing shots were now missing...and he wasn't. Third, I was quitting on chasing balls that I usually get to.

I could have overcome one of those. I could overcome two. But I could not overcome all three...and although I did tie it at 11 I think it was, he outplayed me the rest of the way and got his first win.

I do not mean the above to take anything away from him...I was going all out from the time he hit 10, he just raised his level of play and deserved the win. Every kill shot opportunity he took advantage of. Every mis-cue I made he capitalized on. All in all, he flat out played better.

Another short rest and back at it. Again I dug a hole, something like 6-0, then 8-2. I climbed back into it slowly but surely, though I am not sure how.

The thing is...I was 90% playing very well. I was being patient, I was letting the ball drop to my shoe-tops while set up in perfect position...and then hitting my frame instead of the strings. Two or three balls I missed completely.

He blamed it on my fatigue but I disagree. I had the energy to get into proper position, I thought about the shot I wanted to hit...I just missed the shots.

Still, because I was back to doggedly going after every ball hit, he just could not score enough points and I won about 15-11 or 15-12.

We elected to go one more game. By now he was dropping down and serving some tough serves whereas for most of the first three games he was doing a lot of half-lob and lob serves.

I was concentrating hard and when he gave me lob serves to my backhand I waited for the ball to drop, bent, shifted weight, kept racket level and hit return kill shot after return kill shot. The only chance he had to score was when he got his first serve in and I either did not return it or hit a poor return he could kill.

Still, he jumped out to yet another 6-0ish lead. T ONE POINT HE WAS UP 8-4. I fought back to tie it at 8-8. we then exchanged a half dozen or so service breaks before I ran it out. So yeah...I ran out the last 11 points.

Which is one reason I do not accept the "fatigue" argument for my poor shot-making in the 2nd and 3rd games. I just was not hitting it well.

My goal for the night was to work on my ceiling shot. We did have several multiple ceiling shot rallies, and he won the vast majority of them. I am still working on the correct contact point. I actually have more success on a smurfed up version; I hit it off the front wall about 2' from the ceiling but softly so it sort of dies in the back corner.

On the few occasions he left his ceiling shot short I did a good job of waiting for the ball to drop but a poor job of hitting an accurate shot.

In the first game I was deadly with my kill attempts, but struggled with them for the next three. I need to concentrate on my fundamentals. I hit them much better when I step back as I swing than leaning into it.

Overall, a very fun night of racquetball. And my 88% winning percentage against all comers is something I am proud of. Admittedly the games against BB somewhat inflate the totals, but I have played who comes. Looking forward to more play next week.