Racquetball

Thursday Scott was unable to make it but Tim and David did and both were playing well.

The first game I was lob serving and for the first round so were they. But David was doing his blistering corner crack-out return and Tim was almost as good. They both started scoring and serving it harder and faster. By my third time up I had just 3 or 4 points and Tim had 7. By my 6th time up I was stuck on 6 and David had 8, Tim 9.

Worse, my shots were still not falling. I had struggled in singles against Tim Tuesday to the point he actually won 2 of 7 games. My pinch shots were coming back to the second service line, my pass shots were rebounding off the back wall, my ceiling shots were floating...and the same thing was happening again.

I started my mid-speed serve, got to about 9 but Tim had 13 and David 10. Then Tim got to 14. I put him out of the box. I dropped down, went with my laser serve, scored a couple. David did to, getting to 12. Tim stuck on 14. I got to 13. David got shut down. Tim got shut down.

I got to 14. Tim and David and I went three rounds with the score 14-14-13. Tim had a chance at one but I got a tough scoop off the floor to keep the rally alive, did it again, did it a third time and he got anxious, putting it straight into the floor.

And I served an ace to win. Tough, exciting game.

The next game started slow, with a 1-1-1 tie for a couple rounds until David ran off 5 straight. But soon I took control and slowly my shots started to come back. All the golf has been jacking up my swing, but I am remembering the old inside-out backhand cross court corner pinch and it was scoring a lot of points for me.

That opened some lines for some multi-wall passing shots that garnered a couple points on shots that earlier were set-ups for them and then my forehand started popping on straight-in kill shots.

I ended up winning 15-12-9.

Both guys were playing well. Tim was not floating it, both guys were getting to shots, they were scoring well...it was the most competitive night we have had across the board in months.

Game 3. Neither of them can score. My serve is suddenly on, creating points both off the serve and week returns. When they get a good return I am controlling the action, playing from the center, running down everything, creating tough angles and scoring. 9 points my first turn up. 3 more my second turn up. Three more my third time up...

15-0-0.

Some nights that would be no big deal but on a night where at this point they were both playing well? That...was impressive.

They would play better the rest of the night, but never well enough to keep any game from essentially being a skunk...they would each score 4-6 points, but in no game would they combine to score 15 the rest of the way. It was dominating.

I was getting better as the night went on. It was fun...for me at least.

And it is reassuring to know I can mix the golf and racquetball and walk away with decent results.