We're headed to St. Louis for the USTA sectionals. Last night I witnessed my teammates do something really special, defeat one of the best 4.0 teams in the state of Iowa. These opponents were good; really good. It came down to our singles players, Matt and Dan. We were up 2 matches to 1 when the doubles matches concluded on the indoor courts in Waterloo. Severe weather in the area forced indoor play on limited courts shared by the ladies who were vying for their own district championship.
Every match was a nail biter. Fred and Brian cruised to a solid first set win but the other team came back strong and won the second set. The first super tie breaker of the day went to the other side setting up a show down in our two singles matches. Matt faced an opponent who could hit rally like no other. Most rallies were thirty strokes or longer. Four hours after match play began, our number one singles player, Dan Jones, defeated his opponent in the final super breaker of the day, sealing a 3-2 win. Meanwhile, Matt was still playing. His opponent used mind games to influence the outcome, like doing pushups after a marathon first set while Matt lay on his back writhing in pain from the torture. Good thing our team is stacked with doctors in case medical attention is needed. In the end, his match was not necessary to capture the state title and send us to St. Louis for the next round, sectionals, in August.
Congratulations to team captain, Jim Sichterman, and all my teammates for a big win and for capturing a second title in the same season. Both teams, the 18+, and the 40+ are advancing. We are excited to face off with the best teams in the Midwest. The winner advances to Surprise, Arizona in October for the national championships. It's time to get back on the courts and fine tune our games for what's ahead. Have a great day.
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