My calves are killing me. This weekend I played in my second tournament and ended up playing 9 sets of tennis over 2 days. What's strange is that I'm used to playing tennis for hours and hours but something happened on Saturday that took me to the brink.
My first match went well. I wasn't really nervous and played not to loose, the guy I played was more willing to make mistakes and he did and I won. My second match was against someone I had played once before a while ago. The first time we played it ended in a tiebreak, which I barely one. This time I got off to a great start and thought I was going to get by easily. I was really, really wrong. The second set was a complete reversal of the first and he took over, I put up some fight towards the end but it wasn't enough and he won. The third set seemed never ending. The points went on and on and on and on. Almost every game went to deuce. Then came the cramps. I would be running and my right leg would just lock up. I would try to do whatever I could just to stay in the point without moving much. Then my left leg starting cramping, then my right arm and then my left arm! I have never experienced anything like it. Strangely, I was never really nervous during playing. Yeah, there were a few hesitant shots, but not strings of them. I think my nerves have moved from my mind to my body. Anyway, after almost 3 hours, I was able to win the match.
The next morning, I had a little bit easier time. What's strange is through the 3 matches, I wasn't playing to win. I was playing not to loose. I barely hit winners and would just loop the ball up in the air. Everytime I intended to hit through the ball, it would just be the same shot as any other, a looped ball up in the air, just hoping not to make a mistake and hoping my opponent would make one. Even trying to warm up, my shots just didn't seem to be there anymore.
Well, it was enough and I made it to the final. I knew the guy I was playing was pretty good, so I just made and effort to go for it. Somehow my shots were there. The guy I was playing had a good mix of offense and defense and he was able to counter mostly everything, but I played pretty well. I went down swinging and had my chances--a lot of chances that my opponent kept me from capitalizing on. For the first time in a while, I wasn't devastated by the loss. I had hit some good shots. Although I lost, I played the way I wanted to play. I had control over my shots, it just wasn't enough.
I'm trying not to get too much in my head about how I played. I don't want to think about how it was to play with nerves now that I know what it's like to play without them. I just want to continue finding my game, one match at a time.
WIN 6-3, 6-2
WIN 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
WIN 6-2, 6-0
LOSS 6-1, 6-4 (FINAL)
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