Hi folks. June already -- doesn't time fly?
Sounds hot as well -- and it certainly was on Cascades' courts.
Gravesend after a lovely sunny day seemed like just the ticket (???!!!).
We are now right into the "guts" of the first half fixtures and a solid win was in order after the slight disappointment of last week's close one with the league leaders.
I will put you out of your collective misery and advise that a 4/1 WIN was recorded and 17 valuable points logged.
Pete joined us in the balcony after an epic win to recount how appalling he felt during his match. Frankly, I think most of us would go for "appalling" as a permanent state of being, if we were able to look, play, and battle like this. What a game from 2/0 down to drag back a win. Craig lapsing just slightly at the end of the 3rd gave Pete all the edge he needed to work into the match (which is much like a statement of the obvious, since the match would have been over if he had lost this game !!!)(3/2 win).
David was as sharp as ever and one had the feeling that he would need to keep snapping away the winners in short rallies. His oppo was just not nimble enough to really catch up with the drops and early kills, but always looked capable of playing a telling game if given half a sniff.(3/0 win).
These were two very solid wins against very proficient opposition.
James has not quite got his mojo back and, in Hany, did not have the right style of oppo to feel comfortable. Hany is rather in and out of games and when focused, hits great flat forehand winners and cross court nick killls off service. One felt that James needed another game to get to express himself but unfortunately ran out of time.(3/0 loss).
Niall enjoyed a driving win against another solid performer and never looked in danger, although in these conditions everybody had to put in a grafting "shift" to get the required result.
"Maestro" Mike went on first in fact and we all thought it looked a bit interesting if their 5 was this good! I think the warm court suited Mike v this guy since he revelled in chasing everything down and although Chris was very stylish and hit the ball very well,he found it was difficult to nail the really penetrating shots.
I am glad I was not marking any of these games, with the ball so lively it was difficult to appreciate what was going on on court.
[As a technical aside it seemed to me that many "strokes" were created from overhit services going round the back of the court and the server moving prematurely to the tee and blocking front wall access (as a result of the very hot courts and frankly poor serving in these conditions). If the receiver has not "turned" it is irrelevant whether it has come off the back wall and it is a stroke all day long if the server is parked on the tee and the receiver is striking the ball from mid court directly behind him. I have never seen these given in any Priory match .. Comments ??]
Well played all ... see you next week. MJ
