 Today is another big day for Stan and I what with the U2100 RR at 1:30
and the U1900 RR at 6 --- especially the latter since logically it
represented our best chance of all the singles event. Only again ---
of course --- Stan had unfinished business from yesterday --- his
second round of single elimination play in the U2200 event which was
scheduled for noon. I would be coaching him again.
When Stan checked in, he found he would be playing David Samuelson
from the PATTC. Both of us have some history with David. Stan had
played him in the 2003 Sacramento Spring Open as part of a U3500 teams
event which consisted of two person teams (I was Stan's partner)
competing in two singles matches and a doubles match --- and had lost
a very tough match 11-9 in the fifth. But I won the other singles
match and we coasted in the doubles match 3-0 to defeat David's team
and eventually went on to claim first place in the event.
I had also played David in the U1950 Giant RR event that very same day
and defeated him 11-8 in the fifth (although he should have thanked me
since I ended up losing both my upcoming U1950 A division matches
while David went on to win first place in the U1950 B division). But
David was only rated 1822 at the time. His rating has since
skyrocketed to 2172 (it had actually peaked at 2254 after the
Sacramento Summer Open earlier this year). I have always suspected
that it was that loss to me that convinced him that his game had
reached such depths that it was now time to take whatever steps were
necessary to improve his game. But whatever the motivation, his game
has certainly improved greatly since. And during this period he has
since exacted his revenge on me --- beating me in four games in the
2003 Western Open later in that year --- in the only time we
had crossed paths since.
So Stan had a real challenge on his hands. But back then Stan used
inverted sponge rubber on both sides of his blade and in fact had only
just begun using the reverse penholder backhand loop --- you know, the
stroke perfected by Wang Hao. Now Stan uses long pips with no sponge
on his reverse penholder backhand --- and although he had used his
current technique with that rubber (an off-the-bounce block) with it
for less than a year --- it is this shot which is most responsible for
his success so far in the tournament.
Well, Stan races to an 11-4 victory in the first game. Most points
Stan wins are from his long pips. David is making far too many errors
of judgement on the spin of the long pips returns. However, if David
can get the point into a forehand topspin to topspin exchange, he
usually wins the point. But Stan doesn't let that happen often and
takes the game handily.
But this is not the case in the second game --- which Stan just barely
pulls out 12-10. David is also having some difficulty with either
fast nospin serves to the middle with the inverted side or fast serves
to anywhere with the long pips side (which by definition have no
spin). Returns for these serves almost invariably drop into the net.
Stan makes use of this to close out the second game.
It is more of the same in the third and final game --- a game Stan
controls from start to finish and wins 11-5. But David takes the
defeat well despite the apparent mismatch in their ratings and wishes
his friend luck in the rest of the tournament.
Stan's next match in the U2200 is scheduled for 12:45 so he has to
check in almost immediately and finds his opponent will be yet another
top junior --- Joseph Cochran (rated 2237). But there is a conflict
with another event and so Stan can't play this match yet. He and I
will have to play in the U2100 RR first which starts at 1:30.
I check in and find that although I am the C player in the group, the
A player (rated 2000+) doesn't show up and thus defaults and the B
player is rated just 1888 --- only 74 points higher than me. So I
feel I have at least a shot of advancing out of this RR group. This
feeling is only enhanced when the D player (rated 1643) defeats the B
player.
It is now my turn to play the B player. He plays with long pips on
his backhand and short pips on his forehand. The D player (who plays
inverted sponge on both sides like myself) defeated him by playing
methodically against that rubber combination and patiently waiting for
a ball he could either pick-hit or loop to win the point. I did
nothing of the sort in the first game of my match with him, rolling to
an easy 11-4 win mostly with decisive loop winners either on service
return (when he served) or third ball attack (when I served).
It was not going to be this easy, was it? Well, in short ... no! He
gets ahead in the second game and then just holds on to win it 11-9.
Wisely he no longer serves long to my forehand and --- as typical with
a defensive player --- his game is becoming more consistent so it
takes more successful attacks for me to win the points now. I am also
blocking too many balls into the net --- not adjusting well to
the topspin from his strokes with the pips as compared to what would
be there if he had "regular" rubber.
Things get even worse when he races out to a 10-3 lead in the next
game. I make the mistake of having a point relatively early in this
game affecting me later. It was a point where I saw a small
deflection on one of my shots --- but enough to tell me it had indeed
clipped the end of the table. But apparently he didn't see it since
he indicated it was out when I asked if it was in or out. I didn't
press the matter by telling him what I saw and insisting on either
getting the point or at least playing a let, though. In retrospect
this might have been wrong, since I went on to lose a string of points
after that and eventually wound up in my current predicament --- down
10-3.
So, game three is over then, right? Well, not so fast. I roar back
to win the next seven points to get to deuce. I serve him the same
way each time --- fast topspin to his wide backhand --- and repeatedly
win the point with a third ball loop (usually to his wide forehand).
I am more cautious in my service returns as well and am able to remain
steady enough after that until I can get a ball I can kill. So I am
feeling pretty confident now. How can he win this game if he can't
win a point off my serve?
Only he changes his own service tactics when we reach deuce and is
able to pull off some third ball attacks of his own. This continues
for awhile until I am serving 12-13. Each of us has won his serve in
the five points played since deuce. So confidently I again serve fast
topspin to his backhand --- but this time it is out (that dang thin
air in LV!). I am now trailing 2-1.
But I am able to squeeze by in the next game --- winning 12-10. So it
comes down to a deciding fifth game. Only he pulls ahead early and is
more consistent than me and so wins 11-6 to take the match. Although
I am disappointed with the result --- especially after things looked
after the first game --- all is not lost. I can still advance out of
this RR group if I beat the D player either 3-0 or 3-1 --- since all
three of us would then be 1-1 and only I would have won more games
than I had lost. But that is not going to be easy. Not only did he
defeat the guy that I had just lost to, but he had also played well
enough earlier in the tournament so that his pre-tournament rating
was going to be adjusted to near 1800 (1799, to be exact).
But things were looking up when I took the first game 11-8. I usually
win the first game against folks that I play for the first time and
beat since they can't read the spin of my serve and either miss it
outright or pop the return up sufficiently that I can kill it.
But things can go either way when I lose the second game and that is
just what happens --- 11-7. Now I have to win the next two games to
be assured of advancing. I suppose there was a chance that I could
advance if I won 3-2 since then it would go down to percentage of
points won since percentage of games won would be identical for all
three of us. But I didn't want to have to go there.
Well, the third game is a real battle --- going to deuce. I recollect
each of us had game points against us that we successfully saved. But
I eventually pull it out 15-13, so my chances of advancing are still
alive.
I take the early lead in the critical fourth game. He makes errors
on lob returns more than once in this game --- points in which he has
established control and which he should really win. In fact, the game
and match ends on such a point as I win it 11-8.
So I will --- in fact --- advance out of my U2100 RR group. Certainly
an unexpected bonus for me. I won't have to play again until 5:15, so
I rush over to see how Stan is doing in his U2100 RR group.
Well, I am too late. Although --- due the default of the A player in
our RR group --- we would only have to play three matches compared to
his groups six matches, Stan has already completed all his matches.
Despite being the D player in his group, Stan has advanced by beating
everyone in his group. In fact, he only loses a total of two games
(one each to the A and B players). So once again, Stan advances ---
keeping his streak alive of advancing in all the singles events he has
entered.
But the good news is tempered by some bad news. He told me he had
also already played Joseph Cochran and lost and thus had been
eliminated from the U2200 event. Stan said Joseph had the easiest
time of all the players Stan had played so far in lifting the ball
when Stan's off-the-bounce block of topspin with the long pips had
created heavy downspin on the return.
Although I wasn't there at the time, the results indicate the match
was by no means a slam dunk for Joseph. Stan had lost the first game
at deuce 13-11 and had won the third game 11-9. And so although Stan
had lost the other two games handily 11-3 and 11-4, it looks to me he
had come within a whisker of leading the match 2-1. And then who can
tell what would have happenned? Perhaps the pressure of unexpectedly
being down would have evoked more errors from Joseph? As it was he
could play comfortably since he was never behind in the match. Still
a very good showing in an event in which by all rights Stan's
pre-tournament rating indicated he shouldn't even have advanced.
When I check in for my next round single elimination match, I find
that I will be playing Amanda Dubina --- younger sister of 2450 rated
Samson Dubina who has a 2000+ rating herself. Stan finds that he will
be playing Richard McAfee --- the 1921 rated former national USATT
coach that had defeated me 3-1 in the U2000 event earlier in the
week. I felt Stan would have a good chance in his match since I had
barely lost the fourth and final game against Coach McAfee (with a
#%$& service error no less) and thought I would have a great chance if
it had gone to a fifth game due to his lack of mobility. And if I
came that close, surely Stan could take him out.
Looks like Amanda's brother is busy with a match of his own as our
match starts since he is nowhere to be seen --- although the rest of
the family is there to back her.
Amanda best stroke is her forehand which she emphasizes in her service
return stance be standing way in the backhand corner --- allowing her
to return with that forehand most serves. It does leave her
vulnerable to fast, quick down-the-line serves --- but unfortunately I
don't have one of those in my service repetoire. Believe me I tried
it more than once and she was always able to get there and loop the
ball.
The first game is nip-and-tuck. Although she is returning well with
her forehand, she makes many mistakes with her backhand return when I
serve it there --- either unable to lift the heavy downspin one or
rolling out the heavy topspin one. I recollect that I may have won a
point or two lobbing her as well. But she pulls out the game 13-11 to
take a 1-0 lead in the match. She follows that with an 11-6 win in
the next game to go up 2-0. I am in real trouble now.
But I fight back to win the third game 11-6 and eke out the fourth
game 11-9 to take it to a deciding fifth game. Although it would
appear I would have all the momentum going into this final game, I
lose the first eight points of it to trail 8-0! I fight back a little
bit and then Amanda leads 10-4 --- with her serve. She has six match
points --- with four of them on her serve. Surprisingly I take both
of her service points (since I really haven't returned serve well all
tourament long) to trail 10-6 and now face "only" four match points.
But then I win both of my service points and now the score is a more
respectable 10-8 and Amanda has only two match points --- although
they will be on her serve. But I win the next point as well, so now a
deuce game looks like a real possibility. Only I lose the next point,
the game 11-9 and the match 11-13, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 9-11.
By this time her brother has joined the rest of her family and they
all congratulate me on a nice comeback. Stan has been in my corner the
whole match coaching me. He is the one that instructed me to avoid
her forehand. But now it is time for me to return the favor and try
to help Stan in his match against Coach McAfee.
Only when we all get there, I am stunned to see that coach McAfee will
not be playing inverted sponge rubber on both sides as he had done
against me but would instead be playing with another paddle which has
short pips on his forehand and long pips on his backhand! If he could
pull this off --- switching to a paddle with completely different
characteristics on both sides in the midst of the tournament --- I
would be truly impressed.
I can tell from the start that Stan is going to have some difficulty
this match. Instead of getting ahead early in the first game as has
been normal, instead Stan trails throughout but plays strong at the
end to comeback and reach deuce. Still, coach
McAfee eventually pulls the game out 13-11.
Many of the points are "ugly" long pips to long pips rallies. These
exchanges either end in an outright error by the long pips or a
relative "pop-up". But all too often the put away shot after the
pop-up is missed. And unfortunately more often than not is is Stan
doing the missing since he is the more aggressive attacker. Still
Stan is able to keep the game close because his service is very
effective due to the relative lack of mobility of coach McAfee. But
the stress of having to gain such an advantage from serve takes its
toll on Stan at times --- manifesting itself as a missed serve. In a
close match, this can be critical.
And this was definitely a close match. Stan loses the next game at
deuce again 12-10 and --- guess what --- finds himself at deuce one
more time in the third game. Stan is two points from losing the match
3-0, but toughs it out and survives a couple of match points to win
the third game 14-12.
The fourth game is very close again as Stan trails 10-9 and faces yet
another match point. Unfortunately, this time he can not prevail and
loses the point and the match 11-13, 10-12, 14-12, 9-11. It seemed
that coach McAfee's short pips forehand was a bit more consistent in
attacking than Stan's inverted sponge forehand --- at least after the
long pips exchanges. Coach McAfee was also able to attack more
consistently with the long pips than could Stan. So my hat's off to
him for making such a radical change in rubber surfaces --- and
pulling it off.
So now Stan and I are free to focus entirely on the U1900 RR --- which
will have to happen immediately since it is time for us to check in.
Not suprisingly we find that we will both be the top seeds in our
group. I wish him well but I have my own business to attend to.
Again there is a no-show in one of my groups, as the B players does
not show up. That means I will only have to win the C and the D
players to advance. I do this in relative ease winning each match in
straight games --- 11-5, 11-6, and 11-7 and 11-6, 11-9, and 11-3.
Neither of these players read my serves well or have enough power to
overcome my lob defense --- after all their ratings are just 1661 and
1448, respectively.
I was disappointed when the C player defaulted the match to the D
player after I had defeated him. It is true that the outcome of this
match would not impact who advanced out of the group, but as it was
the D player got to play only a single match (against me) when by
right he should have gotten to play three matches in this scheduled 4W
RR group. Considering the entry fee he had paid and the distance he
had traveled to play in the tournament, to me this was a crying
shame.
After I returned the scorecard to the official's desk, I went back to
see how Stan was doing. But I was too late. Stan had also made short
work of his RR group, winning all three of his matches in straight
games. The next match for both of us was 9:00 so we looked around to
see if anybody else we knew was still playing in their U1900 RR
group. No such luck. Everyone was done. So we just hung out and
watched the action around us until we had to check in.
When I checked in, I found out that my opponent would be Billy Fu from
Nevada. He didn't know me at all, but I remember that he had defeated
my fellow IBMer and close friend Victor Qiu quite handily in the U1700
event at the 2003 Western Open in Fremont --- 11-4, 11-9, 11-4. I
remember he had a "strange" backhand rubber which gave Victor fits. I
thought it was long pips, but when I asked him what rubber he was
using he said he used anti on his backhand.
Not good news. I don't play against anti nearly as often as I play
against long pips and I don't have a good record in those matches ---
losses against Michael DeWynter, Raymond Minc, and Jeffrey Htaung come
to mind. I have a strategy against long pips but I don't have a real
strategy against anti. The strategy I decide to use against him is to
avoid the anti altogether and strictly play against his forehand if I
can --- which is "normal" inverted sponge rubber.
I race out to a 6-0 lead in the first game, but he steadies himself
and I just hold on to win the game 11-8. Early on he had either
missed my service or popped it up sufficiently for me to kill him with
the third ball attack. But he was able to adjust and the points
became tougher to come by after that. The second game is more
nip-and-tuck throughout, but again I just hold him off to win it
11-9. Fortunately, I am able to get a point here and there with my
lob defense --- especially when I have sufficient time to deliver some
loaded up sidespin with it. Given the relative closeness of the first
two games, these are sufficient to turn the games in my favor.
However, the tide appears to be turning against me in the third game
as attack errors and weaker service returns creep into my game and he
defeats me 11-7. I don't want to have to go to a fifth game since
that would mean he would have won two straight games and I feel I
would have totally lost my early edge from both service and sidespin
high lobs.
So things get real nervous when the fourth game reaches deuce --- and
then deuce again. But once again a trusty high sidespin lob wins the
final point and thus the match for me --- 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 13-11.
Notice I haven't mentioned his anti play in the description of our
match. That is because it wasn't critical since I recall him using it
only maybe a total of five times the entire match. Every once in a
while I would hit into it as a surprise tactic but my results weren't
good so I continued to avoid it. My next match in this event is
Saturday morning, so I have succeeded in reaching my goal of playing
meaningful matches in all four days of the tournament.
When I check on Stan, I find that he has also won his match --- in
straight games no less. So Stan maintains his perfect record of
advancing in all five of the singles RR he has entered in this week.
Hmmm ... I wonder if that has ever happenned before?
Here are the results of the matches of other MSCTT members this day
that I wasn't present to witness:
o Patrick advanced easily from his U2100 group as the A seed by
winning all
three matches in three straight games. He then defeated
fellow MSCTT'er
Bruce in a very tight match --- 11-7, 6-11, 11-4, 9-11,
11-5. Unfortunately,
another committment came up and he had to default his next
match. He
also lost to Loc Bao Ngo (rated 2313) in the O30 single
elimiation event
although he did well in taking one game --- 7-11, 8-11, 11-8,
7-11. Patrick's
tournament is done.
o Bruce advanced from his U2100 group as the A seed almost as
easily --- losing
only one game in the two matches. He then lost to Patrick.
As it turns out, it
was unfortunate Patrick didn't default this match instead
giving Bruce an
opportunity to continue in the event considering Patrick's
imminent default in
the very next round. Bruce's tournament is done.
o Peter had a very good day. Although he did not advance from
his U2100 RR
group, he did upset the A seed Steve Varela from Reno (rated
1968) in four
games ---- coming back to win three straight games after
losing the first game.
He didn't advance because he lost the other two matches
--- to the B player and
the D player --- both in four tough games. The D player is
the same hardbat
chopper that had given me fits in my U2000 RR group earlier
in the week
(remember I was down 0-2 before coming back to win the final
three games).
Peter followed that up by advancing out of his U1900 RR group
later in the
day and winning the subsequent single elimination round to
make the next
round tomorrow (Saturday) morning. He was only the B seed in
his U1900
RR group (the A seed was 1835 and Peter defeated him in five
games) and his
opponent in the single elimination round was rated 1952
(Peter defeated him
rather handily 11-5 in the fourth).
o Michael didn't have a bad day either. He did not advance out
of his U2100 RR
group as the C seed but defeated the B seed Marco Borrillo
(rated 1871) 11-3 in
the fifth and the D seed (rated 1671) 11-8 in the fifth. The
A seed Rick
Livermore (rated 2110) was too tough however and defeated
Michael in three
straight games to eliminate him from the event.
Unfortunately Michael did not advance out of the U1900 as the
A seed. He took
care of business against the C and D seeds in four and three
games,
respectively. But he lost to the B seed (rated 1760) 11-5 in
the fifth to dash
his hopes of advancing in that event. Michael's tournament
is done.
o Larry Lee does not advance out of his U1500 RR group as the B
seed ---
although it is as close as can be. He loses to the A seed
(rated 1405) 11-9 in
the fifth after defeating the C and D seeds handily in three
straight games each.
In fact, he came very close to wining this match in three
straight as well. He
won the second and third games 11-7 but lost the opening game
15-17. Larry's
tournament is done.
In summary then, of the MSCTT'ers only Stan, Peter and myself have
meaningful matches left to play at these Nationals. Stay tuned for
Day 4 (Saturday) to see how we did. I will also have some words on the
Men's and Women's Open Singles semi-finals and finals which concluded
the tournament that evening. Until then...
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