"You're gonna Lose"........

"You're gonna win".......

By Ryan Wolfington 5-2002

Today's match was a classic. Down 1 set to zero and 0-5 in the second set, the notion came to me that I lost. It was 40 love and my opponent was serving for the match. Up until this point the idea of having lost hardly held ground. The "Thought" came but it was weak. But now down 0-5 and love 40 against a guy who hits a very hard first and second serve, the "Thought" was that I had to now concede I had lost.

But I knew this "Thought" was a lie just like all the other chatter that fly's through one's head in the game. I won the next point, then the next, then a huge gust of wind showed up . Huge, blowing things everywhere. My hat was on the other side of the court next to me. And I smiled. Some how I knew I had a chance to win the match. Right there at 0-1 sets and 0-5, 30-40 in the second. I had a chance. The wind died down and he served and double faulted. Deuce. Then his add again. Then deuce. Then my add, then my game. Now it was 1-5.

Then it was 2-5. Then it was 3-5. Then it was 4-5. Then it was 5-5. Then it was 5-6 and my opponent was again serving for the match. But it went back to deuce. Then it was my add and ....my game. 6-6. The tie breaker went along the same lines as we exchanged points, but at 8-7 I broke the cycle and won the tie breaker 9-7.

And I think it was at this point that my opponent realized there was a chance he would lose. He had been so far ahead, and in many ways was dominating the match that the notion of losing took a while to set in. And as we were about to begin the quasi third set (10 point tie breaker) we had lost the third ball. I was led to get a new can but the "Thought" was , "Who cares just play with two." But I knew it was right to get the new can.

I came back and the breaker began. And after a 3-3 tie we switched sides and I won the next couple points. It was 7-3 when the idea came to me that "You're gonna win", but I disregarded that lie just as I had disregarded the "Thought" that "You're gonna lose" just an hour earlier. Then it was 9-3, and the same lie came again, "Now you can know you're gonna to win", but again I let it pass, not believing it for one second. Then he won the next point and I was serving my second serve at 9-4. Then a huge gust of wind came across the court for this second time and I smiled remembering it's last presence and what I had seen. Then I served into the net. Then I served in the box, fielded the return and I was led to take the net for the first time all game. I ran without hesitation and as he nailed a hard hitting shot down the backhand line I reached out as much as I could and cross courted the ball for the win. It was the perfect ending to the perfect match. Not because I over came the opponent in points but because I did not allow myself to believe the various lies that were coming to me all day about how I should change my way of playing, how I was going to lose, and the many other nonsensical "Thoughts" that come through a player's mind. The difference between one player and another is not the ground stroke but some choose to dwell in and believe the mental chatter in their head, while others let it pass and stay aware. And at the end of the day it is not whether you have the most points but whether you handled each situation properly without doubting oneself.

I did that today and happen to win. And I did that weeks ago when I lost in a third set tie breaker. At the end of both matches I felt the same.

As far as the team is concerned, Desert Palm Tennis club defeated Spanish Oaks  3-2 with Kris Penny and Steve Spelman playing doubles and once again were able to make the difference winning 6-2, 6-2. The very talented doubles pair of Vince Pizzi and Ernie Melo were unable to hold onto the win as they lost in a very close second set tie breaker, 6-8, and a very close third set tie breaker 7-10.  But Adam Yee and His partner Brian Yeager were able to pull it through winning  7-5, 6-4, in the deciding match.

Also in League Play today Red Rock's number 1 4.0 men's team won securing them a position in this years sectionals.