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Australian Open, anyone????

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timnsun

All-American
Jan 25, 2008
13,815
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NebChicago said:
Do you guys play? I’m a 3.5-4.0. Play once a week in a clinic. My favorite night of the week
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I play only doubles now, as I’m too out of shape to do anything else. Even so, I’m rated at 4.5. I lose way more than I win and am waiting to be bumped back down to 4.0, but the computer ratings have me just over the line.

Played throughout high school and college, but this last year has been tough... even right now in Minnesota if you want to play you have to wear a mask while playing. I don’t have a problem with that, per se, but I have not played much since early last year.
 
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Spartanhusker

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
22,566
1,856
0
Ok, several things...good morning!
*last night...Thiem escapes Kyrgios...Shapavolov loses...Djokovic is currently locked in a tight one with American Taylor Fritz

*Serena's outfit IS bizarre, but it is a tribute to Flo Jo...for what it's worth...

*One of my casualties from the pandemic was the Western and Southern...my wife and I were going to combine three of my great loves...her, the Reds and tennis in a quick 5 day trip, but that will have to wait...maybe this year...

*I have a couple of cool(to me) Sock stories...the first was I saw him lose in the first round of a Mo Valley tourney here in Wichita when he was the top seed, because the tourney director(who should have known better)filled in Sock's bye with the number 2 player in the Valley...INCREDIBLE match...in the rest of the tourney, neither of these two guys lost a GAME...

*BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, one of my parents got to go to this event at Sir Richard Branson's island, where a good number of tennis stars came to play with the well connected...she drew Sock, for a mixed match, told him she was from Kansas, and her kids played at our school...he said "I know that place!" so she facetimed me...I was on the court giving a lesson and who do I see? Jack Sock...we talked about his four state titles, told him I'd been at the Husker game where he was introduced to the crowd at halftime(he correctly remembered it was the Oregon game), blah blah...when she came home, she brought me his racquet , autographed on the grip...for an old man, a pretty good thrill....

*I have witnessed some fantastic moments at the Open, but only ONE of them was a record...my girls and I (plus my wife) stayed until the very end of the Kai Nishikori / Raonic round of 16 match that FINISHED at 2:43 A.M......there were about 100 people left in the stands and we were 20 of them....

Ok, I'm boring even myself...MAYBE more later!
 
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NebChicago

Sophomore
Oct 14, 2009
3,565
141
0
spartanhusker said:
Don't get me started the steps we had to take during our last season were beyond common sense...WAAAAY beyond...
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My place just sent an email saying masks are no longer required but recommended. They cancelled classes for a few months, but I still played doubles there throughout the winter. They just started classes up again.

Cloth masks are terrible when playing. The regular blue medical ones are fine. Doesn't really bother me anymore except for my gross breathe.
 
N

NebChicago

Sophomore
Oct 14, 2009
3,565
141
0
spartanhusker said:
Ok, several things...good morning!
*last night...Thiem escapes Kyrgios...Shapavolov loses...Djokovic is currently locked in a tight one with American Taylor Fritz

*Serena's outfit IS bizarre, but it is a tribute to Flo Jo...for what it's worth...

*One of my casualties from the pandemic was the Western and Southern...my wife and I were going to combine three of my great loves...her, the Reds and tennis in a quick 5 day trip, but that will have to wait...maybe this year...

*I have a couple of cool(to me) Sock stories...the first was I saw him lose in the first round of a Mo Valley tourney here in Wichita when he was the top seed, because the tourney director(who should have known better)filled in Sock's bye with the number 2 player in the Valley...INCREDIBLE match...in the rest of the tourney, neither of these two guys lost a GAME...

*BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, one of my parents got to go to this event at Sir Richard Branson's island, where a good number of tennis stars came to play with the well connected...she drew Sock, for a mixed match, told him she was from Kansas, and her kids played at our school...he said "I know that place!" so she facetimed me...I was on the court giving a lesson and who do I see? Jack Sock...we talked about his four state titles, told him I'd been at the Husker game where he was introduced to the crowd at halftime(he correctly remembered it was the Oregon game), blah blah...when she came home, she brought me his racquet , autographed on the grip...for an old man, a pretty good thrill....

*I have witnessed some fantastic moments at the Open, but only ONE of them was a record...my girls and I (plus my wife) stayed until the very end of the Kai Nishikori / Raonic round of 16 match that FINISHED at 2:43 A.M......there were about 100 people left in the stands and we were 20 of them....

Ok, I'm boring even myself...MAYBE more later!
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Sock seems like a solid dude. Would love to go to an Open when things are different. I started playing in my 30's and wish I would've played in HS. I really love tennis. Just wish I could play more, and would improve faster. I am 41 and kinda athletic, which is how I get by (poaching, and running balls down). And everyone I play is 50 and crafty. Love to serve too! But my tennis IQ is real dumb. Never understand where I am supposed to be.
 
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timnsun

All-American
Jan 25, 2008
13,815
7,519
3
NebChicago said:
Sock seems like a solid dude. Would love to go to an Open when things are different. I started playing in my 30's and wish I would've played in HS. I really love tennis. Just wish I could play more, and would improve faster. I am 41 and kinda athletic, which is how I get by (poaching, and running balls down). And everyone I play is 50 and crafty. Love to serve too! But my tennis IQ is real dumb. Never understand where I am supposed to be.
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I am a lefty with a kick serve that bounces in the opposite direction for most people, which has won me a lot of matches over the years. But in the last 5 years, as I’ve gotten older (and fatter) I can’t kick it like I used to. I’ve tried to adjust, but it’s hard to make adjustments when you’ve played a certain way over the years.

Your athleticism and aggressiveness serves you well on the court, and is an equalizer to us crafty 50 year olds. :)
 
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Spartanhusker

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
22,566
1,856
0
I'm 68 and play one set a week with 4 old men I teach...yeah, I said it .......4 OLD men!!! However, with my team, I hit every day...one rule ....I don't run...they hit back to me...knees not all that great anymore...

A joy is all three of my kids played for me and all 6 of my older grandkids are in the procees of playing...the 4 year old currently has no interest...:)
 
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cubsker_rivals142943

All-Conference
May 29, 2003
18,603
3,797
0
I just stand in the ad court and crack inside out forehands. I can't serve or hit a backhand very well, but I'm pretty sure I could not play for a decade and could still hit my forehand.
 
S

Spartanhusker

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
22,566
1,856
0
cubsker said:
I just stand in the ad court and crack inside out forehands. I can't serve or hit a backhand very well, but I'm pretty sure I could not play for a decade and could still hit my forehand.
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I actually feel that way about my serve!! I often tell my kids I could be in a Rip Van Winkle sleep, wake up and hit great serves!😂
 
M

mwulf

All-Conference
Dec 15, 2013
8,787
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cubsker said:
I'm insanely jealous. Really wish I had gone to see Agassi (anywhere) at least once.
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Got to see Federer and Nadal play same day....not each other ...Stayed in the queue for tickets. Bought a tent and ended up directly on the net 15 rows up. for about 90 bucks. Was perfect. Rained late and we got to watch the roof close and they played 2 sets indoors.
 
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The_Glove_Man_rivals300278

Senior
Jun 9, 2010
2,262
430
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I only started playing when my son did, kept improving enough to keep up with him through high school. I have a pretty big serve and otherwise just keep returning it until you miss.
 
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regoratsginrom

All-American
May 15, 2004
9,186
6,163
113
Had really good tickets to the mens and womens semis at Indian Wells in March...of course cancelled.

I love the game. Play a couple nights a week with several other 3.5 guys. Played a lot as kid...took about 40 years off and got back into it. I've got a big serve that serves me well. Just need to refine the rest of my game.
 
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regoratsginrom

All-American
May 15, 2004
9,186
6,163
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BTW...the Thiem/Krygios match was really entertaining. Krygios is so good if he could only keep his head in the game.

My guys are Rafa and Tsitsipas.
 
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timnsun

All-American
Jan 25, 2008
13,815
7,519
3
As cool as it is to see today’s stars, 5 years ago at the open a very cool thing happened. We had tickets to Arthur Ashe stadium and after the first match ended (a quick match) Federer came out to warm up before his evening match. I guess they do that sometimes if the first match is short and there’s time before the next match starts.

We were in the nosebleed seats, so it was hard to see who was out there. But they did announce it was a treat that Fed was gonna hit some practice balls. As Federer was warming up, I was trying to figure out who his hitting partner was... then it hit me. It was his coach, Stefan Edberg! I never saw him during his playing days, so to see him, even just warming up, was pretty cool.
 
T

timnsun

All-American
Jan 25, 2008
13,815
7,519
3
cubsker said:
I'm insanely jealous. Really wish I had gone to see Agassi (anywhere) at least once.
Click to expand...
I was fortunate to see Agassi in 1991 in Kansas City for Davis Cup. They brought clay into Keller Arena against Germany. It was supposed to be Becker and Michael Stich but Becker pulled out due to injury and was replaced by Karl Uwe-Steeb. For the US it was Courier and Agassi. Agassi lost to Steeb (he actually struggled against Steeb on clay in other matches), but the US pulled it out 3-2.

It was such a cool experience for my first time ever seeing a professional tennis experience.
 
C

cubsker_rivals142943

All-Conference
May 29, 2003
18,603
3,797
0
timnsun said:
As cool as it is to see today’s stars, 5 years ago at the open a very cool thing happened. We had tickets to Arthur Ashe stadium and after the first match ended (a quick match) Federer came out to warm up before his evening match. I guess they do that sometimes if the first match is short and there’s time before the next match starts.

We were in the nosebleed seats, so it was hard to see who was out there. But they did announce it was a treat that Fed was gonna hit some practice balls. As Federer was warming up, I was trying to figure out who his hitting partner was... then it hit me. It was his coach, Stefan Edberg! I never saw him during his playing days, so to see him, even just warming up, was pretty cool.
Click to expand...

I loved Agassi matches against serve and volley guys like Edberg and especially Rafter. One of my all time favorite Agassi matches is him just taking apart McEnroe in the Wimbledon semis en route to winning his first slam.
 
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