Ballroom Blitz

Sets 528-529:

Stuart v. M. at Little Stacy Park. Winner: Stuart 7-6(5), 7-6(2).

My Mojo: Persistent.

This was one of those epic grinding sagas. You can probably tell from the score that it was seriously close all the way through. This guy baffles me with the kick on his ball. It never ends up where I think it will end up, and it is always different. I've played kick players before, and I usually just adjust to the kick. This time I was reacting almost instantanously, as the kick was different in intensity and directionality almost every time.

But I play a defensive game anyway. So I just ground it out, like I usually do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. This time it did. I think when a match is close it spurs me on, too, and often I'm able to eke out an extra effort at the end of each set. There's something about pulling an inner energy out of my body from a secret place (no juvenile comments). Anyway, I did just a little better playing my defensive game against a blitzkrieg offense.