An Early Flameout Kills My Game

Sets 323-325:

Stuart v. S. at NW Park. Winner: S. 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-4.

My Mojo: Early Burnout.

I started out playing well, and was on my toes with really good anticipation for the first set and the first couple games of the second set. My first serve was working well most of the time, but my second serve was not so good and I was reduced to just trying to get it in the box. I made more double faults than I would have liked, and I can't say that that in itself cost me the last two sets, but it didn't help.

The biggest factor that cost me the match was that my body just kind of gave out after the first couple games of the second set. After being up 2-1 in the second set, I lost all but one of the rest of the games in the second set. I must have still been dehydrated from the night before, and probably didn't fully recover. But I definitely checked out of the motel and just kind of hit a wall. It wasn't complete agony like last night, just an inability to summon up much energy, though I still felt able to stand and hit. I suddenly was not on my toes, my footwork became muddy, and my shots were not as precise. My opponent asked me a couple of times if I was OK, so my lack of energy must have been observable; I answered that I was all right, which was basically the case. I definitely didn't think I was in danger of keeling over. I had brought a quart of water and two quarts of sports drink with me, and drank them all by the beginning of the third set. Boy, I didn't think that I would need more than that, but next time I'll bring a gallon of fluids or more, just in case.

The third set went a little better, though I didn't feel any more energetic than I had for the last part of the second match. I was down 4-2, and was able to pull it together mentally to win the next two games to tie it up, which I thought was incredible, considering my physical exhaustion. In one of those games, which I served, I was able to come up with solid first serves and take all of the points. But after that little burst of clarity, I couldn't get my mind wrapped around the game any more, and did just about everything wrong; I watched in frustration as my control drained away and I lost the next two games to lose the match.