2002 Winter/Spring Season Tennis Scores

These scores really don't have much to do with Spectrum's business - they are the scores of friendly matches played between Don and John in an attempt to stay reasonably fit... (note: we play best 2 out of 3 sets for the match, but often play a third set even when the match is over in 2 sets).

Winter/Spring 2002: John  27        Don  3

June 20  John  6-4  7-6

Long points, lots of winners and good forcing shots compared to usual.  John was lucky to win the second set...

June 18  Don  4-6  6-3  6-4

Mace train still on a sidetrack in the second morning match up in two days.  Fatigue was a problem for both of us in the third.  Don came back from a break down in both the second and third sets.

June 17  Don  7-5  3-6  6-3

Mace train derailed in the first morning match of the season.  John saved three match points on his serve at 2-5, but Don managed to serve it out.

May 31  John  6-4  6-2  6-2  

Trying to get one more match in before the weekend, but Don was nearly out of gas after 5 matches in the last 6 days (matches with Mike, John, and playing doubles with Danny and Harry).

May 29  John  6-4  6-2 

Just warming up for doubles.  We also played 

May 15  John  6-7  6-4  6-2

The Mace train pulls from behind after saving three break points to go down a set and 4-5 in the second.

May 7 (or so)  John won, but the scores were lost in a short term memory buffer overrun...

Apr. 30  John   6-4  4-6  5-2

Long points and games again, not much between us till the third, when Don lost his wheels and John found the answers to some of Don's best shots. 

Apr. 26  John  7-6  7-6  7-6

John squeaks through all three tiebreakers, 11-9, 7-5 and 9-7.  The match took 3 hours and 45 minutes!  Don took a tumble and jammed his left arm and shoulder in the second set.

Apr. 19  John  6-4  6-2  6-4

Don started out well, winning the first three games, but after that it was all John.  In the superfluous third set we went to 4-4 on 8 breaks before John managed the only service hold of the set.  Several long games, including one that went to deuce at least 10 times on long points.

Apr. 16  John  6-1  2-6  7-5

Don had several match points again but John hit some amazing shots on most of them.  The heat must have temporarily gotten to John: at the end of the second set he'd forgotten the first set - Don could have been up a set instead of tied had he kept his mouth shut...

Apr. 15  Don  6-2  4-6  7-5

Don finally wins, stopping the all too familiar Mace machine comeback at the last possible moment!  Serving at 4-5 in the third, down 0-40, second serve (triple match point for John), Don went for his second serve with clarity of intent and forced the error.  John helped by over-hitting on the next two match points.  Don denied John a total of 7 match points before winning the game and then the match.  A perfect way to break the match point jinx.

Apr. 11  John  0-6  7-6  8-6

Don stormed through the first set, had John down 5-2 in the second at triple match point but could not close!!!  Don also had 5-2 and another couple match points in the third.  

Apr. 8  John   6-7  7-6  7-5

Don got the first set and had match points in the second, but John cranked it up on match point (and Don hit the match winner about an inch long).

Apr. 5  John  7-6  6-7  7-5

Don got to match point in the third, but couldn't close before John stormed back.

Mar. 25  John,  6-2  6-2  6-4

The Mace train may be pulling into the station soon - despite the score Don showed evidence of finding his serve and inside out forehand.  John made some amazing gets.

Mar. 24  John,  6-2  7-5  6-4

Mar. 14  John once more  6-3  6-4  6-1

Don was just a few milliseconds behind every shot...

Mar. 11  John wins again  7-5 7-6 6-3 

Don had 4 set points in the second, one that barely clipped the tape.

Mar. 9  Played one set (John, 7-5) then played doubles with Danny and Harry.  We had apparently been deluding ourselves in thinking our improved power game would give them trouble.  They had no problem in demonstrating that doubles is a different game where power doesn't mean nearly as much as finesse and moving as a team.  (note to self - move with John, yell "mine" frequently...)

Mar. 8  The Mace trains rolls on  6-4  6-1  6-8

This was a closer match than the second set would indicate.  On serve through 4-4, Don blew a volley for game, got broken after several deuces, and didn't regroup till the third set, which took well over an hour to play due to long points and long games.  Great baseline rallies. 

Mar. 6  John again, 6-3  7-5  8-6

Great tennis today - both of us were hitting hard and playing long points.  Great gets and winners all around.  Don still double faulted way too much while John did better at winning key points (Don had break points and game points galore that came to naught)

Feb. 24  John over Don 6-2  7-5 

John continues to dominate.  Don had set points in the second while serving at 5-4, but couldn't get closure

Feb. 19  John over Don  6-2  7-6  6-4

Both of us served better today, but John was painting the lines

Feb. 15  John over Don  5-6  6-4  6-3

Don almost stopped the Mace train today, but John was tough in the third (John was just tired enough not to over-hit the ball on critical points...)

Feb. 12  John over Don  6-3  4-6  6-3

Feb. 9   John over Don   6-2  6-3  6-4

Jan. 31  John over Don  6-2  6-4  6-1

Don, still struggling with his serve, only managed to win one service game, which was in the first set.  We played a lot of great points and were both hitting some sweet shots.  Break-athon in the second set - 9 of ten games were breaks (John held service once to win the set and the match)

Jan. 28  John over Don  6-2  6-2  6-4

Great warm-up - our very first warm-up ball turned into a long rally - both were in the zone warming up and some of the games in the first set had long rallies and great winners

Jan. 26  John 6-2  4-6  6-4

John served a perfect service fault game, but Don gave away more double faults overall.

Preparation

R