John keeps his hopes for a comeback season live with a crucial win (considering her will be buffet-ing in Fl until nearly there's maybe only a chance to play one more match).  Don played well during the warmup, and stayed in a lot of long points, but John stormed through the first set quickly.  Don had plenty of chances to break in the second, but John pulled out all the stops, lurching over the finish line with his last erg of energy.  One net cord winner made the difference between a win and playing a third set (for which Don likely had more energy in reserve...)  (Commentary by Don) 

Don again denies John's attempt to tie the season by winning in 3 sets. The 1st set was crucial for John to win. He was up 4-3, taking the set lead away from Don, but couldn't capitalize, as Don took the set 6-4. John took the 2nd set 6-2, but Don made him work for it, running the wheels off John in hopes he would not have enough in the tank to win the 3rd. Don hops on a "Hoagie" [large roll] in the 3rd, going up 4-0, and 5-2, finally taking the deciding set 6-3.  (Commentary by John) 

John keeps the season race close with a relatively easy win on a beautiful windless day. Don showed his best stuff during the early stages of the warm-up (the first ball lasted about 30 strokes) but fell apart after winning the first game. John took the next five games but was denied the VB by one of Don's few good passing shots.  (Commentary by Don) 

Don denies John's effort to tie the season by winning in three sets. The 1st set was hard fought w/ Don leading most of the first set, serving for it twice - at 5-4 and then again at 6-5. John forces the tiebreaker, but Don takes it 7-4. John musters what strength he can to take the 2nd set 6-4, but it was all for naught, as Don runs John ragged in the 3rd, winning the set and match 6-3.(Commentary by John) 

Don took the all (or at least somewhat) important first set, but continued to struggle with the dixie demon and hits too many short balls into the net or wide.  John's racket cracked at the start of the third set and he had to go to a backup , allowing Don to quickly go up a two break lead (3-0).  John's beer wore off (and or he adjusted to his old favorite racket) and he started hitting corners and blazing winners from everywhere on the court, racking up a virtual bagel. (Commentary by Don) 

Don denies John from tying the season score on this match day. Don was up 5-2 in the 1^st set, then John wins the next 2 games in an attempt to upset him. John goes up 3-0 in the second set, and then along comes “Danny-Cam”. Don wins the next 6 games and match.(Commentary by John) 

The first set was a breakathon, but Don just managed to hold at 5-5 with a couple down the line passes to take the set.  The last two sets were all John as Don's brain and legs shutdown from the combined stress of dealing with Verizon and a sore throat.  (Commentary by Don) 

John desperately tries to tie the season score to 3-3, but his attempts fall short. Don is victorious, earning a coveted 2:1 winning ratio. Both the 1st and second sets were close, but history repeats itself w/ Don winning the 3rd as John hits the wall, AKA fatigue.  (Commentary by John) 

The players decided to go to Ripley for John to receive his complimentary summer season Chinese Buffet. They took their racquets in hopes of getting a match in on better courts. The courts were “different”, but not necessarily “better”. Add to that a swirling wind factor, so they were both challenged by the conditions. The 1st two games were marathons w/ several deuces on both. Don wins the 1st set 6-3. The 2nd set had John leading 4-1, and later 6-5, as Don chiseled his way back to force a tie-breaker, which John won, but expended much energy [which could have made the difference in the 3rd set]. The 3rd set was close the whole way tied at 4-4, and 5-5. Don came through w/ good serving and net play as he vowed “NO MISTER RODGERS”, winning crucial points, denying John a chance to win by getting to a 3rd set tie-breaker.  (Commentary by John) 

Armed with fresh strings, and on the wagon, John was able to hit the big shots when he needed them.  Even though his legs were gone late it the third, John saved a couple break points with power shots from outside the court.    (Commentary by Don) 

Don opens up a fresh can of whoop-ass, and wins today’s match w/ decisiveness. John broke his own rule of having more than “one” occasional pre-match beer. As a result his timing was off, and he couldn’t come up w/ the goods to derail the “A-Train”. To Don’s credit, he was serving and playing well. He kept John on defense most of the match, running him side to side, not allowing him to control the points. In the beginning of the optional 3rd set, John broke his strings in his only remaining “top shelf” racquet. Stay tuned, as this has all the makings of a close season.  (Commentary by John) 

John wins relatively easily on a blustery day as Don was way too mentally frazzled from dealing with Verizon to put up much of a fight...  (Commentary by Don, who notes that Verizon didn't show again today, Sept. 29...) 

Don comes away w/ a win on what started out as a overcast day. The 1st game was a marathon w/ several deuces, setting the pace for the match. The clouds moved, and the sun appeared, turning the afternoon match into a humid sweat fest. Don takes the 1st set 6-3, and hoped to finish it in 2 sets. However, John had other plans, and wins the 1st 3 games of the 2nd set. Don then wins the following 4 games to go up 4-3, before John finds his groove, winning the next 3 games to take the 2nd set 6-4. Don had John on a string, running him side to side during much of the 2nd set, and the “fat-i-gue” factor was in full effect. John was winded, and the legs were not moving well enough in the 3rd set to stay in the points. As a result Don went Hawaiian, going up 5-0 in the 3rd. John was then in desperation mode, and managed to pull out the next 3 games, but that was “all she wrote”. Don wins the 3rd set and match 6-3. (Commentary by John)