Whoa! What a major and momentous day of 3.0 tennis! In Flight #1, Wembley travelled to Avon Oaks/Bay in a second place showdown! Meanwhile, in Flight #2, Towpath hosted NCRC in a potential first place showdown! Not to be outdone, MVRC and Paramount Medina were looking to make some noise and climb the standings ladder, as well! And to underlie the significance of the night, four of the five matches not only went to 2-1, but came down to 2nd doubles! So much tennis! So much excitement! So many exclamation marks! If you can handle THIS much excitement - and have about 10' of your life that you'll never get back - read on!
Flight #1 Recap
Avon Oaks/Bay v. Wembley, 2-1
Singles - Travis Haselswerdt 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (5) v. James Pruce
1st Doubles - Erik Overberger/Charlie Post 2-6, 4-6 v. JP Ayyappan/David Ries
2nd Doubles - Brian Chambers/Tony Slabicki 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (7) v. Brian Greene/Kiyotaka Fukamachi
Notes - In a Flight #1 skirmish for second place bragging rights (and believe me, these are things we actually brag about ... second place!), host Avon Oaks/Bay and visitors Wembley duked it out in what the host team's non-members of the Avon Oaks Country Club home team lovingly refer to as "The Bubble" (since none of the team is actually a member of AOCC, we're not sure what else to call the place where we play tennis other than the tennis ... place).
And, as both teams recently lost to Flight #1 leader Force, this match-up was especially significant in helping to possibly propel both team's playoff fortunes (because obviously that's what low-level rec league tennis is all about - making the postseason, printing a t-shirt, then wearing said t-shirt to family functions and then attempting to brag to your friends and family about how good your rec league team is and then trying to not to get too embarrassed when everyone asks, "Yeahhhh, but aren't you a ... 3.0?"). As a result, Avon Oaks/Bay Captain Dave and Wembley Captain JP pulled out all the stops, putting forth their best"A" lineups available (i.e., who was actually "A-vailable" that night).
In singles, Avon Oaks/Bay's Travis took on Wembley's Jim. Travis, who was holding an undefeated record this year versus players who suffered mid-match injuries (what's up, Roger?), looked to keep his winning ways going versus Jim, who was playing his first 3.0 singles match ... ever! If Jim was nervous, he didn't show it, as his booming serve and
precise forehand turned Travis into little more than a well-dressed (i.e., obnoxious) pusher (which is pretty much what he is, so, yeah) for most of the first set. When Travis attempted his tried and true serve and "my groundstrokes stink really bad so that's why I am forced to" volley technique, Jim's pinpoint lobs kept Travis as far from a winning point as his below average looks kept him from his high school prom date (which is to say, "very far"). As a result, while Travis held brief leads, Jim took the first set and looked to be on a roll. But at that point, in the second set, Travis turned to his ultimate back-up plans - 1) hoping the other guy gets hurt and 2) lots and lots of luck. As for the former, the heat and dehydration of The Bubble (and the fact Travis kept the C-19 approved water bottles as far away from Jim as possible) started to take their toll on Jim, and as for the latter, Travis' comically huge tennis racquet magically started to get back and return Jim's shots in ways that can only
be described as ... annoying. Raising his hand in apology more than fist-pumping in celebration, Travis somehow won the second set, which meant it was ... SUPER tie-breaker time! In the SUPER tie-breaker (and "super" should always be capitalized, by the way), Travis ran off to an early lead by doing the same things that earned* him the second set - closing his eyes and randomly sticking his 115" racquet face up in the air and hoping against hope for the best. With an annoying array of incredibly lucky lobs and net play that was astoundingly ridiculous, Travis limped (seriously, these shoes are a disaster) away with the third-set, and thus, the match. Jim, despite the close loss, showed that despite his new introduction to singles and new introduction to the 3.0 world, that he is going to be one of the top players in the Flight, especially if he doesn't play a guy who tries to hide all the water bottles on a 90 degree day.
Leading the team match 1-0, Avon Oaks/Bay Captain Dave put Erik and Charlie, his best 1st Doubles team, on the court versus one of the best doubles teams on any 3.0 court, Wembley's JP and David. Indeed, 2-1 on the season together, the pair are 7-2 all-time, including league, playoff, and tournament wins, showing they aren't just a doubles team, their a doubles ... um ... well, I mean, they are a doubles team. BUT ONE OF THE BEST 3.0 DOUBLES TEAMS AROUND! YEAH! No doubt awe-struck by the tandem in front of them, it's no surprise that Erik and Charlie struggled in the first set, especially as Erik and Charlie both continued to work their way into season form. But the two veteran 3.0ers soon warmed themselves into the match (which wasn't too hard to do seeing as it was 9,000 degrees) and played a great second set, as Erik's net play and Charlie's serves pushed one of the best doubles teams in the area to the brink. However, JP and David are one of the best doubles teams in the Midwest (that's right, MIDWEST! Look it up!) for a reason, and as such the duo held strong, and despite a valiant effort by Erik and Charlie, the team match was now even at 1-1. Meaning the team win would be determined by 2nd Doubles - AS IT SHOULD!
In 2nd Doubles, Wembley Captain JP put in Brian and Kiyotaka while Avon Oaks/Bay Captain Dave countered by putting in besties Brian and Tony (sidebar: we really need to come up with an easier way to say "Avon Oaks/Bay" because this is getting cumbersome). Brian, one of the best doubles players on the team, was making his first appearance of the season after a pre-season injury, so no one was sure what to expect (but since Brian promised to bring a large cooler of adult beverages, Captain Dave decided it was worth the risk). A close first set win showed that Wembley's Brian and Kiyotaka wouldn't be pushed around, but as The Bubble warmed up, so did Brian and Tony, and the second set was theirs. Meaning it was a SUPER tie-break to decide not just their match but the entire team match! WOW! DRAMA! As both team's watched from the sidelines, along with the fans (two of them!), the tension was thick, and indeed, Avon Oaks/Bay Co-Captain Travis' and Wembley Captain JP's brief friendship over their mutual love and admiration of German soccer (Travis: "I live and die by how VfB Stuttgart does..." JP: "Yeah, I don't watch that...") was put on hold awaiting the results of this match. Also, the tension was also thick because no one knew the score because the match was taking place on the far side of The Bubble and no one could hear anything. And even when the match ended and the doubles teams congratulated one another on a great match, still, no one knew the final results. DRAMA! But, as both teams walked off the courts, someone finally asked who won, and to quote the always confident Avon Oaks/Bay Captain Dave, "Wait, what ... weeee won? REALLY?" it was Brian and Tony who emerged victorious in what was truly a seesaw tennis battle!
Thus, with the 2-1 team win, Avon Oaks/Bay won the team match, propelling themselves into second place in Flight #1 ... but by only the slimmest of margins, two come from behind SUPER tie-breaks! That being said, Wembley could take solace in the fact that they were a solid 2-2 heading into the halfway point of the 3.0 season and had Avon Oaks/Bay not hid the water, they probably would have ended the midway point of the season with an even better record, but that's strategy for you!
In local Avon Oaks/Bay news, congratulations to Avon Oaks/Bay's Brian for earning his 10th career doubles victory and Travis for his 50th career 3.0 win (#CrashDavis)! Also congrats to Captain Dave who, with his second career managerial win in his rookie managerial season, has moved to 3rd all-time - ALL-TIME! - on the Most Captain Wins for Bay! That's ... WOW!
Next up - Avon Oaks/Bay @ MVRC, Wembley Bye
Force v. MVRC, 3-0
Singles - Andrew Payerl 6-2, 6-3 v. John King
1st Doubles - Scott Mellino/John Prince 6-1, 6-1 v. Rick King/Brian King
2nd Doubles - Jeremy Benjamin/Adnan Kazazic 6-2, 6-3 v. Rick King/Karl King
Notes - Captain Jeremy's undefeated Force squad looked to keep their, ahem, streaking going as they hosted an up and coming MVRC team who was coming off their first win of the 3.0 season! MVRC, led by Captain Rick's now locally famous The Seven Kings of Mayfield (which sounds like a Netflix documentary), led off with 3.0 rookie John at singles versus
fellow 3.0 rookie Andrew. Andrew, who is quickly making noise to earn the coveted* (and most likely nonexistent) 3.0 Rookie of the Year award, won his second straight singles match and third overall match, showing that he's a core reason why Force is predicted to win it all this season AND showing that when it comes to finding raw 3.0 talent, Captain Jeremy is one of the best in the game! That being said, John, in his first ever official 3.0 singles match, showed he's upping his 3.0 skills as he took more games off of Andrew than any other player this season!
Leading 1-0 in the team match, Force Captain Jeremy turned to one of the best doubles tandems around to try and seal the team win, Scott and John. Like the Lone Ranger and Tonto ... Woody and Buzz Lightyear ... Andy and Red from Shawshank ... Cagney and Lacey ... the names "Scott and John" may soon be synonymous with all the other great tandems in history. Indeed, coming off a hard-fought three-set nail biter at Wembley the previous week, Scott and John are now like a well-oiled machine, and much like the 1980s Voltron cartoon series, they have melded into one amazing synchronous 3.0 doubles machine the likes of which the 3.0 world (i.e., Northeast Ohio) has nary seen! Winning their third doubles victory in a row, Scott and John clinched the team match, and thus another week at the top of the Flight #1 table for their team. As for MVRC's Captain Rick and Brian, there is absolutely no shame in falling to the best 3.0 doubles team in the Flight, and Rick and Brian no doubt learned valuable experience that will pay off immensely in the weeks and matches to come!
Thus, though the team match was set, any good 3.0 captain knows that inevitably, tie-breakers may play a key role in determining who makes the playoffs later in the season. And few 3.0 captains are as good as Captain Jeremy! With that in mind, Captain Jeremy, like Cobra Kai sensei John Kreese in Karate Kid, went for the sweep (the leg, if you will), putting himself in for his first match of the season! Along with undefeated veteran doubles specialist Adnan, the two held on for the win in a close 2nd Doubles match versus rookies Rick and Karl, who again learned some valuable doubles experience that will pay dividends down the 3.0 road. Thus, when all was said and done, Captain Jeremy not only won his first match of the season, but more importantly, his Force enjoyed the team win to stay undefeated on the season and remain a top the Flight #1 standings!
Next up - Force @ CVAC, MVRC v. Avon Oaks/Bay
Flight #1 Standings/Records
Force 3-0
Avon Oaks/Bay 2-1
Wembley 2-2
MVRC 1-2
CVAC 0-3
Flight #2 Recap
Towpath v. NCRC, 1-2
Singles - Frank Licari 6-7, 4-6 v. Munir Ahmad
1st Doubles - John Consilio/Bryan Dudiwka 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 v. Benjamin Young/Chester McClain
2nd Doubles - Joseph George/Jason Dzik 3-6, 0-6 v. Timothy Booher/William Woodard
Notes - In the match of the week in Flight #2, undefeated and 1st place Towpath hosted 3rd place NCRC in a match that would go a long way in determining 1st place status after matchday four! In singles, Towpath's Captain Frank faced off against NCRC's resident singles specialist Munir in a battle of experience, with Captain Frank's over 50 overall 3.0
3.0 wins, versus specialization, with Munir's impressive 7-2 singles record. In an tightly contested match, Captain Frank's experience had the slight edge as the first set went to tie-break, but Munir's comfort at singles seemed to make the difference (we think it did, I mean, we weren't there, but in the empty vacuum that is our mind, that seems like a legitimate difference maker) as he won the tie break to take set one. Another close set took place, but once again, Munir's comfort won the day and gave NCRC an early team lead. Needing a win to get back in the match, Towpath's Captain Frank turned to doubles vet's John and Bryan, who, with over 40 combined 3.0 doubles matches between them, could be counted on to do just that. But NCRC's Captain Benjamin wasn't about to just roll over, and he and veteran Chester came out on fire (which may be literal as it was super, super hot yesterday), taking the first set. On their heels, John and Bryan rallied to dominate the second set, and in a SUPER tie-breaker, they continued that momentum to take the match, thus evening the team score at one a piece. Thus, it came down to a common theme - 2nd Doubles for the win! Towpath veteran Joseph teamed with singles standout Jason against relative 3.0 newbies Timothy and William in the deciding match of the night against two of the best teams in Flight #@! But Timothy, who is having a fantastic undefeated season, continued his run, and after a close first set, not only got the win but also helped lead 3.0 rookie William to his first ever 3.0 victory as well! Thus, in a mild upset, Captain Benjamin's NCRC squad took the 2-1 win back to North Canton, and with it, a virtual share of top flight status in Flight #2!
Next up - Towpath @ Fairlwan, NCRC @ Paramount Medina
La Tuchie v. Fairlawn, 2-1
Singles - Alan Eng 6-7, 4-6 v. Douglas Leohr
1st Doubles - Okey Ekechi/Scott Hovey 6-3, 6-2 v. Dustin Fox/Tom Giltner
2nd Doubles - Patrick DeMarco/Brandon Walch 6-3, 5-7, 1-0 v. John Chlebina/Richard Patterson
Notes - In a matchup of two teams looking to climb the standings to position themselves for a late-season run, La Tuchie's veteran squad outlasted the athletic Fairlawn team. In singles, Fairlawn's Douglas got the team off to a great start as he won a very, very close one versus 3.0 rookie Alan, earning Douglas his second 3.0 singles win of the year, definitely putting him in the running for the never desired Singles Player of the Year award! But it was in the doubles areas that the La Tuchie squad blossomed, as in 1st Doubles, veteran Okey, with over 20 doubles wins in the 3.0 arena, teamed with undefeated 3.0 rookie Scott to earn a very impressive win versus the heretofore undefeated rookie tandem of Dustin and Tom. With the team match evened up at one win a piece, it once again came down to the 2nd Doubles results, showing that 2nd Doubles may in fact be the real MVP of not just tennis, but of life itself. Or ... just 3.0 tennis. Which is basically life. Either way, rookies La Tuchie's Patrick and Brandon were tasked with taking on Fairlawn's 3.0 vet John, who, with over 40 career 3.0 matches, helped steer relative 3.0 newbie Richard into another great match. And indeed, in another incredibly close match that once again went to three and another SUPER tie-breaker, the rookies emerged victorious, earning their team a win that vaulted them into Flight #2 second place!
Next up - Fairlawn v. Towpath, La Tuchie v. Green
Green v. Paramount Medina, 1-2
Singles - David Ginnetti 6-0, 6-0 v. De Fault
1st Doubles - Rob Gonsor/T Bortz 1-6, 1-6 v. Jonathan Glazer/Roderick Yamat
2nd Doubles - Chip Bond/Elbert Enrique 6-4, 6-7, 0-1 v. Denny Huff/Phil Towne
Notes - In a matchup of two squads looking to establish themselves on the standings list, Green's David got his team on the board first with an impressive win at singles versus the
always cagey 3.0 Frenchman De Fault! But in doubles, Paramount Medina was led by a pair of seasoned 3.0 veterans who would not be denied. In 1st Doubles, 3.0 tennis rockstar Roderick, aided by Jonathan, impressed the assembled masses (most likely the four other guys on his team) with an impressive win over fellow veteran doubles specialists Rob and T. In doing so, Roderick earned his 62nd career 3.0 win, showing the 3.0 kids at home what a lot of hard work and determination can accomplish! In the team match deciding 2nd Doubles - by the way, all of Flight #2 was determined by 2nd Doubles, showing that 2nd Doubles is the rock star of 3.0 tennis, where all the publicity, fans, and 3.0 groupies most likely reside! - it was captain versus captain, as Paramount Medina's captain, Captain Phil, teamed with veteran Denny to take on Green's captain, Captain Chip and singles specialist Enrique. In a back and forth 3.0 slugfest, Captain Chip's side started strong, only to see veteran Denny's tandem return the favor in a nail biting second set tie-break, which led us ... ONCE AGAIN ... to a SUPER TIE-BREAK! WHOA!!! In the tie-break, the road team rode their second set momentum to SUPER tie-break victory highway, which wasn't just Denny's 30th career 3.0 doubles victory, but was also the team's victory, putting them right there in the Flight #2 3.0 playoff race!
Next up - Green @ La Tuchie, Paramount Medina v NCRC
Flight #2 Standings/Records
Towpath 3-1
La Tuchie 3-1
NCRC 3-1
P. Medina 2-2
Fairlawn 1-3
Green 0-4
Conclusion
WOW! With four of the five matches coming down to 2nd Doubles, it's becoming increasingly clear where the stars of 3.0 tennis reside! Not only that, but with Avon Oaks/Bay's win they're now in the running for a top two spot in Flight #1 while with NCRC and La Tuchie winning, there's now a three-way cluster at the top of Flight #2! And if there's any word that describes 3.0 tennis, it has to be just that - "cluster"!
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