LaTuchie Heads the Leaderboard as Western Reserve and Force Join the Top Spots!
18+
Flight 1 Standings
W. Reserve 2-0
CSC 2-0
CVAC 1-1
Mayfield 1-1
Fairlawn 0-2
Green 0-2
Flight 2 Standings
LaTuchie 3-0
NCRC 1-2
P. Medina 1-1
Mentor 1-1
CRC 1-1
Wembley 0-2
Flight 3 Standings
Force 1-0
Bay 1-0
Springside 1-1
Towpath 1-1
P. Westlake 0-2
Flight 1 Recaps
CVAC v. Green - 3-2
CVAC's Captain John showed his true managerial skills as he put in rookie David in at #1 singles, where the newbie outlasted fellow rookie Neema for his first career singles win, and then scheduling free agent signee Mark in at #2 singles, who did the same! But Green's Captain Rob led his Green Team back, as he, Enrique, Jeff, and Mark all enjoyed their first 3.0 wins as well! Thus, doubles would decide the team winners of this week two matchup, and in #2 doubles, Steve and Ryan, in an epic come-from-behind three set SUPER TIE-BREAK match, did just that, versus two of the strongest and most experienced doubles players in the area! Thanks to Captain John's off-season signings, showing the off-season 3.0 free agency window is indeed one of the more important free agency windows in all of sport, CVAC enjoyed their first win of the 2021 season!
In a matchup of early season undefeated squads, Doug bounced back from last week's loss to notch his first 3.0 victory of the 2021 season, getting his team on the board first and was soon high-fiving fellow singles player John (socially distancedly approved, of course) as both enjoyed their first singles wins on the year to give their team a big 2-0 lead to start the match. The doubles acumen of Streetsboro's MOST FAMOUS tennis club, however, soon showed their mettle, as Captain Chris rallied his charges to victory, taking doubles court #1 and in doing so, inspiring his team as Steve, Dave, and Matt defended their doubles honor, winning all three doubles matches en route to earning their second wins of the season while at the same time helping Bob and John get victory's numero uno on the season in an amazing come back team victory!
CSC, on the road at Mayfield, took on the King's of Mayfield and did so in style, with Erick leading the way with his first career singles victory over rookie Augie. MVRC's John, however, maintained his winning ways, earning his second straight victory in singles to go 2-0 on the season and even up the team match at 1-1. At this point of the match, the powerful twin'ness of Mayfield usually takes over, but Captain Barry had clearly done his homework, and unlocked the mysterious code of which King is which King, and with said knowledge in their tennis bags, they were able to blunt the DNA advantage of the Kings, taking the doubles courts, highlighted by the fact that Jacob and Jack not only are now 2-0 on the season, but are 2-0 on the season TOGETHER! WHOA! Are J&J the new 3.0 power couple?!
Flight 2 Recaps
CRC v. NCRC - 3-1
Coming off their opening team win of the season, Captain Benjamin's NCRC squad was looking to continue their winning streak, but CRC's Captain Jared had different plans, sending out an A-list squad that got his club off to a fast and furious (for tennis, anyway) start! In singles, Corey defeated newly bespectacled Benjamin in a close, close match, while rookie Nikhil joined him in the winning circle (or rectangle) with his first ever career 3.0 win! In doubles, Mayur and Derron also enjoyed their first wins of the season, all the more important as they helped clinch the first team win on the season for CRC! But the big news that was on everyone's mind was the rarely seen unicorn of a match, the DOUBLE DEFAULT! That's right! In a match between N/A and N/A versus their twin rivals N/A and N/A, NEITHER SIDE could get the win, no doubt due to some shenanigans between both mirror image teams! Line calls, foot faults, time wasting ... THIS MATCH (probably) HAD IT ALL! Hopefully these two tandems can calm down the next time they face off, but this rematch will no doubt be the MUST SEE non-event OF THE YEAR!
Mentor @ Wembley - 3-2
Captain Bailey, looking to stop the Wembley Club losing streak (is it really a streak if it's just one match?) like the leader he is, took center stage by taking one of the singles courts and, leading by example, showed his boys (or teens, as they have to be 18+) how it's done, earning his first win of the season! Captain Scott tried to do the same for Mentor, and while he was defeated by Patrick, who is continuing his torrid on fire 3.0 tennis season, he set an example that his doubles team's couldn't help but follow as all three stepped up to the doubles courts to win incredibly close victories, all going to at least one tie-breaker! Congrats to Mike and Shane, who not only enjoyed their second victories on the season, but their second victories TOGETHER! WHOA! Another 3.0 power couple?!
In a battle of undefeated squads, LaTuchie continued their winning ways, going 3-0 on the season with another nail-biting win! And leading the way was the early season favorite for D.F.O. Player of the Year Scott (the prize used to be a hearty handshake, but due to Covid, it's now just a slow golf clap, but still, that's something), earning his third singles victory and fourth overall over the hard-hitting and hard-charging Patrick in a three set SUPER TIE-BREAK biter-of-nails match! In doubles, Captain Jeff sealed the deal with an impressive win over doubles stalwart Denny, but in #1 doubles, the legendary Roderick enjoyed career 3.0 victory #65, maintaining his spot on the Top Ten List for most career 3.0 victories!
Flight 3 Recaps
Travelling multiple counties didn't stop Springside from enjoying their first team victory of the season, even though their #2 singles player Not Available once again made everyone question why he's even on the team as he won nary a point, let alone a game nor a set (congrats to Ryan, though, for earning his first victory of the season!). But despite being let down by Mr. Not Available, veteran singles player George enjoyed his first 3.0 victory of the season in an incredibly tight SUPER TIE-BREAKER match versus the previously undefeated Ryan (wait ... is everyone on Paramount Westlake named Ryan?). No doubt inspired by George, and not playing a Ryan, Dave and Thomas both enjoyed their first wins of the season in a clutch SUPER TIE-BREAK performance, helping to even the match before Gregory and Kyle sealed the deal for the travelling 3.0ers from Akron!
In a rivalry show-down of two of the pre-season top teams in Flight 3, Force was able to outlast a road-weary Towpath to get their first win of the season. In singles, two of the top players in the area - nay, THE WORLD - faced off for the third time in their careers, and the assembled crowd (the seven year old's birthday party taking place next to their court) was given a 3.0 treat, as both Andrew and Jason put on a display that made the crowd ooh and ahh (or that could have been the fact the pre-teen had just opened her presents). On court two, Travis and Frank played one another
for the second time in their careers and emulated EXACTLY the amazing play on court one (during change overs, at least) and were heard more than once to proclaim, "I'm tired and want this just to end." INDEED! In #1 doubles, another rematch took place, as Towpath's John and Craig, two of the winningest doubles players in the D.F.O. coverage area (and since we are on the internet, our coverage area is the entire world) faced off against John in a rematch of last season's District Championship! John, joined by a sleeker, slimmer, and Bane-like James, won the day, but the Towpath duo showed that Towpath will be a - wait for it - Force to be reckoned with all season long (that probably doesn't make sense as Towpath played Force, but whatever...)! Congratulations to Roger, Scott, Wael, and Joe on their first victories of the season BUT EVEN MORE CONGRATULATIONS to the seven year old girl who's birthday present was being able to watch some 3.0 tennis! You're welcome!
40+
Flight Standings
LaTuchie 2-0
Wembley 2-0
CVAC 1-1
Towpath 1-1
P.Westlake 1-0
P.Medina 0-2
Bay 0-1
Force 0-1
NCRC 0-1
No score was recorded, which we are hoping mean that ALL FIVE COURTS WERE DISQUALIFIED! Which would have to be a record of some kind... but as this is 3.0, probably not.
In a matchup of pre-season 40+ Flight favorites, the travelling Club of Wembley earned an important early season victory in nail-biting fashion! Wembley Captain J.P. and Force Captain John's shrewd off-season moves paid off handsomely as free agents won the singles matches as Force's Adam, previously from Medical Mutual, and Wembley's David, previously from THE ENTIRE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, won their opening matches, David doing so in an agonizing close match with James "Bane" McGlone where but two games separated them! In doubles, Force free agents David and Denis gave their team a brief lead, in a match so close, NO GAMES separated them (honestly, that's like a statistical anomaly and would be kinda cool if that was called a tie ...). Wembley though had an ace up their sleeve in the hard hitting James, WHO HIT TONS OF ACES (we assume, we weren't there, but he hits the ball, really, really hard), getting an impressive win over two of the better players in all of Rocky River. Thus, the match came down to Captain J.P.'s final lineup decision, and when you need something done, just like the J.P. always says, you gotta do it yourself (which probably makes his eternal partner, David, quite sad). Thus, J.P. and David (now sad but looking to impress his Captain), one of the best doubles tandems in all of northeast Ohio faced off against Force free agents Giju and Abhi, a tag team that had just come off their impressive Akron Open Doubles win (and by "recent" we mean months ago, but hey, it was a great win!). In another back and forth match that went down to the wire and was separated by ZERO GAMES, the slightly more experienced Wembley team won a closely contested match, giving J.P. and David not only the individual win, but also the team win, launching them towards the top of the Flight table and more importantly giving David the positive reinforcement he craves from his role-model J.P.!
Looking to even their record, Captain Frank's Towpath team hosted a 1-0 CVAC squad at the newly renovated Towpath Tennis Center! Perhaps nervous to be representing in their fancy new home, Towpath got off to a rough start, no doubt aided by potential D.F.O. Rookie of the Year candidate's Matt and Bill's second consecutive singles victories! But down 0-2, one of the most experienced captains in the Flight called upon Towpath's well-known doubles acumen to win the day, and win they did! Craig and John, one of the winningest tandems IN THE WORLD brought Towpath back to the winning ways, and no doubt inspired by the wily veterans, relative newcomers Mike, Dennis, Brad, and Jeff followed suit, completing the dramatic comeback win!
LaTuchie continued their undefeated team run in all phases of 3.0 tennis (which is just two phases, 18+ and 40+, but still...) with another solid win, this one keeping them as the #1 team in the Flight (and in all of Stow, Ohio's hearts). Scott continued his amazing run, winning yet again, giving him five 3.0 wins early in the season, leading some trophy shops to start making his potential D.F.O. Player of the Year award already! Veteran Roderick, after his record-setting 65th 3.0 win earlier in the week, hit the courts again, but this time was foiled by the solid display provided by doubles expert Alan. Down 0-2 in the team match, Medina's Captain Rob wasn't going to go down with a proverbial fight, and he and Richard got their team on the board with their first 3.0 wins of the season! Inspired, Ben and Daniel did the same, with Ben earning his first ever 3.0 victory! With the match tied up, #1 doubles would play the #1 role in determining the outcome (or the match was already over, we're not quite sure), and with so much on the line, it's no wonder that one of the best doubles players around, Captain Ronald, took the lead (he is the leader, after all) and steered his team to an all-important win that sealed the deal for the team from LaTuchie!
Summary
WOW! What a week o' tennis! Shout outs to Scott for winning EVERYTHING, LaTuchie for winning EVERYTHING, and the double N/A court between CRC and NCRC for losing EVERYTHING!
Shoutout to Corey, a great player! The 63 year old kept remarking how young and quick I was, all the while I was exhausted and drenched from our late night 2.5 hour match. Meanwhile he barely broke a sweat, even after rushing to get every angled shot I could hit at him. - Captain Benjamin
Amazing reporting as usual! Extra points for somehow including Larry Csonka. He was the clickbait that got me to even open the email.