[Breeze]

The match last night was another LONG one. To start we warmed up and as soon as we finished and were about to serve to start the match, it began to rain. It was a light rain only, we didn't get any puddling, but the courts were soaked. The rain lasted about 20 minutes so we waiting around to see if they would dry. Eventually, we elected to play:

Set 1
We won the first set 6-3, which was just 1 break of serve because we served first. My serve was real good in the first set as they struggled to even get it back in play.

Set 2
In the second set our opponents decided to take the air out of the ball, hitting soft half lobs, and it worked early as they opened a 3-0 lead while I struggled to find my range. However, I adjusted and took a 4 - 3 lead and it was my partners serve. Now I'll continue to admit my lack of comfort at the net continues to hinder him, but tonight, he struggled to even get his first serve in. We battled hard going through 6 or 7 deuce games before he finally lost his serve. They then held 4-5. I held 5-5. They held 5-6, then it's my partner's turn again, and it was similar to his last service game but worse. This time we had 11 deuce games and it was Ad Out on 9 of them. We finally lost serve and set 5-7.

Set 3
This was basically a back and forth affair. My partner was gassed at this point. Several long service games, plus he blew off the court with a leaf blower twice to clean it up before the rain and to speed the drying process after. His ground strokes were starting to suffer as his forehand cut was hitting the net half way up, and he wasn't moving his feet well which was causing him to hit the ball at odd angles.

Ultimately, we managed to take a 5 -3 lead with the match on my serve. I had only been broken 1 time to this point and that break was significantly assisted by my partner missing 2 easy net shots and me over hitting an easy return. However, in this game I missed my first serve and on the second my opponent hits a masterful drop shot that wasn't 3 feet past the net with heavy spin. An amazing shot considering I didn't hit a lollypop second serve. Then I managed to double fault (1st of the match). Then I hit a good serve, my partner made a good volley but the opponent net player cut off the shot and got it at my partner's feet. Down 0-40. I follow that with an ace, and a service winner to get it 30-40 but then I choke it away with a double fault. The set is now 5-5. They hold 5-6, and it's my partner's serve...

He starts by blistering his first serve in and the opponent struggles to get a racket on it, however, he did and it ended up resulting in a high up the line return with no pace. Too high to my backhand side to reach and too short and slow for my partner to run down, 0-15. Double Fault 0-30. Nice serve wide, I took a step to cover the alley, and he hit a high floater cross court. I tried to reach it and I hit it in the net 0-40. Big serve, returned short cross court and my partner hits a running backhand up the line for a winner 15-40. Nice serve - returned wide 30 - 40. Faulted first, then a high return at me that I put away to get us back to deuce. We go through 5 deuce games before we hold to push it to a tiebreaker. My partner held off 5 match points in the set, 3 at love - 40 and 2 Ad outs in the deuce games.

In the tiebreaker - we break 1-0, then I hold both 3-0. They split then my partner double faults away both points 4-3. They split again 5-4 and it's my server to close out the match again. I win my first with a nice serve, my partner volleys, they lob cross court to me, I hit a forehand up the alley for a winner 6-3. I fault my first serve. On the second serve I mishit it. I knew it was out immediately, and I was kicking myself, but the ball struck the opponent net player before hitting the ground - so we won 7-4. Crazy way to win a back and forth match, and I'm angry at myself for my chokes on the serve, got to get back out on the court more. Nursing these strains is making difficult to stay sharp.

Final scores - 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4)