Gold =Popeye’s

Being on this (or any) trip with Tom and Phil is quite the adventure.  I help navigate, I help warm up before matches, I help pick out what to wear on match day (both guys usually ask),  I help fix water jugs, I volunteer to do laundry, I break ties on where we’re eating dinner, I’m head cheerleader....and the list goes on from the ridiculous to the sublime.  I do all this happily, with a smile because I love it. What I get in return is creating memory making times with my husband, and feeling like I am part of what these two gifted, special guys do every time they walk on the court.

They created a game plan last night on how to play Dave and Bob, both lefties.  Sitting back watching it all come to fruition was priceless. Early on they set everything into place and won the first set 6-4. It was close, but they had a plan and stuck with it.

The second set got off to a shaky start and they couldn’t quite get back on track. The break they were down was hard to overcome. Phil lost his serve to lose the set 6-2. Here we go. Another three setter.

Phil and Tom were able to break Bob first game of the third.  Through a lot of aggressive and smart play, they were able to ride the break to a 5-4 lead with Phil serving for the match.

At this point my Fitbit was showing my BPM at 92.  I was sitting.  I’m not up running or walking or on a bike. I’m just sitting, obviously very nervous. 😬

Phil hits four of his best first serves of the match. Up 40-0. Three match points.
Then 40-15.
Then 40-30.
At 40-30, Phil gets a floaty high forehand volley and pulls it just wide.
Deuce. Crap. My BMP rises to 95.

At deuce they play a hellacious point which involves having to play great defense. Somehow during all the scrambling,  a fairly short lob gets popped up to Bob, who is set up to smash it. Phil takes off running to his left as Bob whacks it. Phil guesses right and just bunts it back from the baseline, over Dave’s head and out of either his or Bob’s reach. That creates another match point. #4

Phil serves another great first serve, and with a missed return in the net, the match is over! Whew.  I’m exhausted.

Good news, bad news.
Good news is they won. Bad news is they still have a final to play! Tomorrow’s match will be equally as tough. All these guys are great players, but I don’t believe they are quite the doubles “team” that Phil and Tom are, which is so important.

Because I am the tiebreaker of where we eat, and because Phil and Tom’s food tastes are not always on the same page, I promised Tom that if they win the gold, we’ll go to Popeye’s.

I hope it’s fingerlicking good😉