The Saga Continues...

Titan, his 6'4" 235lb body ensconed on a rickety 4' 6" 25lb naugahyde couch for 6 hours of fitful sleep, greeted the Tuesday sunrise knowing that this day would be "his" regardless of the aches and pains of having played 3 sets 12 hours earlier. TT swilled down his usual 40 ounces of Dunkin' Donuts coffee and demanded his host take him to Saratoga State Park for the much anticipated singles match. "Gavonne" led TT down the Avenue of the Pines that ended at 4 clay (in use) and 4 hard courts (all open), and suggested that the duo await the availabilty of the clay surfaces. He, of the vaunted "dropper," wanted to maximize his advantage against The Titan by playing on the terbe tu. Not to be! "Let's play now, Big Guy!" The opening set ended disappointedly for Titan as he dropped the critical seventh game to "Gavonne" and succumbed meekly at (3-6) when unable to break back in the multi-duece eighth game that sapped his host of energy reserves. Indeed, TennisTitan, after trading holds in the first two games of set 2 galloped off to a comfortable 5-1 as the fatigued "Bloated Behemoth" gasped for air as he chugged his gatorade. Titan, setting "Gavonne" up for the all important rubber, enjoyed it immensely as "Behemoth" captured games 7,8, and 9 to crawl back into contention. In game 10 TennisTitan put his cramping, scowling host out of his misery closing it out eaily (6-4). TT rubbed down "Gavonne's" hamstrings with liniment and graciously agreed to defer the 3rd set to under the lights at Skidmore after texting "Raging Bull" that the "monkey is off my back, dad on suicide watch."

Prior to the evening match, Coach TT made sure "Gavonne" had made the necessary purchase of a wrap for his taut thigh muscle and provided "Behemoth" with the requisite ibuprofen. Again, "Gavonne" had just enough to get by TT at (4-6)in the opener before Titan allowed excessive verbal coaching on a neighboring court to completely distract him during a thorough thumping by the "Gavonne" (2-6). As "Gavonne" staggered off the court doing his best Roberto Duran, "No mas" Titan willingly continued on and earned the respect of the "Raging Bull" who provided TT with a bagel after three competitive games. Titan knew that he was expending energy that would be called upon the next morning against the now recuperating "Gavonne." Or so TennisTitan thought.