TennisTitan was right back at it. Barely 16 hours after his sound thumping at the YTC on Thursday afternoon your Titan was ready for more action at 8 A.M. Aching legs be damned! TT paired with Perry 'Landlord' Gault in two fun sets of doubles against Don 'Shillelagh Man' Carmody and 'Billy the Kraut' Goebelbecker. Titan/'Landlord' out lasted their opposition in the only set played to completion (9-7). The set was a challenge for the Titan who had to do some heavy lifting to extend many games to put his team in a position to win this evenly contested match. The experienced team of 'Shillelagh Man'/'Kraut' played well in handling TT's pace, prolonging points, and making 'Landlord ' play many volleys that he is ill-equiped to return. The tide had turned in set 2 as Titan was offered a reprieve by the bell with he and 'Landlord' down love-four in games and fading fast. 'Landlord' quipped as the foursome exited the court, "Titan, I wish my tenants came up with the rent as quick as you return that running cross court forehand." TT smiled sheepishly and retorted, "Perry, good things can happen when you start getting your racquet on the ball at net and sometimes lob your returns over the opposition, instead of always trying to go with a sharp-angled cross court return. It's like when the control board approves dramatic rent increases."
TennisTitan and Max 'Tutor' Tuchman paired today against 'Big Al' Diodati and Bill 'Energizer Bunny Legs' Tully for two sets at the Yonkers Tennis Center this afternoon. TT/'Tutor' could not solve the riddle presented by 'EBL's agility at net and speed in the back court as they dropped both sets at 2 and 2. 'Big Al' did his part in limiting his errors at net and getting his first serve in consistently which is always a key in attempting to break this potent duo. TT/'Tutor' have to yield too much ground in the forecourt against 'EBL' to attempt to adequately cover their baseline. Inevitably they are overpowered by 'EBL' s returns and cough up the short defensive lob for an easy put-away. Several entertaining points were authored by 'EBL' and 'Tutor' which featured multiply volleys that had the Japanese ladies on the adjacent court bowing in awe as is their ritual when 'Tutor' acknowledged their adoring atttention. An especially leg-weary Titan contributed too little too late but boasted bombastically as he reached for his camera, "Maxie, we had 'em on the ropes in the third set, up one love, 40-30 in game two, we were on our way..." To wit Tutor reminded Titan, "TT, we won three of the last four games and were about to win another, who cares if we came within two points of being bageled! Those Nesei ladies inspire me!"
"God, is it that time again?" That is what was TennisTitan's first thought as he awakened at 5:05 this morning to be ready to do battle at the YTC at 7 A.M. Titan had already swilled down his first two cups of coffee before the alarm went off at 5:30 and had downed the other two cups with his ibuprofen before he received his 'back up' wake up call from Lucy on her way to work. Ah, but it was all worth the shaking off of the aches and pains so early as TT walked onto the court to engage in three well played sets with "The Caballero", Hanibal the displaced Argentinian from Pound Ridge, and the 'brogue boys', Tom 'The Mick' Ahern and Frank 'Workman' Buckley. TT was rotated through all the players giving each participant ample opportunity to prove they could carry the 'man of limited movement.' In the opener TT/'Mick' could not finish and dropped the set (6-8) after having held a 5-3 margin as the tandem of 'Caballero/'Workman' found the range and broke down the 'Mick's forehand more effectively late in the set. TT/'Caballero' combined for a (6-3) victory over the brogue boys in set two. Titan/'Workman' ended the morning affair with a truncated victory at (6-5) over the Caballero who partnered the last set with the 'Mick' and Gimpy Knees Cruz. 'Workman' and 'Caballero' reminded the 'bloated behemoth' as they left the court, "Titan, you can go home now and go back to bed now to rest up for your 2 p.m. match later today. We got to earn a living so you retired guys can live the good life." To which TennisTitan replied, "Based on the tennis I saw this morning fellas, don't quit your day job!"
TennisTitan opened the week at the YTC with a highly competitive match featuring Joe 'Gimpy Knees' Cruz, Tony 'No Baloney' Guido and 'Rocking Rick' Ricci. TT was a late substitution for the 7:30 match. The first two sets paired 'No Baloney' with Titan against 'Gimpy Knees' and 'Rockin Rick.' Titan/'NB' gifted the first set (4-6) before overwhelming the opposition (6-1) in set two. Kudos to 'GK' and 'RR' who fell behind early in the match (3-1) and rallied to pull off the mild upset by breaking 'NB's usually reliable serve in the tenth game. Titan served timidly in his two opportunities and distinguished himself only in a few approach shots and two left handed forehands hit for winnners. TT continues to frustrate 'Gimpy Knees' by taking pace off Joe's returns that lead to unforced errors. Titan joined with 'Rocking Rick' for the third set (4-4) that provided a nice measure of satisfaction for the 'man of limited movement.' 'RR' plays a steady if unspectacular game and, like TT, is not an offensive threat making the final result that much more enjoyable against the likes of two hard hitters.
TennisTitan would be remiss to not report to his readers that he is now "internationally known." Your Titan spent three weeks at the Regency Towers in Panama City Beach, Fl. Titan enlisted the help of the front desk to recruit an opponent. TT was fortunate to find great competition from the distaff side. My ill-educated readers, that means a female. Titan sparred for one set plus several games into a 2nd set eight times over a 10 day period against Lois "Canuck" Carter who gave TT a run for his money. Lois gave away a half dozen years and a dozen or more inches to Titan but she did not come up short in heart, hustle, or ability. Titan managed to win 8 of the nine sets played to completion with only three sets having more than a three game margin of victory. Actually, Lois seldom walked off the court during set two of the day without having the lead or being on serve. "I'll only squeeze you in for one-hour Titan. Since you won't pay me an appearance fee, I'll be heading to the local links with my husband, Goldie. He walks the walk, seems you only talk to talk!" "Canuck" is an accomplished ladies-league doubles player who plays satellite tournaments throughout Ontario when she is not undoubtedly out-driving and out-putting 'Coach Goldie.' Readers, truth be told, this pepper-pot would have out played Titan had he not had the advantage of being more able to hit into the 25 mile per hour winds that plagued this seashore resort court on a daily basis. "Canuck," as Perry Como would croon, "thanks for the memories,(but I ain't ready to walk the walk on no damn fairway just yet)."
As Bud Collyer would have said forty years ago, "Will the real TennisTitan please stand up?" Well, that's how panelists 'Big Al' Dio Dati, Jim Addiss 'Abada' and Max 'Tutor' Tuchman would've querried the "Man of Limited Movement" this date were this an episode of "To Tell the Truth." Titan absolutely dominated play both offensively and defensively as he led 'Tutor' to impressive (6-4, 6-2, 2-2) victories against 'Big Al'/'Abada' in play at the YTC. Your Titan had the alley painted with deft returns just out of reach of 'Abada's flailing backhand or well placed approach shots that split the middle, interspersed with short, sharp-angled returns or deep lobs to 'Big Al's backhand that had that loud-mouth bombastic behemoth yammering from start to finish. How many times can one person offer himself that self-congratulatory "that's too good" comment without offending even his partner's sensibilities? We got some indication today as 'Tutor' commented as the victorious pair left the court, "Titan, did you talk your wife to an early death?" Big Al contributed "Max, you really paid a heavy price for victory today; we all should have Roy's ears when we play with TT." 'Abada' quipped, "Titan, lose 30 pounds, run twice as fast, talk half as much and I might have confused you with 'EBL' Tully today!" "High praise, indeed" chortled Titan as he reached for his camera.
TennisTitan concluded his three week stint on his "Panhandle" Tour with a very satisfying one-setter against his son, Jeff 'Big Daddy' Briscoe. TT and 'BD' hooked up at the Fisherman's Village Park in Punta Gorda, Fl. in a match that "wowed" the business people and snow birds enjoying their lunch in this idylic setting along the Peace River at Charlotte Harbor. Titan was out played (2-6), dropping the final four games in what had appeared to be a closely contested match, by the more mobile 'BD' in a set that was significantly effected by the gusting conditions and 85 degree temperature at 1 p.m. Titan, indeed, had the crap kicked out of him, but the ever resouceful 'bloated behemoth' had his excuse ready as the father/son team headed for the soda fountain at the nearby gas station upon departure. "Jeff, I couldn't make my dumper this morning taking care of your kids so you could sleep in. Those extra pounds are what did me in today!"
