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Authors: Matt Christopher
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applause.
Steve served, down the middle, and stayed at the baseline. He didn’t want to risk putting too much pressure on his leg. Tony
hit a slicing return that forced Steve to lunge hard to his left to make a backhand return. It was out of reach. His leg was
stiffening and sore enough to keep him from movingquickly from side to side. Could it cost him the match?
They switched sides for Tony’s first tiebreaker serve. Steve continued to flex the leg, knowing that if it got any worse,
he’d lose the match for sure.
Tony’s serve came straight at him and he quickly sidestepped, slashing a forehand return to Tony’s backhand side. Tony got
to it and hit a return that ticked the net, forcing Steve to charge forward to make his shot. He gritted his teeth, resolving
not to let the pain in his leg slow him down. He hit a passing shot down the right sideline. Tony started to dive for it but
then let it go, undoubtedly hoping it would be wide. It wasn’t, and the point was Steve’s.
Tony’s next serve was a perfect ace into the far corner of the service box, and he led, two—one.
Steve served to Tony’s backhand and hit Tony’s return to the opposite corner. Tony dashed to get it but mis-hit his shot.
The ball dribbled off the edge of his racket. Two points each.
Steve took a deep breath and hit his best serve of the day, a rocket with plenty of spin that skidded away from Tony after
just hitting the edge of the service box. He led, three—two.
Tony’s next serve forced Steve to run to his left. Although he made the return, Steve felt pain in his leg as he reversed
direction and headed back toward the middle of the baseline.
Tony clearly knew that Steve’s leg was bothering him. He hit a drop shot that Steve had to charge to reach. He got there and
stayed at the net. But Tony ripped a shot past him to tie the tiebreaker at three—three.
On the next point, the players got into a long baseline exchange. Neither wanted to come to the net: Tony looked to take advantage
of Steve’s leg problem, and Steve hoped to wear Tony down more by making him run. Finally, Tony came in and put away the point
with a wicked, sliced volley that Steve couldn’t reach. It was now four—three, with Tony in the lead.
Steve served next. He put some slice on the ball, which bounced away from Tony’s racket. Tony stumbled a little and hit the
ball into the net, and they were tied once again, at four—four.
On Steve’s next serve he aimed straight at Tony. Once again, Tony froze for a fraction of a second and his return was soft
and uncertain. Steve was able totake control and move Tony back and forth on the baseline again. Tony managed to get to the ball, but he was moving as if
his feet were made of lead. Finally, Steve moved toward the net and volleyed the ball at such a sharp angle that Tony just
stared at it. Steve led, five to four.
Tony now had two serves. Steve went in to meet the first one, only to see the ball squirt under his racket. Tony had put some
slice on it and had come back to tie at five—five.
Steve’s leg was throbbing and his mouth felt dry. He tried to ignore his body’s distress signals and made a strong return
of service down the center of the court, to Tony’s backhand. Tony slammed a hard shot that was meant to pass Steve on his
forehand side, but Steve’s lunge was good enough for him to get the ball and send it steaming cross-court. Tony’s return tipped
the net. Steve had to throw himself forward to get his racket under the ball before its second bounce. The ball went softly
over the net and Tony was unable to get there. Steve led, six—five. It was Steve’s serve — and game, set, and match point.
As he walked back to serve, Steve was limping. Hecouldn’t try to hide the fact that his leg was aching, and he wanted this match to be over. If he didn’t put Tony away right
now, he would have a very rough time moving around with any speed.
He
Steve served, down the middle, and stayed at the baseline. He didn’t want to risk putting too much pressure on his leg. Tony
hit a slicing return that forced Steve to lunge hard to his left to make a backhand return. It was out of reach. His leg was
stiffening and sore enough to keep him from movingquickly from side to side. Could it cost him the match?
They switched sides for Tony’s first tiebreaker serve. Steve continued to flex the leg, knowing that if it got any worse,
he’d lose the match for sure.
Tony’s serve came straight at him and he quickly sidestepped, slashing a forehand return to Tony’s backhand side. Tony got
to it and hit a return that ticked the net, forcing Steve to charge forward to make his shot. He gritted his teeth, resolving
not to let the pain in his leg slow him down. He hit a passing shot down the right sideline. Tony started to dive for it but
then let it go, undoubtedly hoping it would be wide. It wasn’t, and the point was Steve’s.
Tony’s next serve was a perfect ace into the far corner of the service box, and he led, two—one.
Steve served to Tony’s backhand and hit Tony’s return to the opposite corner. Tony dashed to get it but mis-hit his shot.
The ball dribbled off the edge of his racket. Two points each.
Steve took a deep breath and hit his best serve of the day, a rocket with plenty of spin that skidded away from Tony after
just hitting the edge of the service box. He led, three—two.
Tony’s next serve forced Steve to run to his left. Although he made the return, Steve felt pain in his leg as he reversed
direction and headed back toward the middle of the baseline.
Tony clearly knew that Steve’s leg was bothering him. He hit a drop shot that Steve had to charge to reach. He got there and
stayed at the net. But Tony ripped a shot past him to tie the tiebreaker at three—three.
On the next point, the players got into a long baseline exchange. Neither wanted to come to the net: Tony looked to take advantage
of Steve’s leg problem, and Steve hoped to wear Tony down more by making him run. Finally, Tony came in and put away the point
with a wicked, sliced volley that Steve couldn’t reach. It was now four—three, with Tony in the lead.
Steve served next. He put some slice on the ball, which bounced away from Tony’s racket. Tony stumbled a little and hit the
ball into the net, and they were tied once again, at four—four.
On Steve’s next serve he aimed straight at Tony. Once again, Tony froze for a fraction of a second and his return was soft
and uncertain. Steve was able totake control and move Tony back and forth on the baseline again. Tony managed to get to the ball, but he was moving as if
his feet were made of lead. Finally, Steve moved toward the net and volleyed the ball at such a sharp angle that Tony just
stared at it. Steve led, five to four.
Tony now had two serves. Steve went in to meet the first one, only to see the ball squirt under his racket. Tony had put some
slice on it and had come back to tie at five—five.
Steve’s leg was throbbing and his mouth felt dry. He tried to ignore his body’s distress signals and made a strong return
of service down the center of the court, to Tony’s backhand. Tony slammed a hard shot that was meant to pass Steve on his
forehand side, but Steve’s lunge was good enough for him to get the ball and send it steaming cross-court. Tony’s return tipped
the net. Steve had to throw himself forward to get his racket under the ball before its second bounce. The ball went softly
over the net and Tony was unable to get there. Steve led, six—five. It was Steve’s serve — and game, set, and match point.
As he walked back to serve, Steve was limping. Hecouldn’t try to hide the fact that his leg was aching, and he wanted this match to be over. If he didn’t put Tony away right
now, he would have a very rough time moving around with any speed.
He
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