Semi-Final Match with Harry

I played my semi-final match last Thursday against Harry V. and almost lost in the tie-breaker. Harry came out swinging and easily took the game one 9-15. He scored the first five points in-a-row. I missed a few shots early and forced a couple low-percentage overhead drives. He appeared unstoppable in the first game. Luckily, his backhand wasn’t as impenetrable as his forehand, and in the second game I settled down, focused on his backhand and tied the match 15-12. I jumped to an early lead in the tie-breaker 5-2, but Harry came back with some really nice serves, scoring five straight points and taking a 5-8 lead. I took a timeout and dug deep. My Uncle Chris and Alice were watching the match. Afterward, we planned to go to Zachery’s. I had no desire to eat Zachery’s pizza with a loss over my head, so after my timeout I went back into the court and scored six straight points, ending the match 11-8. I was exhausted and relieved. I’d never seen Harry play so well. I think he used up a lot of energy in that first game, as the fatigue factor played a role in the final few points of the match. Chris, Alice and I went to Zachery’s afterward and the pizza was fantastic!