Tennis and I had a love-hate relationship for some time. After I reached a point where I was no longer skillful enough to be selected for the baseball or basketball teams at my school, the University of Maryland, I took up tennis in a bid to assuage my need for competition and camaraderie. After some years, I achieved some competency, but, having a fierce temper, it seemed to get in the way of my playing at my best for any extended period of time.
After years of seeking out a consistent, comparative partner, I finally met a gentleman at the courts at the University of Maryland, and we began to play together regularly. The matches were competitive and challenging, and well balanced, with each of us winning at about the same rate over the years of the early 80's. In order to challenge ourselves, our committment, and our endurance, we decided, in the spring of 1984, to play each match that season best of 5 sets, no tiebreakers.
The first two, at the end of April and the beginning of May, were unexciting and tension-free, with each of us winning in 4 fairly quick sets. We met at the hard, paved courts for the third time that spring, on Saturday May 12, for a match that proved to be our longest, most dramatic, and most conclusive. The first set started, and my opponent, Dennis, served first, and held easily. I did as well, and this continued to 4-all. At that point I broke his serve, and served for the set at 5-4. I lost my serve in that game, and the breaks continued, as I served for the first set again at 6-5, 7-6, 8-7, 9-8, and 10-9, all with no success. At 10-all, he finally held to 11-10, and once again I lost my serve, and the set, 12-10. I was beside myself with anger and frustration over my failure to cash in any of those opportunities, I stalked petulantly around the court through the second set, and lost it 6-2, making me even more angry at myself.
At that point I finally woke up, realized the match was not over, dug in my heels, and started to play better. I dominated the third set, winning 6-3, and opened the 4th set with two breaks and two holds, and led 4-0. At this point I expected Dennis to relax, recoup his energy as much as possible, to make a stand in the 5th and final set. He had different ideas, and fought his way back to even, went ahead, and served for the match at 7-6, and reached match point. After his serve and my return, a short baseline rally ensued, I left a shot a bit short, he came to net, I hit a crosscourt backhand, and his volley hit the tape, and fell back, Crestfallen, he returned to the service line and prepared to serve the next point, but his spirit was broken. I won the next two points to 7-7, held, then broke him ar 15 to win the 4th set, 9-7.
Exhausted mentally and physically, Dennis quickly capitulated the 5th set 6-2, and I had the comeback win of my life. The match had a serious psychological effect on both of us that spring and summer, as I dominated our matches like never before. My success lasted into the next spring, when Dennis had recovered, and our matches remained close and even throughout our adulthood.
Jim Casey
Memory added on May 11, 2014
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