Medals

Sunday, May 4th

Hello all,

Painful day.  Hurts to come so close but fall short.  We lost the World doubles title in a third set tie-breaker today. 

It's been a long tournament, and I'm definitely missing home.  I am so blessed to have gotten this far.

Looking forward to seeing everyone this week!

Carl

Saturday, May 3rd

It's 8:30 pm Saturday night and it's been a long day.

It began with my partner and I playing well and winning our doubles semi-final match this morning.

The final was scheduled for 1:30pm.  We started the match and won the first set 6-3.  At 2 all in the second set, the thunder, lightning and rain came, so we waited and waited and waited!  The tournament directors kept thinking things would dry, and we would be able to finish.  Unfortunately, every time the courts were almost dry, it rained again.  Finally, after making us wait for 4 hours, they called it off for the night.

Definitely a little stressful knowing we were 4 games from a World Championship!

Oh well, I guess I'll have to sleep on it.  11:30am Sunday.  I would appreciate all of the prayers and good thoughts you can send us.

Until tomorrow.......

Carl

Venus Williams Practicing Near Our Court

Ballenisles Country Club

Friday, May 2

I'm so pumped up!!!  We won two doubles matches today to advance to the semi-finals tomorrow!

The round of 16 went pretty smoothly, but the quarterfinals got a little hairy in the end.

We were up 6-2 and took a 5-2 lead into the 2nd set.  My partner was serving for the match. In the blink of an eye, they broke our serve and held easily to cut our lead to 5-4.  The momentum had turned in their favor, and they were getting really psyched up.

I have been in these situations many times before, and the challenge is getting over the fact that you were almost off the court and now you happen to be in a dogfight with a team that's on a roll.

My serve...they play an awesome point, and we are down love 15!  I'm thinking to myself...is this really happening?  We gather ourselves, and I keep saying just take it one point at a time.  I take a deep breath and blow out any tension and stress that is building up.  I tell myself I have been here before and the keys are to be decisive and go after it!!  Don't hope they give it to you and make a mistake.  GO AND TAKE IT!!

5 minutes later...We take it!  Now I can relax, and enjoy the truth that we will be playing in the semi-finals tomorrow.  What a great feeling.

Want to give a shout out to my Watt Ahh friends today.  I ran out of my favorite drink, but they sent a friend down from Jupiter Island to bring me more so I'm able to drink the good stuff in the semi's and hopefully the finals too.

Thanks to all of my Hallbrook friends who have followed me all week.  Looking forward to seeing everyone Monday!  Have a great weekend!  I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Carl

Thunderstorms Postpone Matches

Just a short post today...Spent a lot of time at the tournament site this evening waiting for our doubles match.  Unfortunately, too many thunderstorms wiped this evening's action out.  Going back to my place to eat a healthy dinner, then it's off to bed to prepare for 2 matches tomorrow.  The round of 16 will be at 9:00 and the quarterfinals will be at high noon. 

Planning to get up at 6:00am to start hydrating.  Humid conditions expected again and I won't have too much time between matches to drink or eat much. 

Really looking forward to performing well tomorrow.  If we win both matches, we are in the medal round.

Thanks so much for all of the support.  Looking forward to bringing good news tomorrow.

Thanks,

Carl

My partner and I Before our Doubles Match

Wednesday, April 30th

Unfortunately, my singles run came to an end today against the number one player in the world. The match took about 2 hours and 20 minutes and almost every game went to deuce. Much to my dismay, he won more of them!!  The conditions were brutally hot and humid.  We absolutely wore each other out.  It was a good battle, but it always hurts to lose.  You work so hard, and the end is always painful.  That's what I love about competitive tennis though.  You put your ego in the backseat and you go all in...emotionally, mentally and physically.  When you do this, the losses hurt more, but the wins are also sweeter.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

My hope is that the tennis players at Hallbrook Country Club understand how rewarding it is to work on your games and compete.  Always know that it's never too late to get better!  I'm still learning as a player!  That's why this game is one of the greatest games on the planet.  Put yourself on the line.  Don't be afraid to compete.  You will get so much out of the experiences win or lose. Today wasn't my day, but I have had many other unbelievable days.  One of my favorite quotes of all time is by Teddy Roosevelt.  It goes like this...

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;  who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Do your kids a favor and get them involved in this great game.  They will learn so many lessons like how to deal with winning and losing, how to problem solve and how to interact socially and competitively with others.  Tennis can teach them about setting goals and working on weaknesses.   Most importantly, they will learn that tennis can be a lifetime of fun.  I want that for your kids and for you as well!  

I appreciate everyone that has followed this blog.  If you have a chance, shoot me an email at cclark@hallbrookcc.org.  I would love to personally thank you for the support.

By the way, the blog's not done.  My partner and I did win our doubles match today, so I am still alive and kicking!!!  Missing everyone.

Talk to you tomorrow,

Carl