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| Healey's run comes to an end | ||
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| Healey's run comes to an end | ||
The Okun/Healey was a match of 2 players attacking and going for winners. The match consisted of 11 games won at love, and many others that were quick too. Healey started it out with a service game at love. Both players were going for quick points and hitting big shots and consistently breathing heavy. In the first set, Healey broke in the 8th game with the pressure consistently on Okun. Okun took a huge toilet break at the end of that set... as we've seen before with Kunitsyn... that seemed to do the trick. In the 2nd set, Okun raised his level but also got a few more looks at 2nd serves. As Healey served in the 4th game, 5 of the 8 points in that game, he served first serve faults and he threw in one double which Okun took advantage of and broke. Similar in Healey’s next service game, serving 9 first serve faults in the 14 point game, but he held. Okun got frustrated with some of the line calls, particularly on the serves and got interactive with the audience. "I have to win 2 points every time" he said to the chair complaining about a serve being called out. On the next point, he served an unreturnable and looked to the fans and said "Was that good?". In the 3rd set, there were 6 games served at love. Healey served 11 aces on the match, 6 in the final set and Okun served 12, with 8 in the final set ... so both players stepped it up in that 3rd. It went on serve until the 11th game, when again Healey’s first serve struggled. The first 3 points were won by Okun on Healey 2nd serves. He got one more to get the break and then closed it out with 2 aces in that final set. Talk about just a matter of a couple of points (a common theme in the upper levels of the sport), that's all it was for Healey. A little more on OKUN... His favorite shot... "ACE!" His thoughts on the key to the match... "The key was the serve. We were both hitting the $*#! out of the ball and in that third I got a couple of better looks and served better as the match went on" In the next semifinal, Udomchoke and Dancevic started out with a contrasting style to the first match, with long points and both players looking more comfortable getting into a rhythm on each point. On Friday, when asked what to expect in this match, Dancevic said "I know I'll be running around alot" and sure enough that was the case. Dancevic had the first opportunity at 0-30 in the 6th game of the 1st set on Udomchoke’s serve, but he couldn’t convert. At this point, we were getting a good amount of the "Oh yeah" on Dancevic's shots ... what he was saying as he exhaled when he went to hit the ball. In the 11th game, Dancevic was broken and in the next game, the crowd was sensing another comeback as Dancevic had gotten a break point and forced 3 more deuces, but Udomchoke held for the first set. In the 2nd, Udomchoke took advantage right away and broke in the 1st game. He also broke in the 5th game to seal the victory. Dancevic had a training timeout late in the second, he said his leg was tightening up. Was that a little fatigue? It was entertaining watching Dancevic this year. Obviously alot of potential. A little more on UDOMCHOKE... His favorite shot ... "forehand" The key to the match... "I was trying to make him move because he had a long match yesterday" In the doubles, De Voest and Healey won. Not quite as big or entertaining as some of the recent doubles at night, seemed like Vico/Kunitsyn were getting more pressure on De Voest's serve... we'll see how that shapes up tomorrow. There you have it! Can you believe it is almost over? Okun vs Udomchoke. According to today, contrasting styles here. The #3 seed seems to have more weapons... he took out Kratochvil and a strong Healey today. Weather might get lucky again... was calling for rain (and even made provisions), but now looks like it'll be OK. Oh... and another thought late in the game. It is Laurie... think about the work that she has done for our community to keep this event going. She has been the director for a while, longer than her turn. She has carried this tournament on her back... putting in ALOT more time than most of the volunteers all put together. Literally living at the tournament site for 2 weeks of the year, at least the last 4 years. Something falls through the cracks with a volunteer helping... she takes it on face first. She bugs some of the volunteers sometimes, but it is because she cares... she cares more about the tournament than she does about some other valuable things. Literally getting squat sleep in the summer months because of the planning of this event. Aren't we glad she spends her entire summer on this event? Aren't we glad she doesn't need a summer vacation? What is it that makes her tick? Hard to tell, but we need to be damn thankful. If you see her tomorrow, thank her. Really an unbelievable effort and one unlike any other in the community. This event is because of her, without a doubt. Laurie is leading a good example... maybe we'll get more of the story that makes her tick. |