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 Andy takes time to reflect while on the road during his tournament run this summer Tallahassee, FL
A couple weeks ago my life was at a crossroads. I had just finished up the Pacific Northwest circuit, having played some great tennis at the end and needing to figure out what next to do in my life. I was low on funds for travelling, but still felt I had some good tennis left in me and I wanted to keep traveling and seeing the world. However, I needed to explore all of my options.
A couple of weeks ago I found myself in the right place at the right time, and found out about an assistant coaching job for the men’s program at Florida State. The Seminoles have been a national powerhouse in the last decade, having been a staple in the top 20 in the nation year in and year out. I felt I needed to explore this option further.
I called the coaching staff in order for them to get to know me and vice versa. After a couple of interviews they offered me the position. After a day of reflection and some conversations with important people in my life, I decided this was an offer I couldn’t refuse. My next move would take me to Tallahassee, Florida.
Looking back, it’s been an incredible year that I’ll remember forever. Starting with the Northwest circuit last summer, building my confidence and getting match experience to prepare me for the year ahead on the tour. My first trip abroad to play tennis in Laos and Thailand, where I picked up my first ATP points, and then proceeded to tear a ligament in my knee. I came back home to Redondo Beach, where I rehabbed for months attempting to get my knee strong enough to play again. After a few months, I was back on the circuit, watching the seasons change from winter to spring in Quebec, and then once again heading back to Thailand. After more awesome experiences abroad, I headed back to the States, where I finished up with another summer in the Northwest.
It has been an incredible journey and I want to thank everyone involved for helping me along the way. Thank you to Tennis Warehouse for your support, as I could not have done it without you. Thanks to my coach Hugh Bream, who I would always call when I needed advice, and who kept me focused each step of the way. Thanks to my parents for their undying love and support. And thank you to Charlie Cutler, Brad Bator, Matt Simpson, and everyone in the Northwest, who shared all my traveling adventures with me and made the grind of being on the road transform into life long memories.
My dream of playing again is not gone. I am planning on keeping my strokes sharp by hitting with our guys, and staying fit so I can play at a high level next summer. I’ll assess in a year again where I’m at and whether I want to do it again. With a year’s experience, I know now what it takes to be successful at the professional level. I’ve learned a lot that has made me a better player, better coach, and ultimately a better person. The memories I’ve created will last a lifetime, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Last but not least, thank you to everyone who read my blog and was interested in my journeys. Hopefully we’ll have more in the future.
Thanks for reading!
AG
 Oregon countryside on the drive back home August 14, 2011
My summer circuit through the Pacific Northwest has finally come to an end, and I’m happy to say that it ended on a high note. In arguably the most prestigious tournament in the circuit, I won four matches and reached the semifinals in the singles draw, before losing to eventual champion and long time friend Jason Jung. It was my goal to finish strong this summer after “burning out” at the end of last year’s circuit. I wanted to make sure my body and mind were strong leading in to the final tournament. I wanted to be the best prepared I could possibly be, and enjoy every moment of the waning summer circuit.
My Washington State Open began on Tuesday with a straight-set win over a local up-and-coming junior. Following my first round match, I learned that my second round would be a walkover over another local junior who had to leave our tournament for the US Junior Nationals in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The light first couple days of the tournament helped me stay strong and fit for a deep run through the draw, as I was able to stay rested while also having the opportunity to hit the practice courts and work on some important areas of my game. At this point I felt like the best-prepared player left in the draw, and liked my chances for a championship run.
In the round of 16 I faced the two-seed and good friend Angelo Niculescu, who had reached the final in Tacoma the previous week. Last summer I lost to Angelo twice, both times in finals and both contests went three sets. Naturally, I wanted my revenge!
I came out on fire, serving and returning big and playing aggressive off the baseline. The beginning of the first set was close, as we both had chances to break but couldn’t convert. Finally, at 3-2, I broke Angelo’s serve and used the momentum to take the first set 6-3. I broke early on in the second, and after that started to play some of the best tennis of my life. I was in The Zone! I could hit my serve wherever I wanted. No matter the ball Angelo hit, I felt like I could return it anywhere I wanted, with whatever spin and pace I desired. I was stepping into the court and taking control of every point. I rode this wave to take the second set and the match, 6-3 6-1.
After my big win in the round of 16, I faced the Southern California veteran Vahe Assadourian in the quarters. I played well there and took him down 6-4 6-4, setting up a semifinal battle with a very familiar foe, Jason Jung. Jason and I grew up together in the South Bay, taking lessons from the same coach since we were eight years old and practicing with each other multiple times a week growing up. He took his talents to the University of Michigan, where he played in the top 2 of their lineup and had a great career.
I was extremely excited to play Jason again, but quickly my excitement turned to bewilderment, as I turned into just another victim of Jason’s incredible play of the week. After the first round, Jason only lost 10 games in his next five matches in route to winning the title. It was an incredible display, as he completely dismantled anyone put in front of him. I was no different, and went down quickly 6-2 6-1. Congrats to Jason for a great week of tennis!
I learned this summer that the most important thing to focus on when you’re competing is your preparation. As the great Michael Jordan said, “Preparation doesn’t guarantee victory, but without it you have no chance.” The tournaments I did the best at this summer were the ones that I had the best preparation for. I was diligent with my icing, stretching, sleeping, and diet habits, all crucial to the maintenance of my body. When you prepare well, you feel confident when you step out on the court, knowing that you’ve given yourself the best chance at winning.
Now my life is at a crossroads, as I make a decision regarding my tennis career. I’m very fit, and feel like I’m playing the best tennis of my life. Over the last year, I’ve learned so much about what it takes to be successful at the professional level, having witnessed some of the best players in the world prepare week in and week out. However, a major concern for any “minor league” tennis player is his finances, and right now I’m struggling to figure out a way to fund another year on the circuit. In the coming weeks I’ll be making a decision whether to keep going, take a brief break and start up again later, or stop altogether. Stay tuned for updates and thanks for reading!
AG
 Tacoma Lawn Club August 1, 2011
Seattle, WA
I’ve finally reached the end of the road on this awesome summer journey. I arrived today in Seattle for the final tournament of the PNW Circuit, the 120th annual Washington State Open. This tournament arguably holds the most prestige on the circuit because it is so old and is played at the hallowed Seattle Tennis Club.
Located right on the banks of Lake Washington, the courts and incredible two-story clubhouse overlook the water and all the eastern suburbs of Seattle. To keep with the tradition of the club, the players are only allowed to wear all-white clothing, just like Wimbledon. Furthermore, the tournament is always held each year concurrently with a big festival on the lake called Seafair, where everyone who owns a boat is hanging out on the lake, with boat races going on and the Navy’s Blue Angels flying low overhead to entertain the crowds. You often have to stop play during the tournament because the planes are flying so low over the courts that you can actually read the numbers off the bottom of the plane. The ground shakes and the sound is deafening from their roaring engines above. These highly skilled pilots fly astonishing patterns so close to each other, climbing and diving and twisting and turning together in the sky over the lake for everyone to see. The incredible setting makes for a pretty awesome event for the circuit finale!
Last week I competed in another beautiful event, the 121st annual Pacific Northwest Championships at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club. Unfortunately, I couldn’t replicate my semifinal run of last summer, as I was ousted in the second round by eventual champion Damian Hume of Boise State, 6-2, 6-4. However, my partner Charlie Cutler and I did have some success in the men’s doubles draw, as we reached the semifinals before losing to the Israeli duo of Amir Hadad and Tal Eros. Eros is currently playing on the world tour and is ranked 755 in the world. His partner and coach Hadad has reached as high as No. 180 in the world in singles and No. 87 in doubles. Charlie and I had our chances in the second set, but were defeated 6-2, 6-4. We did, nonetheless, have a couple of good wins along the way, including a straight set victory in the quarterfinals over Angelo Niculescu and Chris Kearney, 6-4, 6-4.
Mixed doubles was also a highlight of the weekend, as I had the opportunity to play with my dear friend Suzie Matzenauer’s mother, Leona, who is an incredible player herself. She was one of the best juniors growing up in Eastern Europe, and was formerly the No. 1 woman in the US in the 35 and over age division. In addition, she has been a wonderful friend and mentor to me growing up, and it was a real treat to have the opportunity to play with her in their family’s hometown tournament. We got through our first match, but lost in the next round to eventual champions Clancy Shields and Lauren Megale, 8-1. I want to thank Leona, along with her husband, Ales, for putting me up in their home over the weekend, and for playing mixed with me! I had a great time!
I’m sad that this summer is coming to a close. It has been a great ride! The scenery of the Pacific Northwest summer couldn’t be more picturesque. The people along the way have been incredible. The hospitality and kindness that have been offered to me has been amazing. And the tennis has been good fun too! I’m not quite ready for it to end, so I’m going to fight hard in this last tournament to try and make it my summer circuit experience last for as long as I can! Stay tuned for updates from the final tournament of the PNW circuit, and thanks for reading!
AG
 Lake Washington
 Andy practices in the Portland Rose Garden July 29, Tacoma, WA
In the past week, I’ve made my way up to Washington, and currently I’m competing in the Pacific Northwest Championships in Tacoma, at the beautiful Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club. Lots of good players from all over the world were drawn to the $20,000 prize, and because of that it has been the first tournament on this circuit that I haven’t been seeded at. In every tournament, they will rank (or seed) the top players and space them out in the draw so that they don’t have to play each other in the early rounds. The disadvantage of not being seeded is that you run into the top players early on in the tournament instead of in the quarters, semis, or finals where you can make money and your game starts to find its rhythm as you play a few matches.
This happened to me this week, as I ran into Boise State’s number one player, Damian Hume, in the second round. The speedy South African came out hot, putting the pressure on me to be aggressive and counterpunching effectively. After he took the first set 6-2, I settled into the match, and started to find my rhythm. I started serving better, getting more comfortable in rallies, and started coming forward to the net to finish off points. Against a tough, counterpunching baseliner, it’s crucial to be patient with groundstrokes, not overhit, and come forward at the right times to use your volleys to finish the point. Hume and I started having better points in the second set, and it was even for most of the set. I was serving at 4-5, 30-15, when two unfortunate bounces off the net gave him a 30-40 lead in the game and a match point. Down match point, I played a strong point, approached the net to his backhand, and hit a good volley into his forehand side. Hume scampered over and hit a running forehand pass down the line, and the match was his. Just like that! Three points earlier I was in control of my service game, ready to hold and take the set to 5-all. A couple of unlucky breaks and a great forehand pass later and the match was over. It all seemed to happen too fast! Oh well…
Now that I’m out of singles, my focus goes to the doubles court. Charlie Cutler and I will be battling it out in the men’s draw, and Leona Matzenauer, fellow TW-er Suzie Matzenauer’s mom, and I will try our hand at the mixed. It’s going to be a fun weekend filled with some good doubles, at a beautiful club surrounded by great people. I’m looking forward to it! I really hope to do some damage in both the draws!
My last week was spent in Portland getting ready for this tournament in Tacoma. Portland is a beautiful city, tucked into the hills right on the banks of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. It’s known for being the Greenest City in the country, with people using bike lanes all over town, and a great public transportation system that everyone uses. The downtown area is new and hip, with lots of great restaurants, shops, and bars to explore. The hills behind the city are covered in dark green trees, and offer incredible sweeping views of the city, the rivers, and the majestic Mount Hood in the distance. One of the coolest practices I’ve had all summer was on a court in the famous Portland Rose Garden, in the hills overlooking the city. It was a hot, clear day, and people were out enjoying the garden and the beautiful weather. The court we played on was right in the middle of the garden, with the fences all covered in vines and the colorful flowers all around. We had a great time taking in our beautiful surroundings and grooving our strokes for a couple hours. Good times in Portland!
Stay tuned as I become a doubles specialist for the weekend here in Tacoma. After this, I have the last tournament of the circuit, the Washington State Open, at the beautiful Seattle Tennis Club right on the banks of Lake Washington. Thanks for reading!
AG
 Andy discovers the soft sand of the Oregon beaches July 20, 2011
Seaside, OR
This week is a much needed break from competition, having played seven tournaments in the last seven weeks. In my free time I decided to take a road trip out to my buddy’s beach cabin along the Oregon Coast by myself for a few days. I’ve grown to love the quiet, rugged coast of the Pacific Northwest, and wanted to take the opportunity to explore the area with my days off.
The drive west from Salem was your typical, yet breathtaking adventure through the beautiful backcountry that dominates the Oregon landscape. Small, two-lane highways navigate their way through lush forests and rolling hills with tall, green trees looming as far as the eyes can see. Tiny buildings litter the roads, either a local general store or your neighborhood bait shop, with miles of dense woods in between. You drive through little town after little town, amounting to little more than 2 blocks of storefront and a few old, wooden cottages.
The Oregon Coast is often overshadowed by its big brother to the south. The California Coast has the glitz and glamour, from the majestic beauty of Big Sur to the “Beach Boy summers” envisioned between Malibu and San Diego. It has the fame, the weather, and with it, the people and industry. People from all over the world flock to the beaches in Southern California to see if it looks just like it does in the movies, then they rent a motorhome, and drive up the hallowed Highway 1. Rarely do they make it all the way north through the Redwoods and into the state of Oregon.
The Oregon Coast isn’t the California Coast. The weather is brutal and cold, with temperatures rarely reaching the 60s even in the summer time. It’s cloudy and foggy most of the time, and the entire scenery blends together into a dullish grey wash. Instead of calm, sandy beaches, its jagged, rocky coastline, battered by rough ocean waters. However, the monotonous bluish-grey tint and rough coastline suggest an air of solitude and tranquility. Because of the brutal weather and violent seas, it’s a tough place to live. So instead of your heavily visited surf towns in California, you get small fishing villages that offer quaint and cozy places to stay for those seeking a little more seclusion and serenity.
Half of the locals look like descendents of Tom Sawyer, the other half descendents of Willie Nelson, but everyone is real, whole-hearted, and welcoming. The contrast of people blend together with a common distain for mainstream culture and large crowds of people. Back when people wanted to move away from a growing country, they moved west and they moved north. And this is where they ended up. It’s a collective energy of people seeking isolation and solitude, where people generally keep to themselves and just slowly live life, soaking up the beauty in the lands around them.
When sun creeps through the clouds, it lights up the coast with a vibrant energy. The monotonous grey color transforms into a contrast of deep colors. The water reflects a deep blue, set against lush green forests and grasslands. This time of year, the clearings between the groves of trees are a mix of soft brown and green, seemingly confused about whether it’s spring or summer, just like the weather they reside in. Today was one of those sunny days when everything seemed alive, so I decided to drive a few miles to a beach that you could drive your car onto. Families were all over, picnicking and letting their kids run crazy on the endless sand beach. I decided to find a somewhat isolated section of beach, park my car, and read my book all day, as the waves crashed less than 20 yards in front of me and the occasional screams of happy, playful children interrupted the steady roar of the rumbling sea.
I could tell by the cooling temperatures and lowering sun that it was getting late, so I got ready to head back. I started my car and hit the gas, but my tires just spun. I hit the gas harder and thrashed at the steering wheel, only to make my tires spin more and send sand flying everywhere. I got out and looked under the car, and observed the sand come up to within inches of the drivetrain underneath my car. I suddenly realized I was stuck, burried in the sand.
Despite a working cell phone and help being just a 10-minute jog away, I grew as concerned as one could be considering their options. Ultimately, I didn’t want the solitude of my solo vacation corrupted by the need to use my cell phone to call for help. I got out of the car, got on my hands and knees, and began digging. I dug frantically for 10 minutes, in front of each tire and under the car, trying to harden the sand so that my car wouldn’t keep sinking and had something to grab a hold of. I got back in the car and tried again. I hit the gas hard. My car gave a hopeful jolt forward, but continued to spin in place, kicking up more sand than before. I got out, got back on my hands and knees, and started digging in.
This process continued for the better part of an hour, with me digging until I thought adequate, getting back in the car, spinning the tires, only to be most stuck and buried deeper than before. Finally, after digging for another 20 minutes, with all the sand from under the car shoveled out and packed down hard in front of the wheels, I hit the gas one more time, and after a couple jerks, my Jeep broke free. A huge relief swept over me, and I drove home in silence. The voices that you develop in your head after spending three days by yourself sat dormant, embarrassed and frustrated, like an annoyed couple, sitting next to each other in a car blaming each other for being so air-headed as to get the car stuck on a beach. Needless to say, I was relieved and felt pretty stupid at the same time.
And about now you might be asking, “How could you get stuck with a Jeep? Couldn’t you just use the 4-wheel drive?” Well, no. I get a lot of crap from my friends in the Northwest for having the only Jeep within 500 miles to NOT be equipped with 4-wheel drive. They walk away muttering, “stupid, soft Californian…”
AG
 Suzie and Andy July 18, 2011
Salem, OR
It’s been another weekend of great tennis, great people, and great atmosphere here at the Salem Summer Classic. My friends John Devorss and Tim Layman did an incredible job directing the tournament, treating players like kings and adapting to the inclement weather over the couple days. The players were provided with a trainer, a masseuse, and meals everyday. We were met once again with undying support from club members who are eager to show their appreciation for the quality tennis. Once again a member of the club housed me, and I want to thank Mark for the great hospitality and allowing me to stay in his home for the week.
Tennis-wise, I posted some good results this weekend, but was still a little disappointed in “what could have been” if I would have capitalized on some more opportunities. In the singles draw, I defeated my doubles partner Trevor Dobson in the quarterfinals in straight sets, and then faced off with George Jecminek for the second time this summer. Because of the rain, the match was moved inside, and George used the quick, indoor conditions to his advantage by blasting his serves and forehands all match. I battled tough, but in the end George had a little too much game for me, taking the match 6-3 6-7 6-2.
In the doubles draw, Trevor and I squeaked through a close one in the quarterfinals, taking out the Oregon Ducks’ team of Alex Cornelissen and Michael Schaffer, 5-7 6-1 10-8. The sun peaked through Saturday afternoon, dried the courts for a brief bit, and we moved back outside for the semifinal, taking on the Boise State team of Vicente Joli and Stephen Robertson. We toughed out a close first set, lost a close second, and headed to a 10-point tiebreaker once again to decide the third set and the match. Unfortunately, I did not play my best tennis in the tiebreak, and we were ousted by the eventual champions 6-7 6-3 10-6.
However, I did have mixed doubles success, winning the draw with good friend and fellow TW-er Suzie Matzenauer. Our toughest test was in our semifinal, when we took on local Curt Wheeler and U of O standout Julia Metzger. We started out hot, jumping out to a 5-1 lead in the first set, when all of the sudden our opponents caught fire! Curt was leaping and flying all around the court, Julia started serving huge and ripping the ball from the baseline, and they battled back to steal the first set 7-5. Suzie and I quickly settled down and took the second set 6-2, although we had to play some great tennis to do so. I got a lucky break at 8-7 in the third set super tiebreak when I shanked a backhand off my frame, over a leaping Curt Wheeler and landing just inside the baseline to give us a 9-7 lead. I hit a big out-wide serve and the match was ours, 5-7 6-2 10-7. We continued to ride our momentum into the finals, where both Suzie and I played lights-out tennis and defeated Craig Pierce and Sanja Lemes 6-2 6-1.
After the long weekend of tennis I decided I need a little break. I’m going out to the Oregon Coast once again to lay low and recover at my buddy’s beach house in Seaside, where I’ll spend a couple days relaxing, reading, and playing my guitar. After that it will be just doubles this coming weekend with my good friend Charlie Cutler, as we try our luck at the adidas Irvington Open in downtown Portland. The two biggest tournaments of the summer follow that, when I head to Washington for the Tacoma Lawn Championships and the Washington State Open in Tacoma and Seattle respectively. Stay tuned for updates as I give my body and mind a bit of a rest, and prepare for the climax of the summer circuit in the coming weeks…Thanks for reading!
AG
 Men's Doubles Champions - Andy and partner Trevor Dobson
July 12, 2011
Portland, OR
I had my most successful weekend this past one, reaching the finals of the singles draw and winning the men’s doubles at the Nike Championships in Portland, Oregon. However, it was a lot of tennis, highlighted by five matches on Friday that finished at 11:15 pm, only to be followed by two tough singles matches the following day starting early at 9 am. I had some great matches and played some real solid tennis to get through the weekend! I just took a couple days off to rest my body and mind, and now I’m ready to get right back to work tomorrow!
My most exciting match of the weekend came against my former teammate from the University of Washington, David Chu of Vancouver, Canada, in the semifinals. We had both played a lot of good tennis to get to that point, and it was awesome to reunite with a former teammate and battle it out just like we used to in practice all the time a few years ago.
We both came out playing well. We both would take turns dictating points with our groundstrokes and getting the other person running on defense. We exchanged games until late in the first set, when I was able to string a couple of good points together for a late break, taking the first set 7-5.
At the beginning of the second set I felt unstoppable. It was one of those times when you have complete confidence in all your shots, knowing that you can swing as hard as you want and the ball is going to go wherever you want it to go. I was serving big and hitting hard from the baseline, and took an early lead in the second set. But to David’s credit, he held tough and weathered the storm, and fought back to even the set. We played some hard-hitting baseline points, running each other ragged and exchanging big, heavy groundstrokes. The pressure of closing out the match got to me, and David capitalized to win the second set by the same 7-5 margin as the first.
The first few games of the third set were highly contested, and we were close for a while. We were both finding our rhythms on our return of serves, exchanging breaks early on. Whoever was able to take control of their service games and hold consistently was going to be the one to win the third set and the match. I buckled down mentally, felt David get a little bit tired physically, and was able to take control, closing out the match with a 6-3 third set win.
I felt very good about the match. I was very mentally strong, and served very well except for a couple games throughout the match. I was playing with confidence and being aggressive from the baseline, and was coming forward often to finish points at the net. I was pleased because everything I have been focusing on for the past couple weeks was starting to finally “click” together. My serve had improved, I was feeling comfortable playing aggressively, and I stayed mentally strong and solid throughout the entire match. It was a big win for me!
Unfortunately on Sunday I didn’t have enough gas left in the tank to take down University of Oregon standout Alex Rovello in the finals. He makes you earn every single point you play, with a very strong mental make-up and heavy, consistent groundstrokes. He played well all weekend and very much deserved the title. However, following the singles final, my partner Trevor Dobson and I had some business to tend to in the men’s doubles final, taking on another pair of Oregon Ducks, Alex “Waffle” Cornellison and Stephen Wiechert. Trevor and I both served extremely well, and we strung a couple of good return games together in each set to win the title in straight sets, 6-3 6-3. This is our first title of the summer, and we’re looking forward to continuing our doubles success in the coming weeks!
After a long and exhausting weekend I spent the past couple days at my buddy’s beach house in Seaside, Oregon, resting and recuperating the body with some epic ping-pong matches to pass the time. Next up is the Salem Summer Classic in Salem, Oregon, just 45 minutes south down I-5. I’ll head down that way in the morning, and will get two short practices in tomorrow. I’ll practice again Thursday morning, and have my first singles match of the tournament Thursday night. Following Salem will be a week off, where I will just play doubles back here in Portland at the Adidas Irvington Championships. Stay tuned for updates from Salem…thanks for reading!
AG
 Eugene, OR July 6, 2011
Portland, OR
Happy belated 4th of July to everyone! My Independence Day weekend was spent in Eugene, OR, home of the University of Oregon Ducks. And what a great weekend it was! I played some good tennis at another incredible club, met and spent time with some more great people, and experienced a holiday fireworks show that I’ll never forget.
I didn’t win any titles last weekend, but coming away from the tournament I’m feeling really good about my game. After two early round victories I faced off with Roman Borvanov in the quarterfinals. Roman is a Pacific Northwest circuit veteran and is currently ranked in the top 300 in the world. I had been striking the ball better and have been staying more positive on the court, and felt this would be a good test to see how my game would stack up against a really tough and experienced player.
I got off to a good start, going toe to toe with Borvanov from the baseline and feeling really good stepping into my backhand. I broke him in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead, but was quickly broken back in the next game to even the match. I allowed that game to frustrate me and Roman took advantage, winning the next five games to take a set and a break lead. I battled tough in the second set, but could never even the match, finally losing 6-3 6-4. The match was further evidence of how important it is to keep my wits about me, and not let my emotions get the best of me on the court. I have been doing better with that in recent weeks, but clearly I still have a ways to go. My main focus for this week’s tournament will be to stay calm and focused throughout the entire tournament. With my physical game feeling better than it has in a long while, my main focus will be on my mental game this week.
However, what made the tournament so great was the tremendous support from the tennis community in Eugene. The members at the Eugene Swim and Tennis Club where the tournament was located were into the tennis all weekend, coming out in large numbers and providing incredible support and hospitality for all the players. I was fortunate to stay with two awesome families who made me feel so cared for and welcome the whole weekend. Thank you Jeff and Libby, as well as Larry and Brenda for being such awesome hosts.
The city of Eugene was the largest of all the cities I have visited in southern Oregon so far, but possessed the far left, the far right, and everything in between on the social spectrum just like the rest of Oregon. The Saturday Morning Market in downtown Eugene was a huge hippie gathering, where people would sit and eat on the grassy knoll, listening to bearded street-side musicians and buying art, clothes, and organic produce from the local vendors. I walked around the University of Oregon area, and marveled at the state-of-the-art athletics facilities to which Phil Knight, the father of Nike, contributes so generously. I took in Hayward Field, arguably the most historic track and field site in the country, and the brand new Matthew Knight Arena. On the evening of the 4th, my hosts brought me to their local block party, where the entire neighborhood gathered and watched as a number of different houses shoot off thirty minutes worth of some great, illegal fireworks! I sat in the front yard and watched as the fireworks were shot off in the street 10 yards in front of me. Really cool!
After my great 4th of July, I made the drive two hours north to Portland, where the next tournament on the circuit is being held. The Nike Championships is going to be the largest draw with lots of good players, and once again I’m eager and excited to get underway. This week I’m not staying with a host family, but instead at the Homestead Suites where the tournament was kind enough to comp my partner Trevor and I a couple rooms. Stay tuned for updates as the Nike Championships start tomorrow!
Thanks for reading!
AG
June 30, 2011
Eugene, OR
I wrapped up a nice weekend in Roseburg last weekend by winning the consolation draw, defeating my good friend and travel partner for Thailand and Canada, Charlie Cutler, in the final. I was put in the back draw after I lost to George Jecminek of Vancouver, Canada in the quarterfinals. For the second straight week I lost to Jon Endrikat and Curt Wheeler in doubles, this time in the semifinals before they went on to win the tournament in consecutive weeks.
Following the completion of the tournament, I took off once again by myself Monday morning and headed down to the Redwoods National Park in Northern California. Driving into the park I couldn’t believe the groves of gargantuan trees, with the tops looming hundreds of feet above me. There were tress with trunks wide enough to drive a car through, in groves that lasted as far as the eye can see. I drove on the famous Howland Hill Road, a windy dirt road only as wide as a single car that wound through a grove of the enormous green giants. Once immersed in the dense forest, life was pulsing all around. The babbling of a distant creek is always present, with birds calling and insect buzzing everywhere.
After driving through the forests, I spent the night at a Motel 6 down by Humboldt State, and headed back up to Oregon the following morning. After stopping in some cool ocean towns I discovered the previous day, I decided to take the 101 N and follow the Oregon Coast back up to central Oregon. The rugged beaches, with rocks jutting out hundreds of feet into the ocean, made for one of the most beautiful coast lines I have ever seen. I was shrouded in fog as I weaved along the cliffs, with forests cascading down to the rough beach below. I stopped in Brookings and Bandon, two small fishing villages that sit on protected areas of the coast, that cater to the wandering tourists and the people that have migrated far west and far north to get as far away from society as they can.
Unfortunately, my solo adventures couldn’t last forever, and I began preparing for this week’s tournament in Eugene, OR. I returned to Roseburg Tuesday night and had a nice hit in the evening. After packing up and exploring a bit of the local wine country, I drove up to Eugene to have a light practice and play in the pro-am event, which are fairly common along this circuit and a lot of fun. It’s a great opportunity to meet the locals who come out and support the tennis all weekend. Today, I hit some serves and did a light gym workout in the morning, and had my first round match in the afternoon, which I won against a recent Portland-area high school graduate.
The rest of the weekend will be a grind, but I’m really looking forward to it. I’m in a great mind set and am really enjoying the competition and being out on the court. I’m in three events this weekend (singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles), so I’ll be working hard to maintain my body and make sure it lasts through the whole weekend. Stay tuned for updates from Eugene, and thanks for reading!
-AG
June 23, 2011
During my time off this week, I took advantage of a local tennis expert for some helpful tips on my serve. I was able to take a lesson with Frank Inn Jr., a multiple-time winner of the USTA National Coach of the Year award and coach of Medford natives Jonathan Starke (former #1 player in the world in doubles) and Nate Schnugg (recent University of Georgia standout). I have been struggling with my serve in recent weeks and felt the technique guru could give me some helpful hints for improving.
Lately, I’ve been struggling snapping the ball down into the court on my serve. Sometimes it would be working, but more often than not it felt like I was pushing my serve, missing almost all of the time long. I wasn’t sure whether it had to do with my contact point, my wrist snap, my ball toss, my leg usage…as you can tell I really couldn’t figure it out myself. So I let Frank take a look, and I think we fixed what was the problem.
He noticed that my right shoulder was not getting over the top on my motion, and thus the snapping action of my wrist was a push when I made contact with the ball, instead of snapping the ball down into the court. I wasn’t getting the classic back shoulder dip like all the great servers have before contact (picture Pete Sampras, or even just the old ATP logo, where the back shoulder is below the front shoulder before impact). I wasn’t loading my back side, and thus had no explosiveness in my right shoulder to get it up over the ball. Instead, my shoulders were more or less flat through my service motion, and I couldn’t get that slam dunk feeling on my serve where I was snapping it down into the court.
 Roddick's serve. We worked for the entire hour on this, hitting an entire basket full of serves. We focused on getting a good coil and loading my back hip (kind of how you picture Roddick before contact), dropping my back shoulder, and really being explosive up to the ball with a high contact point. It took me a few minutes to really get the feel for what Frank was saying, but I think it’s fixing the problem! My serve now has more pop on it because of the added coil and loading of my back hip, and I’m snapping the ball down into the court, erasing a lot of the “long” misses I’ve been having. I’m continuing to work on it through the course of this week, and it’s feeling a lot more natural and comfortable. I’m anxious to see how the serve holds up this weekend.
I’m driving up today for an afternoon practice up in Roseburg, and then play starts tomorrow morning at 9 am for me. I’m pumped and eager! Stay tuned for Roseburg results, and thanks for reading!
-AG
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