Guess 4.0 Draws were too big....

....that's the only reason I can see for bumping up a ton of 4.0s and pretty much leaving everyone at 4.5 untouched. Too bad, cause it is the 5.0 draws that really suffer from lack of players. The reality is we are thinking like tournament players and I am sure this "mass" re-rating has everything to do with league play. If it is true that 40 of the top 50 4.0s were bumped up, it seems ridiculous that not even 5 of the top 10 4.5s were not bumped up. USTA has done a lot of bone-headed things the past few years, yet it appears that overall USTA tennis participation continues to rise. It will be interesting to see if a backlash against the new ratings and the ridiculous level of entry fees have an adverse impact in 2010.

Bring in the scrubs...

Is there a USTA NTRP players' strike that I am not aware of? I ask cause I can't for the life of me understand why I see a bunch of names in the draws for the Master's Cup in Austin that should not be there. 4 of the 8 qualifiers for 5.0 are not in the draw. Maybe that should not be a surprise given the sad state of 5.0 tournament tennis in general. 4.5's - No Tim Green and no David Luetke. No Tim is a surprise cause I figured he would want to add this title to his collection before heading back up to 5.0 next year. Nothing else to add here really, as far as Houston's presense at the event it is a shame as John Patch, Odion Dibua, and Tim Green are out and only Reggie Black is in. Odion is the only guy I felt could have given Reader a run for his money, so Reader I hope I am not jinxing you by saying it should now be your event to lose. You are technically from Houston so I hope you do win it. 4.5s, I will still go with Juan Dekruyff to win it as he, like Tim, will be bumped up to 5.0 for the new year. As always good luck to all that are playing.

Master...Master...All I see or hear is Master...

I think I have that lyric right, but it's probably been a decade since I heard that song. Anyway, that's my lame segway into the year end Master's Cup. Start with 5.0: Here are your 8 qualifiers - John Patch, Henry Manalo, Thomas Reader, Odion Dibua, Jason Gound, John McDonough, Henry Akono, and Phillip Zavala. I will call it a coin toss between Reader and Dibua to take the title. Dibua can physically destroy anyone. Reader is very skilled and crafty and it depends how much he cares whether he wins this event. If he wants to win this title then I can only see Dibua preventing him from getting it. I will pull for Reader cause just maybe it will make him hate me less.

In the 4.5s, your final 8 are: Tim Green, Jochen Moser, Alejandro Sanchez, David Luetke, Scott Sevin, Juan Dekruyff, Ben Hawkins, and Guillermo Martin Del Campo. I will look for the winner to come from either Green or Dekruyff. Both are being moved up to 5.0 at year end so that should mean Tim will want to win this title since I believe it is one he does not already hold. In Juan's case, it should mean that he will play right-handed when it matters instead of toying with his opponents by beating them with his off hand. If Juan shows for all matches he would be my pick to win.

In the 4.0s, I really have only heard of Ruben Vargas from the top eight so I guess I will go with him.

It's all my fault...

That's what someone keeps posting anyway. Look I don't care whether you treat each with utmost respect or act like kids and cut each other down. My policy is that if I see people being attacked on very personal, 100% non-tennis related levels, I will remove it. Plus I am trying to be at least a bit PC by removing as much of the homophobic comments as I can. But I do not have the time nor do I have the interest to police every comment as it is posted. In that case, I would just start requiring registration again. If the conversations on this blog bother you, then please just don't come here.

With that out of the way, congrats to Fall Fest winners and I guess talk should now turn to Master's Cup in Austin with a little conversation thrown Lost Forest's way. I believe deadline for Lost Forest is October 9th. That might be the last one for the year here in Houston, so make the most of it.

Let the games begin....

You can go ahead and attack me now but due to 80% poll response in favor of anonymous posting, I have reinstated it. We have gone too long without some fool recklessly insulting Kallus, Schmucker, Foad, Sarosh, LOTS, etc. I will try to be more diligent with regard to policing the posts. Let's see if we can make this work cause this blog basically died a couple months back when we tried to allow only registered users. No one registered cause apparently no one has anything to say unless they can say it anonymously. Feel free to click on some ads while you are between anonymous rants. Oh yeah, and good luck at Copperfield to those participating. Throw down a prediction or two if you feel so inclined. My picks for 4.5, either Wayne Morgan or Dave McMullan.

Is there anyone still playing tennis?

Cause you sure aren't talking about it. Sectionals coming up soon. Do you even care? Is this really better than allowing anonymous posting? Say something. Seriously, say something.

HTTS 2.0 - Weekend Preview

I am still on the fence about this new era of Houston Tourney Tennis Scene but I will give it time. If nothing else, profanity is down by 100%. As far as tennis this weekend, pretty busy. Start with the smaller, closer to home event, Conroe. 4.5 doubles is stacked with strong talent for a tourney this small. Must be some type of pre-playoffs/sectionals league practice. As far as singles, I will go with Green winning over Abshire in the finals.

Moving up I-45 to to Fort Worth, one thing is obvious...the bottom of that 4.5 draw is much more stacked than the top half, with Moser, Cherry, Rivera, and Schmucker all in the bottom mix. Right now, I look for Luedtke to make it throught the top (feel free to prove me wrong Scott Sevin), and either Rivera or Cherry to take the bottom. Probably Cherry. The fact that 3rd sets will likely not be played could definitely keep the older guys like Luedtke and Rivera in the mix longer than you think, but I will go with Cherry to take the title.

5.0 Round robin - I will go with Mcdonough if the guy is really back to playing tennis again. He used to be pretty solid if not somewhat theatrical on the courts.

Have fun if you are playing and if you want this blog to flourish, please register even if under a vague user-name so that we can make sure this blog achieves more than a means for Reader and Dekruyff to avoid having to go to Facebook to catch up with each other every day. Just joking, at least you guys are posting.