So long 2009. So long USTA participation....

Maybe that is a bit of an overstatement. We shall see. I for one don't see the 3.0 to 3.5, 3.5 to 4.0, 4.0 to 4.5, and 4.5 to 5.0 (oh wait, there weren't any) bump-ups eagerly signing up for events in 2010. Will the 2009 30th-ranked 4.0 want to drive 200 miles to get spanked by the top 4.5 guys who stayed put? I doubt it. Will a team of 4.0s who couldn't win their division in league play be excited about the prospect of getting humiliated by the latest edition of the Freeman All-Star team. I doubt that too. But I bet the 41st ranked 4.0 from 2009 who was left at 4.0 for 2010 is pretty darn excited. That guy only has Kris (I know how to game the system to get bumped down a year after making Master's Cup) Knutson between himself and 4.0 domination. Obviously I am a bit skeptical of the USTA's recent move. Maybe it will be a good thing. Typically, these type of decisions made by bureaucrats at the National level never achieve the polyannish objectives they envision. In this case, it must have been to level out the competitive landscape for league competition, tournament players be damned.

Other than that, I don't really know what to expect or look forward to in 2010. Maybe instead of seeing the departure of unexpectedly bumped players, we will see the return of players that have been missing from the circuit the past couple of years. Lots of Houston die-hards that in the past played every event no matter how far away seem to have faded from the scene. Work, Family, Decline of Game, Bad Economy - who knows the reason, but I don't see a lot of the faces around Houston courts (let alone at tournaments) that I used to consider permanent fixtures on the scene. Kinda hard to talk and/or joke about you if you are not out there playing. Let's hope we see everyone back on the court in 2010 and that unexpectedly USTA got it right and somehow tournament tennis is a more enjoyable experience for everyone in the new year.

See you on the courts.

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.