Nationals Season, Combo Finished and Fall Season in the Home Stretch

We are in late October and there is a lot of Dallas tennis things going on.  The least interesting is actually the fall season. 

Nationals Season

First and probably least important to Dallas this year is it is Nationals Season.  I see where the Dallas arch-enemy Jason Freeman's 4.0 team lost 3-2 in the National finals.  Somebody astutely said that you can't get swept in singles and win.  Although, if you get swept in doubles, I guarantee you won't win either.  Looking through the results, it appears he left his best singles player in Houston or at least he couldn't bribe the toddler with enough candy.  On a serious note, I know Freeman has to feel down but National Runner Up is a tremendous year.  That crew deserves a major congratulations.

A week prior, Keith Clark's Hong Kong recruited 3.0 team did win nationals.  I give a congratulations to him.  The party will be held at Lover's Egg Roll if anyone wants to attend.  It appears he rode some great singles to a championship.

Next up is 3.5 this weekend.  Steven Nguyen is sending his team to Tucson to see if Texas can continue their impressive start to Nationals Season.  Good luck and bring Dallas and Texas another title.

Also, this week is 4.5.  We have no Dallas team and shockingly it is not a Houston team.  We have Amarillo.  I think Texas has a good chance to bring this home.  This team has some straight up ringers.  If they get their top guys out to Indian Wells, they will be a tough out for anybody.

Our own Oscar Flores sent a team out to Open Nationals.  They acquitted themselves well but didn't win.  Austin also sent a team and won Nationals.  My favorite is they had Ryan Harrison on the roster.  Ryan has been disappointed this season as he couldn't crack the starting lineup.  John Nallon got a doubles win over Alex Bogomolov.  Nice win over a former top 50.

 Combo Sectionals

Combo is possibly the second least cared about event in tennis.  I think it may be slightly better than the fall season and slightly below mixed.  Regardless, the sectionals event was this weekend and Dallas had three teams competing.

Sisk's all-star unbeatable GTC team played in 8.5.  After winning a routine match over San Angelo he ran into the always mighty juggernaut... Wichita Falls .  Yes, you read that right; the almighty Combo roster loses two 3rd set breakers to eventual champions Wichita Falls.  I hate to add insult to injury but the might one whose name cannot be mentioned, did go undefeated.  The unnamed one has to be a bit disappointed as there is a rumor that combo sectionals results will be included in ratings too.  I do think this crew can take a moral victory knowing that Wichita Falls did win this event and they were one tiebreaker away from beating them.  I've always wondered who took Combo serious and I guess the answer is Wichita Falls.  I didn't even know they were a CTA.

At 7.5, Edward L. Gardner and  George Cheng sent teams.  Cheng's team lost to flight winner and event runner up usually mighty Houston.  Yet, Houston falls to the new sheriff in town, Edward L. Gardner.  Gardner's team defeats Houston 2-1.  This is a good sign for Sisk as a number of Gardner's 3.5s players are on Big John's tri-level team.  Congratulations to Gardner.

Fall Season

This is probably the most important thing going for Dallas but has to be the least interesting.  The best players are often not trying.    At least the wannabes get a chance to make the playoffs.

4.5

Flight A:  Nothing has changed as Greenhill/Rossouw and Lakes/Way are both undefeated and waiting for 11/1 to determine who wins and who is runner up.  Neither should cafe much as both will be in the playoffs.  While others are nt mathematically eliminated, they are just dreaming.

Flight B: This is a three way race.  BH/Harllee, GH/Rossouw2 and OC/Herget.  Herget and Harllee were suppose to play yesterday but I don't know the results and they are not posted.  If BH won, then it is pretty much over for OC.  I started the season thinking it would be GH and BH and still think so,

Flight C: JCC/Reiman needs to win one line against Huffhines/Bogle to win the flight.  There is a logjam with Village, Huffhines/Bogle and Greenhill/Tucker for runnerup.  All three have 2 losses and won the same number of lines.  Bogle has to play JCC and that is a tall task.  I think this eliminates them.  GH plays Aud's team.  I think they probably winbut it will of the 3-2 variety.  The Village gets BH/Bartlett.  This is BH's weakest 4.5 team so I suspect a 4-1 or even a 5-0.  I think Village advances on tiebreakers.

4.0

Flight A: There is a huge logjam in this flight.  Nobody is undefeated.  There are so many teams s close and a number of matches unreported so I will stick with CC winning the flight and somebody will be runnerup.

Flight B:  This is a 3 team race.  GTC/Sisk abd BH/Bartlett are undefeated but Fretz/Noel is lurking with 1 loss to GTC.  I think the runnerup slot will go to Fretz/Noel when they knock off BH.

Flight C: Huffhines/Ratcliffe is running away with this.  McKinney/Peterson has 1 loss to Ratcliffe.  Everyone else looks pretty mediocre to down right bad.  I will go with Huffhines and McKinney.

Flight D: This flight has four teams with 1 loss.  I will update when they start playing each other.  This flight appears to be as bad as first thought.  At least some usual also rans will get to experience some playoffs.