Author: dlockwood2@berklee.edu

Heat and Movement on the Ladder!

The Summer Challenge Ladder is heating up!

Some horribly hot weather mixed in with some delicious conditions.

All kind of movement happening on the ladder, from the bottom to the top

Special kudos to Raul Garcia who is Dominating on the Points ladder by virtue of his playing TONS of matches! Well done Raul!

I have been notified by some lovely ladder lad that the MIT courts are still UN-available so…don’t play there.

I hadn’t thought of it but if you know of any other UN-available courts, feel free to let me know AND also if you know of any courts that maybe others SHOULD know about, feel free to share that info with me too and I will spread the word here in blog land.

Have a fantastic week. Forecast is favorable. And of course, congrats to Barbora and Novak. And she won the doubles title too?! What an incredible two weeks for her. And Novak just simply does not break, even as his body bends in positions I don’t really understand. Just stunning.

On to the grass season!

-Long legs

Week One Ladder Highlights and Updates!

Greetings! As they get underway in Paris this weekend, the rains have prevailed here in Massachusetts.

However, earlier in the week there was some action on the Summer Challenge Ladder.

John Grosdidiér makes an impressive jump to the #2 spot. Well done John!

Joe Eklund managed to play twice last week and so leads on the Points ladder with 6 total points. Nice, Joe!

Please review the ‘Scoring Rules’ section as we have added some new pre-match possibilities to be discussed between you and your partner.

I’m pleased to report we have 37 members on the Summer Challenge ladder at present. Please let any interested friends know that they can join any time this summer. The more the merrier!

I just checked with my sources on the tennis weather radar and things look better for this week. See you out there!

-The Ladder Master….

 

The Ladder is Up and Running!

This will be my last message to the whole membership for a while.

I did want to let everyone know that you may join the ladder ANY TIME this summer. So, if June is a little too soon for whatever reason, join us in July or August. There is always space for you on the ladder.

Official matches may begin this Monday the 24th of May and the ladder goes to September 26. Review the rules around who you can challenge etc.

Report scores to me and please make sure to make it clear Who challenged Who initially as that makes a difference in points. (you get 2 for initiating a challenge and 1 for saying Yes)

Cheers

-Longlegs

The Ladder Turns 21 and is still Growing!

I am pleased to announce that the Summer Challenge Ladder is already chock full of players, 21 current rungs are taken and there is always room for more!

A couple of reminders, as per the rules: you may challenge anyone who is 6 places above you or 4 places below you at the time of the challenge. I put that in italics because sometimes someone might end up dropping or rising and look to be ‘out of range’ by the time you play, so the important part is that at the time of the challenge, you are in each other’s range.

One thing I see that is NOT on the official rules is that there is no official rule about a third set. What I have found best is to speak with your opponent before the match begins and decide in advance what you’ll do if you split the first two sets i.e. play a third OR play a 10 point super tie breaker. Once in a while you will not agree (one player prefers to play a third, the other a super tie) In that event, I have found ye’ old classic coin toss to be the decider. I also think if you are playing at a venue that seems busy, people are waiting etc…be kind and play a Super Tie breaker. Again, there is no official rule there but…

Happy weekend! Good weather to practice!

 

Ladder Up!

It’s that time of year again… the moment to join the 2021 Summer Challenge Ladder begins…NOW!

A current membership and $10 and you’re in! Bada bing!

read all you need to know here: http://tennis4all.org/summer-challenge-ladder/

See you out there on the courts of choice…and yes, you can expect to read Sassy weekly updates from me, trust.

Let me know if you have questions.

Doug-Sass Lockwood

Vena Trifecta!

The 2020 Summer Challenge Ladder has come to a close and I am here to announce the prizes.

Before I get to those, I wanted to thank everyone for one of the Biggest number of participants in recent memory: 40 players in all. A total of 177 matches played. Thank you for being prompt in reporting your scores and just for keeping the tennis 4 all spirit alive and well here in the unforgettable summer of 2020.

Please consider joining us next summer and lets try and get 50 folks on the ladder!

And now…the prizes. Happy to see lots of new faces on the ladder this year. And there was some interesting matchups and places being traded at all levels. But one person stands out above us all.

The prize for finishing a top the ladder goes to one man: Alex Vena

The prize for making the biggest jump from the beginning of the summer to the end of the summer goes to one man: Alex Vena (from #18 to #1)

And…prizes for the 2 biggest point totals… In second place with 87 points is Scott Enos and in first place with 107 points is yes, you guessed it….Alex Vena.

Congratulations Scott and.. as for you Alex Vena, this is very impressive. Well done.

Prizes will be forthcoming. They will be epic.

Commissioner Longlegs…out.

The Climax of the Summer Challenge Ladder 2020

Good evening all. It is I, your Longlegged Commissioner. It is the last Sunday of the Summer Challenge Ladder. The extension is over. While they begin to battle it out on the clay of Roland Garros, we wrap things up here at home. Please report any scores from today or the weekend by tomorrow night (Monday)

I will wait a bit to announce Prizes but I do have a favor to ask in regards to one of them, the prize for who took the biggest leap up on the ladder from beginning of summer to the end. I took a screen shot of folks that signed up initially, but did NOT do a good job (at all) of noting where folks were dropped in after the initial ladder went up. So, if you are on this list, you are all set and I will be looking at your various Leaps. If you are NOT on this list and you have a good idea of what number you might have been dropped in (I am going to trust in your good sportsmanship and recognize that you might have to guess, that’s ok!) then please email me that information so I can consider you. If you know that there’s no way you jumped up enough to be considered, then yeah, you don’t have to. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who wishes to be considered for this by Tuesday night this week. I apologize for not taking notes on this, I have learned my lesson and will come up with a better system for next summer, I promise. People I have: Armin, Steve M, Barbara, Gino, Dan E, Conall, Conor, C.Wood, Ralph, Edgardo, Roman, Kyle, Brian B, Steve S, VIncent, Sunil, Daveth, Sam, Chris joy, Raul, Rachel, Mary, Robert K, Victor, Mike F, David George

Thanks again All. I will send out one more Blog at the end of the week with Prize Announcements in All Categories!

Participation has been Stellar this Summer, thanks for joining us on the Ladder 2020! I’ve enjoyed reading you and meeting many of you on various courts of honor.

-Longlegs

 

Final Week Approacheth!

While the Italian Open heats up in Roma….the ladder is winding down here in Boston!

 

 

 

 

While the Italian Open heats up in Roma…the Summer Challenge Ladder is coming to an exciting close here in Boston! Remember that Sunday the 27th is the last day that matches can take place on.

With one week-ish to go, there is a new leader on top of the ladder. His name is Alex Vena.

Can he stay there? Will there be a final challenge by someone below? Rafa?

Alex has also surpassed the 100 points mark, far ahead of the rest of the pack. Well done Alex!

HOWEVER, there are prizes given out for the top TWO on the points ladder so Scott, Conall and Victor will have to work that out this last week…very few points separate those 3.

The participation has been inspired this year everyone. Let’s go out strong this week.

-Longlegs

 

 

 

 

 

 

September Ladder Extension Unfurls!

Hello Tennis Friends.

Our first match in September was played today, won by Kyle Poyar. Well done Kyle.

And as September and the end of the ladder looming, several questions arise…Will anyone catch Alex Vena on the points ladder? Will anyone catch Dan Ehrlich on the standings ladder? Who has made the biggest jump from the start of the summer to now? Only September knows and she’s not telling yet…

Remember that Sunday the 27th is the last day for official challenges. Challenge away until then!

Also a reminder that following safety protocols, the new rule this summer is that BOTH players should bring a fresh can of tennis balls for the match. Please re-read the rules on that if you need to refresh.

Cheers out there!

-Commish LongLegs

A

 

The Future is Ice

Hello out there!

We are all gearing up for the US Open. Vika is back! Vena has 80 points. Djokovich pulls out the win even when not playing his best. Ehrlich continues to hold at #1. And…I’m done. Yes, its a sad day for your long legged Commissioner. I shall continue to receive and update all scores of course but I am officially withdrawing from the US Open AND our Summer Challenge Ladder. My left knee tendon(s) continue to…hurt. I am planning on playing in the indoor singles league coming soon and I feel if I want any chance of being competitive in that, I must truly rest and Ice. Sorry to all my fans who were already planning on attending my upcoming matches. I hope to be back next season.  A special thank you to Conall O’Cleirigh who took me down in three season-ending sets a few days ago. The man is merciless on the court, but I must say he makes some delicious soup.

Elsewhere, some incredible tennis scores out there this last week-ish. Mike Freeman and Scott Enos had an epic battle which Freeman survived, taking the last two sets in tie breakers!  Roman Krasikov also defeated Cliff Chuang in an 11-9 third set super tie breaker for the ages!

Remember we extend to the end of September so there is still a lot of time to do some damage out there.

Challenge away! Be well.

I will be sitting by the computer, ice on my knee…quietly sobbing…waiting for your scores.

Doug