It was a cold Saturday Morning and we were driving to Duluth, GA. When we drove up to the tennis courts and I got out, I could see the mist of my breath. I was counting all of my things to make sure I had everything 1: towel, 2: water, 3… and then I hear “Allie N!” in the distance. What could that be? I look around, oh NO, my parents had already signed me in! I started running as fast as I could! I could feel my heart starting to RACE! I am pretty sure my heart was running faster than I was. I was so nervous I ran up to my mom she said “Allie where were you?” My mom questioned, “I was counting my things.” “Oh,” my mom looks at me with a questioned face.
When I walked up to the front desk I was looking around to look at the girls I could be playing. I saw people way older than me – all different heights tall and short. I have to play 12-unders because if I played 10-unders I would have to play with different tennis balls, rackets, and half court! I could tell these people were all older than me I was really scared! When I finally got to the front desk the women goes name please? I was speechless for a second then my brother goes, “Allie say your name.” Then the woman says, “Name please?” “Um my name is Allie N.” Then I go back to my family but then I hear, “Allie N,” and … I freeze! “Go on Allie you can do this,” my brother says. Of course he plays these all the time he qualified for the southern which is the biggest tennis tournament in the south! I slowly started to walk up to the front desk. I turned back and all of my family was there smiling at me and mouthing, “You got this!”
When we went to the front desk I looked to my left and I looked to my right and there is a girl almost as tall as my MOM! Is this girl seriously only 12! I was thinking to myself, “Allie why did you every agree to do this!” As the umpire was telling us what to do and what the rules are I really should be paying attention but I could not stop looking back behind me at my family my brain was going a million miles per hour. Then I remember when we were walking to court 3. As we walk up to the bench I was putting my things down just following what she is doing. Then finally she speaks up and says, “How old are you?” I say, “Um I am 10.” All the sudden she looks at me like I am a crazy person and says, “YOU ARE 10!” “Yes I am,” I said. (I thought I had just made the wrong verdict in a court room.) “Well that is a young age to be playing in 12 and under” she said. I was speechless AGAIN! Then again out of nowhere she goes, “You want to warm up,” “Yeah sure,” I exclaim. This is when it all started…
As we walked on to the court she hit me a forehand I hit it back and I hit it in the net. Maybe I can’t do this. Then she hit me another one and I hit it back hey that was a pretty good shot. Then she hits it in to the net it was going back and forth and I finally she said, ”You want to start.” I bet my face was redder that ever! I said, “Sure……?” She flipped the racket. “Up or down,” she asked.
“Down,” I said I play ALTA so I was pretty used to the whole thing but I had never played in a tournament. The environment was different and for some reason I had a lot of pressure on me. As the racket begins to spin I just watch it my head spinning round and round. As I watch the racket start to slowly start to fall. When it eventually falls I look and it is DOWN. I won the spin I was so happy! Then I hear, “Do you want to serve or choose your side?” All the sudden I say, “Serve!” As we go to are bench and sit for a second I am thinking to myself, “You can do this Allie!” When I walk up to the base line I look up and see my family sitting down and giving me a HUGE grin. As I bounce the tennis ball once then twice than three times. Then I threw the ball up…Then I hit the ball and it goes in the net. Even thought it was the first point I was starting to lose my confidence. “Second serve!” I said. Then it went over as she hit the ball back it was a running backhand. When I started to run for the ball as I swung my racket back it went over! It was like the best thin in the world. I won the first point! As I was thinking to myself, “Just think of it as an ALTA match.” I ended up losing the first game. In between the games we get a break I was walking to my bench I look up and my family still looking at me with a huge smile on their face! It felt good as the ice cold towel brushed against my face. When I grabbed a drink of water it felt like my body was getting the power again and I was ready to go again! As I walked up to the base line the match went on the score was 0-1 she was winning (she had won two games and I had won one) As she hit the ball it was like everything was in fast mood. My heart was racing like a drum in a marching band that was how loud it was pumping, As the rally went back and forth and back and forth. As the other point went on I started to lose more and more points. It was like every time a child did something bad a parent would take something away. By the time I stared to really get back into the game it was 1-5 (she was winning.) I just realized that if she wins the next game she wins the set! (I was being sort of a baby like the world was going to end if she won this set) It was my serve and as I was walking to the base line I look to my family. I looked at my family it feels like I have a boost of some kind every time I look at them.
As I walked up to the base line I knew I had to really play the best I could .One two three as I threw the ball up and hit it. It was barley on the line and as the point went on through that game I eventually lost that game but also the set 2-6 but I still had a chance to win this second set and if I did it would go to a third set to see who could win the match. In between the first set and the second set we have a five minute break. My brother comes down to see me as he whispered “Allie your face is redder than the American Flag!”
As I groaned back, “Well what did you expect?” As the umpire comes and warned us, “Times Up!” As my opponent and I walk up, it was her serve. “Love-love!” she yelled. When she hit the first serve it bounced of the line which makes it have a funny bounce. I think to myself and I say, “Allie treat it like spin!” When the ball lands it bounces just like spin I was excited I was so glad my tennis coach Frank taught me that. Whenever he is there I will always play to my best he encourages me to do everything! Eventually she wins the first three games and I knew I needed to pull it together. When I walk up for the fourth game I knew that was when I was going to make my amazing comeback!(just like my mom does when she is playing my brother!) I threw the ball up I could feel I was starting to get tired but I knew I had to pull through. My body was getting tired my arms were hurting and my body was starting to shut down. The score was 15-15 (We were tied in the game) and I made it 30-15. I knew I had to win this point I threw the ball up and I ACE her! ( A ace is when you serve it and she does not touch it when it is still in). It was like the best thing in the world ( I felt like I had just won the US open or been elected in to the hall of fame!) As the match went on it became 0-4(she was winning) and in two more games she could win the match. As we were going in to the 5th game in the second set I was a nervous wreck I bet I was more nervous than a person going on stage in front of a bunch of people. I felt like the world was watching me. I went up to the base line she hits me the serve and I slam it back I was getting ready for a running backhand but she did not hit it I was thinking to myself did she whiff it could of not gone out! “Out!” She declares! “Her call,” I mutter to myself as the game went on she hit a winning forehand when it was 40-30. That game probably took only 3 minutes to play. The score was 0-5 she could win this right here right now I was thinking to myself. I felt like I was on Arthur Ash in New York (all though that would be AWESOME!) It felt like everybody in the world was watching me. As I walk up I bounce the ball once… twice… three times… then I look at my family it was like they had been in the same position throughout the whole match. That same smile and mouthed, “You got this!” I hit the ball she hits it back this point went on and on and on she finally hit a winner after three points just like that the score was 0-30 she was winning. As she makes the score 0-40 I yell “love- forty … match point.” I serve it was out even more pressure I thought to myself. “Second!” I yell I hit the ball and it was in she hits the ball back I think to myself think of it as if Frank (my tennis coach) was right there. I could hear him saying, “Make sure to turn, do your salute!” It was like he was there with me throughout the match (whenever my coach is there it makes everything better) As she hit it back I do everything he told me to do as if he was there I think this rally was the longest one of the match. Out of nowhere she drop shots me as I run to the ball I was thinking to myself “ you got this!” As it bounces once I have to get it! I get there and I do my salute but as it was in the air it was like everything turned into slow mo. I watch it and as it starts to come down. I was about to drop my racket it was not going to go over and I knew it I put my hand out it falls bounces ounce and I catch it and hold it and wait for the girl to come shake my hand.
“Good game!” exclaimed, “You too,” agrees my opponent. As we start to walk off the court I turn my head around and I could feel my eyes start to get blurry. I started to run for my family the first person to walk up to me was my brother. He said you played GREAT! “ I guess,” I said. Ever since then my brother and I have been closer than ever. I did eventually lose 1-6,0-6. Now I play tournaments a bunch it is one of my favorite things to do! My tennis coach is trying to make me play even MORE!
