They say anything can happen on a given day in tennis, and boy, was that ever true at the USTA NTRP 55+ Doubles Nationals last weekend. My partner Scott and I, playing at the 3.5 level, had quite the rollercoaster of emotions, matches, and yes, Mango Smoothies, on our way to an unlikely final’s appearance. Spoiler alert: we didn’t walk away with the trophy, but the journey was worth every set, tie break, and WTF moment.
A Weird Start to the Tournament
The tournament kicked off with 12 teams divided into three groups of four, with the top two teams in each flight advancing to the finals bracket. Simple, right? Well, not so much. Our flight was, to put it mildly, a bit of a mess. One team went undefeated, while the rest of us were trapped at 1-2. Championship-level tennis? Not exactly. But thanks to the magic of win percentages and the fact that Scott and I convincingly won one match (4-2, 4-2) and stretched both of our losses to three sets, we squeaked into the Finals bracket.
Let’s just say, at this point, we were counting our blessings and leaning into the mantra, “Anything can happen.”
Mango Smoothies and Upset Central
Our first match in the finals bracket was against the defending champions and dinner companions the night before. Yes, you read that right—last year’s champs. But hey, they also entered the bracket with a 1-2 record, so we figured we had a shot. After a quick lunch break (shoutout to whatever magic was in those Mango Smoothies), Scott and I walked onto the court and played the match of our lives. Seriously, I don’t know who those guys were on the court, but they sure didn’t feel like us. We stunned the defending champs 4-1, 4-1, in a match so smooth it felt like a dream.
If only the tournament ended there, right? But no, we had to sleep on that victory and come back for an 8:30 a.m. semifinal match the next day.
The Semifinal Comeback
Sunday morning brought us back to earth—hard. Our opponents were 3-0 in their flight, and we quickly found ourselves losing 0-4 hole in the first set. (Yes, it was as bad as it sounds.) At one point, even the crowd started to leave, thinking we were toast. To those folks, I say: “Oh, ye of little faith!”
Scott and I dug deep, rallied hard, and managed to turn the tide. We took the second set to a tiebreak, won it 7-3, and rode that momentum to a 4-2 victory in the third set. It was the kind of gritty, against-all-odds win that makes you feel like champions—even if it’s just for a moment.
The Final Challenge
Our reward for that epic semifinal win? A date with destiny—or, more accurately, two guys who had just been crowned the champion and finalist of the 55+ Singles Nationals the week before. Oh, and they were now doubles partners. To say we were underdogs would be an understatement.
Although I don’t consider myself superstitious, I prefer to call it creating a new routine, you can guess what we had for lunch…yep, Mango Smoothies.
Long story short, the final didn’t go our way. Those guys were as strong as their unsanctioned Tennis Record ratings suggested, and while Scott and I gave it our all, we couldn’t overcome their skill and experience. So much for the “Mango Smoothie Routine’. But you know what? Reaching the finals was a victory, and I was not disappointed because of the grit and determination we showed throughout the tournament.
The Takeaway
At the end of the day, this tournament was about more than wins or losses. It was about resilience and the love of the competing. Whether it was the magic of a Mango Smoothie, the thrill of an upset, or the bittersweet taste of a final loss, every moment reminded me why I love competing more than a friendly hit. It’s all in the journey.
A Conversation Starter
While we didn’t walk away with the trophy, the tournament brought up some interesting food for thought—particularly about NTRP ratings. Are the NTRP Ratings still useful in promoting fair play? It’s a topic I plan to dive into in future articles, but I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you had similar experiences? Do you think the system is fair, or is there room for improvement? Let’s start the discussion, leave a comment.
