My State Championship

My State Championship

This past summer, I played in the Alabama Junior State Closed Tennis Tournament at Lagoon Park. The tournament had about 400 players, ranging from age ten to eighteen. Billed as a state championship, it featured some of the best players in the state. My list of goals for the summer included doing well in this tournament. If I could win a few matches, my state ranking would rise. I entered the single’s and double’s competitions with great expectations and hope.
I received a ninth seed in the single’s competition. My first match placed me against a worthy opponent, but I had no problem beating him in straight sets. My confidence started rising and I prepared for the next battle. The next match put me against the number eight seed. I knew I could win if I gave it my best and controlled my nervousness. I took the first set easily, only dropping one game. In the second set, I let my guard down and quickly lost without even winning a game....