This weekend I attended the national free tennis tournament in Gangwan-do province. There were eight teams in the boys middle school group. One team representing there particular province. We were representing Gyeongsangnam-do. We won the provincials a couple of months ago. Since that time we have been training extremely hard and we knew we a had a good chance to win the tournament even though our school only has a hundred students to choose from. In this sense, we had to adopt the mentality that it is not who you have but how hard you train that will make the difference. In the end, our work ethic showed.
The tournament was divided into two groups. We easily won the group stage by huge margins only losing one set one the way. Each game has five matches and the team that wins three of them wins the game. Out of the 3 group stage games, we only lost one set. Most of the games were blowouts as well. This set us up to play the second place team in the other group which was also a blow out. We won most sets by doubling the other teams points. However, the winning team from the other group were running through the competition in a similar fashion setting up an interesting final match for the gold.
Usually games are played until 21 points. However, for the final game, each team plays three sets to 11 points. The first team to win 2 sets wins the match. The first team to win 3 matches wins the game. The first match was extremely close. The other team won the first set while we won the second. The third set was not that close since we made too many blunders. This gave the other team a 1-0 lead. Match number two went in a similar way. They won the first and we won the second. At the start of the 3rd, we got a 5-1 lead and I thought this was going to be our game, but they were able to score 10 unanswered points and taking the second set. They only needed one more to clinch the championship and this time they won both back to back sets giving them the match and the overall victory.
I must say, it was not our finest performance but I know they could beat that team with a little more luck on their side. With their nerves running high, they made too many blunders which ended costing them the game. The other team was not better, but had a better game that day. Many students were quite upset and it showed from the tears rolling down their faces. Someone had to lose and someone had to feel the pain of defeat, but they did their best and there is always next year for those who are not graduating this year.
The tournament was divided into two groups. We easily won the group stage by huge margins only losing one set one the way. Each game has five matches and the team that wins three of them wins the game. Out of the 3 group stage games, we only lost one set. Most of the games were blowouts as well. This set us up to play the second place team in the other group which was also a blow out. We won most sets by doubling the other teams points. However, the winning team from the other group were running through the competition in a similar fashion setting up an interesting final match for the gold.
Usually games are played until 21 points. However, for the final game, each team plays three sets to 11 points. The first team to win 2 sets wins the match. The first team to win 3 matches wins the game. The first match was extremely close. The other team won the first set while we won the second. The third set was not that close since we made too many blunders. This gave the other team a 1-0 lead. Match number two went in a similar way. They won the first and we won the second. At the start of the 3rd, we got a 5-1 lead and I thought this was going to be our game, but they were able to score 10 unanswered points and taking the second set. They only needed one more to clinch the championship and this time they won both back to back sets giving them the match and the overall victory.
I must say, it was not our finest performance but I know they could beat that team with a little more luck on their side. With their nerves running high, they made too many blunders which ended costing them the game. The other team was not better, but had a better game that day. Many students were quite upset and it showed from the tears rolling down their faces. Someone had to lose and someone had to feel the pain of defeat, but they did their best and there is always next year for those who are not graduating this year.
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