Don wins his first season ever in this morning match, staging comebacks in both the second and third sets to win the buffet victory dinner.  Don won 4 in a row from 4-2 down in the second set.  John started the third set strong and was up 4-3, serving at 40-0 when Don found his stroke again to break, taking the next two games to win the season title (and the tasty buffet prize).

John ties the season in this long two set evening match.  Many long exhausting points could have gone either way in this very close match.  John admitted to having nothing left for the third set as he held on to end it in two sets (Don was just warming up, despite this being his third match in the span of three days, Sat. evening vs Harry, Mon. morning and Tues. evening vs John).  The next match will decide the season winner.

Don makes it three in a row with another morning match win as the season winds down (the season ends at the autumnal equinox, September 22, 6:23 p.m. EDT).  Don came back from 1-4 down in the first set, winning 6 out of the next 7 games.  John jumped ahead in the second set 4-0, but it Don made him work hard, which paid dividends in the third set.

Don channels the A-Train in this morning match, winning in straight sets to pull even at 9-9 in the race for the buffet.  Don may be on the verge of shedding his Dixie reflex (look away), which could spell trouble for John as the season winds down. 

After a break for two doubles matches Don and John got back to business with this evening match.  John got off to a good start, taking the first set easily with heavy shots and excellent net play.  Don came back in the second and third with excellent passing shots and defensive shots to keep John off the net.  The match turned after a particularly long point where John had to do about ten times as much running as Don.

Both Don and John made more than the usual number of errors and double faults, partially from a light wind, but mostly from just having an off day.  There were still plenty of good points and shots, but John came out on top after several  extended Mr. Rogers points in the third (can you say "soporific point?"  Sure, I knew you could...).

This long hard morning match goes Don's way, keeping the race for the end of season buffet up for grabs.  Don's backhand held up through the third set as he continued to move John around the court.

John goes up by two as the season winds down.  Don staged a mini-comeback in the second set after a string broke on his freshly string racquet and had to play with Don's spare racquet.  John adapted to the slight extra length and took the third set going away.

Don stop the Mace train in this high quality match.  John made several miracle shots and volleys in the first set, but couldn't maintain the magic as Don worked his way into the match with a few miracle shots of his own, chalking up a virtual bagel from 3-3 in the second through 3-0 in the third.  Don ran John from corner to corner during the last two games to clinch the win.

John makes it three in a row in this well played marathon match.  Both players played aggressively, coming to net at every opportunity (must be the influence of the summer open series).  John won the first set on a single break while saving at least 6 or 7 break points on his own serve during the set.  Don had a little momentum in the third, coming back from 5-2 to break point for 5-5, but John hit some perfect lobs to put the match away.

John takes the lead in the season with impressive net play and stab volleys (and a few frame-shot winners).  John won 11 games in a row from 1-2 in the first - Don served well and had numerous chances to break or hold, but John was relentless at net.

John ties the season race in a straight set win.  Don was up most of the second set but John turned up the heat on his forehand  zinger to go up 6-5.  Don broke John's serve at to get into a tiebreaker, then fell apart as John won 7 straight points.

John averts the dreaded 2-1 ratio by outlasting Don in this morning match played the day after an evening double match.  Don came up with some great passing shots, but John made even more great volleys.

Don extends his leads win a win in this hot evening match.  John came from down 4-3 to take the first set amidst a flurry of excellent points.  Both players held serve throughout the second set to setup a tiebreaker.  John had 3 match points at 6-3, but Don took the next 5 points to force a third set.  It was all Don in the third as John ran out of gas, barely averting a full fledged bagel after saving a match point at 5-0.

Don climbs back on top of the season race with this win in two long sets, either of which could easily have gone the other way.  Both players made excellent gets and shots throughout the match, though John missed a floater at net that would have given him 5-3 in the first...

Don couldn't find his timing or his second serve as John continued to control play  and come to the net in this straight set win. 

John comes out of his slump to stop the A-train (D. Alexander).  John was within 2 points of the match in his last two service games of the second set, as well as in the tiebreaker, but couldn't close it out.  Don was slightly fatigued from playing a long hot doubles match the previous day (his first ever win with Danny over Harry and Dick) but, to be fair, John was a bit tired from a day of brushwork.  Once John got a lead in the third there was no stopping him as he repeatedly ran Don from side to side to set up easy shots at net. 

Don makes it three in a row in another tough match.  Due to long term loss of his short term memory the details of the match have faded, except that there were plenty of long points and excellent shots on both sides.  The match could easily have gone either way except that Don managed to make John run a little more in the third set.

Don grabs the lead in the new season with a second win on a hot summer evening.  Even though both players were a little fatigued from a match the previous evening both played at a high level.  The critical game of the match occurred as Don served at 1-0 in the third.  Don got down 0-40, but fought back to deuce on several good serves.  The game went on for 30 points as Don denied John a total of 8 break points, finally winning the game on his seventh game point.

Don evens the season at 1-1 in this evening match.  Don came from behind in the first set to get into a tiebreaker, and came back from 2-4 in the tiebreaker to take the set.  Don jumped up a break early in the second set, and threatened to run away with it till John broke back only to lose his next server.  There were nice volleys and passing shots from both sides of the net.

John wins the first match of the new season, a long hot three set morning match.  Don took the first set and was up 3-0 in the second and on the verge of virtual bagel when John started his comeback by constructing his own near virtual bagel.  Don had one match point in the second and another in the third, but John prevailed after many long and tough points.