The Life of the Smiths: National Champs!!!

When I arrived home on Monday, Hailey immediately asked me two questions.

"Hi Mom! Did you win your tennis tournament?" I said, "actually, we DID WIN!" She said, "AWESOME! Does this mean you're FAMOUS NOW?"

Well.....at least I could say yes to 50% of her questions! :)

What a weekend!!! I traveled to Palm Springs, California to play in the Tri-Level National Championship at the PNB Pariba Open. Basically,we got to play our tournament at the same venue in which the pros were playing. While Rafael Nadal and Federer played on Grand Stadium Court, my partner and I were playing on Grand Stadium 2. We could hear everything including the crowd, announcers, music. It was so cool. Although, when we went to call balls out on our court there was some major echoing from the lack of people there ;).

Basically, 16 teams from around the nation qualified to go. There were four flights made up of four teams. You played each of the teams in your flight and whoever won the most, got to advance to the semi finals to play the winners of the other flights. So, we played New York (yours truly played HORRRRRRRIBLE that first round, but the rest of the team pulled through. I suffered from what is known as, "OH MY GOSH I'M AT NATIONALS AND NOW I'M REALLY NERVOUS" syndrome. Luckily, I got rid of it.), Pennsylvania and Arkansas. Two of those matches came down to our team winning a tiebreaker to advance....very close.

So then, we advanced to the semi finals where we played the Southwest (Phoenix team). All three of our teams lost their first set, one quickly lost the second due to a really great opponent, and until half way through the second set, we thought our tournament life was just about finished. Next thing we knew, our two remaining teams came back and won their second sets (much to the dismay of Phoenix) and then they both won their tiebreakers. We were off to the FINALS!

We played Hawaii. My partner and I won our match. It was a great one and both of the other teams went to tiebreakers AGAIN. However, one of them won theirs so we were crowned NATIONAL CHAMPS! Yay Texas! It was so fun to be a part of it and to watch the pros up close.

We also got to drill with two former doubles champs of Wimbledon and the US Open and they gave us great tips.

And while we weren't playing, we had tickets to watch the pros playing. Our tickets were very high up. The first night, my good friend, Ana, and I were watching the matches from a big screen while relaxing on a lawn when a nice couple came up, told us they were leaving, and gave us tickets to watch Nadal from three rows up. I think we screamed.

And for the men's finals, they had a rain delay in which we found someone leaving that gave us tickets to their box....5 rows up to watch Federer play Isner. I'm pretty sure we screamed again.

And after the men's singles final, we were introduced on center court. On our way out there, we got to pass Isner and Federer.

Why hello Mr. Isner....can you explain to me how you hit your serve 140MPH? Seriously?

I must admit, I was excited to meet Federer. I don't care of Hollywood and celebrities, but a tennis legend who's probably in his last two years of competing? Picture please! There's a video my friend took of us acting like excited school girls before he came through the tunnel since we were told he'd greet us and we could get a pic. Then, right before he came, security changed the plans and we weren't able to meet him....and this is all I got...