The weather in Portland, Oregon…in the rainy, cool Pacific NW…that Portland…is the story as much as the tennis. For the third straight day it’s been hovering around 100! No rain in sight though…which is probably good and we visitors to the area are enjoying the lovely green of the trees and bushes. It’s really a beautiful area.
I am here for the Nike Category II tournament, the women’s portion of which is held at the West Hills Racquet and Fitness Club, a full service club with indoor and outdoor courts, fitness, a pool and good lockerooms and an extensive clubhouse. There’s a snack bar too…not that the players need it since the tournament director Dana Barnes and her crew do a great job of supplying us with breakfast and lunch and snacks.
I played at 8am this morning in 55 singles, and won; played at noon in 50 doubles with Kathy Vick and we won…and she served into the sun which was tough at that time. Tomorrow I’m scheduled for 8am (55 singles…my opponent gets the 9:30 time for consolation…..Dana says the older players play earliest…hmmm); 50 doubles is at noon and 45 doubles with Annemarie Brigandi is at 2pm.
After playing I went to watch my cousin, Don Beer, play the final of the 60 men’s doubles with Bill Matthew and they won handily after recovering from an 0-4 start. Bill won the 60 singles too. The men are playing at the Mountain Park RC in Lake Oswego, about 15 minutes from the women’s site. It’s a nice, cool shady club.