They say practice makes perfect, and that was my mantra for the day in preparing for my first Games tennis match tomorrow morning at 8:30 a..m. against Canadian Ken MacDonald, from Vancouver. 

 

I took the train out to Cintra Park Tennis Center (located outside of downtown Sydney in what could be described as the 'Kearny Mesa' of Sydney -- not the most charming of neighborhoods, bloody hot, and too much traffic.  There I discovered that I would not be able to 'scout' the match between my potential opponents in the next round because one of them, the one from Melbourne, failed to show up.  Which is why I face the Canadian tomorrow.

 

So instead of scouting I watched a couple of fellow Team San Diego players battle for Olympic glory in C singles (Frank January, who came out on top in a tight 3-setter, and Allen Sanchez, who didn't quite win another tight 3-setter.) 

 

Then I hit the court myself for practice sessions with team-mates George Byrd and Jim Wilson, continuing to get a feel for the synthetic grass surface and feeling more confident with each stroke. 

 

After lunch at a nearby mall, I rode the train back into town to meet up with Jacqui Kinder, my mixed doubles partner, for our first practice session together, on a gorgeous rooftop court high above Sydney, with nice views of the skyline and Assie Stadium, site of the Opening Ceremonies last night. 

 

Jacqui and I got along very well together and found a nice rythm to our game, winning several solid points and most of the games in numerous practice sets.  She proudly stated she is a 'classic serve-and-volleyer,' and that proved to be true, her net expertise combining well with my greater comfort and skill near the baseline.  Oh yeah, and she serves a lot harder and faster than me, which allowed for some nice putaways by me at the net.

 

The day ended with dinner high above Sydney in a revolving restaurant on top of Sydney Tower with a few other members of the Team San Diego tennis troupe.  For the first time, I was able to see just how large and beautiful the city is.

 

Tomorrow -- my first-ever Gay Games tennis match, round of 64 in C singles against Canadian Ken MacDonald.  It will be a day to remember.  Stay tuned for the results!