Utsunomiya Municipal Tennis Tournament

It’s not a top level tennis tournament, but I became a runner-up of the men’s rank-B singles yesterday. 

Fifty-nine tennis players took part in the tournament on a scorching hot day.

The winner must have been in his 20s. To become a winner, I have to practice more.

Tennis Tournament and Foggy Morning View from My Condominium

I took part in the Kiyohara Singles Tennis Tournament with my five tennis friends today. The result was terrible. I got beaten in the first round and other two guys did the same.

While thinking why I got beaten and how I had to cope with the opponent, I left the tennis courts before knowing the results of the rest of my friends’ matches.

Spending much time in practicing, I know, could be an answer but It’s not so simple for me. 

Spending too much time in practicing means, at my age, injuries of knees, shoulders or elbows. 

How should I practice effectively within a limited time?  That’s the key.

Maybe, … I haven’t had enough pieces of advice since my tennis club had closed almost two years ago.

I may have to find a good tennis coach or should ask a lot of advice from well-skilled players.

That could be an answer in my case, couldn't be? 

I have decided myself to ask advice from now on. 

We Won The Tennis Tournament.

We won the Kiyohara Industrial Park (KIP) tennis tournament 2010.

KIP holds a tennis tournament on the first Saturday in September or on the last Saturday in August every year.
A team consists three doubles, all members should be working in KIP, can attend the tournament.

We participated in the tournament last year, but we became runner-ups.

I asked five brave colleagues who were very good at playing tennis to join my team and to win the tournament together.

Some of them were the same as the last year's team members, the others were newcomers.

We won the tournament, then got a trophy, a certificate and a prize (about 90US$ wroth coupon) for the winner.

One of the team members, Mr. Ikeda accidentally broke the trophy.

Kiyohara Industry Park Tennis Tournament

A tennis club I belonged to for twelve years closed in the end of March this year.

After the closing, my weekly tennis routine has changed a little. I used to play tennis on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the club.

I couldn’t do that any more, so I looked for colleagues who play tennis. Then, I found a group of people who practice and play tennis on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Without hesitation, I asked them to join in the group and I have become a member of the group.

Two weeks ago, I attended to the Kiyohara Industry Park Tennis Tournament with one of the members and got a prize of doubles consolation tournament winner. The prize was about 18US$ wroth coupon.

It’s fun to practice in a new group and with new members.

Tennis, Tennis and Tennis.

Mr. Ikeda and I became runner-ups at the Ichikai doubles tennis tournament a few weeks ago. The prize was two right hand gloves for tennis players.

Mr. Takano and I won the CANON Utsunomiya division employee’s tennis tournament a week ago. 5,000 yen, about US$45 worth restaurant coupon was the prize.

Ms. Tajima and I became runner-ups at the Mohka beginner’s level mixed doubles tennis tournament today. We got two middle size towels as a prize.

I have been a tennis bum for almost one month, he-he.

To tell you the truth, I have tons of things to do within this year. One of the biggest tasks is to take family pictures and make new-year greeting cards. I may need 48 hours a day.
Time really flies … sigh.
-

Tennis Tournament

We won the beginner’s level of Mohka Tennis Club Tournament title last week.

Our team consists of five members, 5th grade of elementary school student Takeru, freshman of junior high student Hikaru, third grade of junior high Rina, Takeru’s mam and I.

We got the certificate of the winner and small gifts.

Though Takeru and Hikaru, already taller than my daughter Rina, are quite young, they played tennis very well. I thought they were very prospective.

We were very happy both getting the tile and being able to enjoy playing tennis in the tennis court located in such a beautiful autumn forest.

Tennis Tournament in Kiyohara Industrial Park

I took part in the Kiyohara Industrial Park Tennis Tournament yesterday. The tournament this year is different from the past ones in several points.

First, it is usually held on the first Saturday in September, but it's held in August this year.

Our company, CANON offers part of employees to take promotional examinations on the first Saturday in September. One of my tennis friends had been unable to participate in the tournament because he should take the exams. I was happy to ask him to attend the tournament this year.

Second, my closest tennis friend Mr. Ogata was transferred to Tokyo Head Office in the end of August. Our branch has been targeted to reduce the number of employees as a part of our company's slim down policy to fight against the world wide economic recession. I feel sad that we have to compete the tournament without him this year.

The result was that we became a runner-up. We won the tournament two years ago, but all three doubles teams were defeated by the winner's three teams at the final this year.

We promised to win next year.

After coming back home, my wife advised me that the shorted way to win the tournament next year is to ask the winner's team to become one of their members, lol.

Dunlop Tennis Tournament

I took part in "Dunlop Tochigi Preliminary Tennis Tournament" today with my company colleague, Mr. Ikeda.
It was my third time to participate in tennis tournaments with him.

As competitors' tennis skills were quite high, we were defeated at the first round match. Then, after that, we joined a consolation match and barely won the match thanks to the opponent's repeated miss shots. lol

It's in the middle of rainy season now in Japan.

We've been having rainy days and cloudy days half-and-half recently in Tochigi. I'm satisfied with having been able to play tennis today.

We can enjoy seeing hydrangeas here and there these days in Utunomiya.
I took these two pictures in Isoyama shrine in Kanuma city.

:-)

Rainy Weekend / Nao Cup Tennis Tournament

I participated in a tennis tournament again today, with Ms. Tajima who is one of our tennis team Yuzu members and a mother of twin daughters.

We had barely been able to beat the opponent team at the first round and waited for the second round. Then, the staff of the tournament canceled the rest of all matches due to the bad weather.

I was disappointed that we couldn't play enough matches.
But, the tennis courts are located in the beautiful park in Utsunomiya city near Kinu river. I enjoyed taking pictures of poppies and the poppy field in the rain.

Mohka Tennis Tournament Is Canceled

I planned to take part in a tennis tournament last Sunday with my daughter Rina. But, it rained. As a result, the tournament was canceled. We were really sorry for not being able to play tennis with whom we were not familiar.

I'm a member of the tennis club "Yuzu." I play tennis two to three times a week with the club members. I know the members play style very well. So, I'm excited to have a chance to play tennis with unfamiliar players very much.

Though the tournament was canceled, the tennis association allowed the would-be-participants to play tennis there for fun. So, my club members and I played in the rain for a couple of hours.

Ichikai Tennis Tournament

I attended Ichikai Tennis Tournament with my colleague, Mr. Ikeda, today.
Ichikai town is located about 45 minutes' east of Utsunomiya city.
It was my second time to participate in the tournament in the town.
Last time, my doubles partner was Mr. Takahashi and we became semi-finalists. But, this time, we were defeated at the preliminary league.
Luckily, they arranged not only winners’ tournament but also a consolation tournament of the preliminary leagues.
We won the consolation tournament and got a prize.

There is a hot spa next to the tennis courts in Ichikai town. After the tournament, I went to the spa and spent almost one hour being relaxed there.

Annual Tennis Tournament

The first Saturday of September has come yesterday: it's the day of a local tennis tournament in the area of my company. I had asked my colleagues to take part in the annual tournament and five brave colleagues joined my team.
We won the tournament last year but, to our regret, could not this year.
We were defeated at the preliminary league.

They prepared for first league losers to make a consolation tournament.
So, we took part in the consolation tournament. Then we won the tournament. We got no trophy but little prize.
We vowed to win the next year’s tournament.
Anyway, I enjoyed playing tennis very much on wonderful Saturday.
:-)

Tennis Tournament in Kiyohara Industrial Park

On the first Saturday of September, Kiyohara Industrial Park (KIP) association in Utsunomiya holds a tennis tournament.
Every KIP company team consisting three doubles can attend the tournament. I attended the tournament with my five colleagues last year and a year before the last, but couldn’t win.
This year is different. I’ve become a very strong tennis player… I want to say so, but actually I can’t say.
I asked four colleagues including two freshmen to join my team. All of them are very good tennis players. Luckily, they all said “YES” to join my team.
We attended the tournament and, as a result, “WON” yesterday.
We got a trophy, a certificate and forty bottles of beer as a prize of the winner.
The taste of the beer I drunk yesterday was excellent!

Summer Heat Continues.

It’s been still very hot in Utsunomiya. I played tennis with my colleagues for a whole day yesterday.
One of our company’s optical equipment development centers is located in Kiyohara Industrial Park in Utsunomiya.

Luckily, KIP association arranges tennis tournament several times every year for all employees working for companies in KIP. Comparing to other tennis tournaments, it’s a bit different. It’s free of charge and even KIP association gives a winner, finalists, and semi-finalists a prize. Why it’s possible? Because, I guess, companies subsidize KIP association.
Our tennis team couldn’t win though, we got a prize. (^o^)Y