Being put in charge of trophies for King Of the Court 4 is a massive responsibility and a massive challenge. Previously, the standard had been raised and the trophies I devised for KOtC1 seemed inadequate. Keck told me his expectations were high and that I must deliver. Like the future of the tournament, and possibly the sport of tennis, was at stake. I felt the full weight of his trust and finally settled on my plan. Possibly the most coveted, certainly the most valuable, and absolutely appropriate. Their unveiling at the check in card table will inspire the field. The best field to date. 16 players ready and committed. 2 Isner round robin sessions, 6 opponents each, 60 total games each. For the tournament, 96 total mahuts, 960 total games, a King, a Prince, a Duke, and an Earl. All in about 5 hours. The trophies must be nice and significant, and will be.
Do not envy Keck. Yes, he is an incredible tennis artist. Yes, he knows Billie Jean King. Yes, he is a metal head. Yes, he no longer has to be a cowboy fan. But save your envy. Keck is in charge of assessing weather conditions for KOtC4, and will ultimately decide to postpone or play through the elements. It is 6:30 am now. Surely he is up, walking the streets of his neighborhood, kicking the pavement with his backup pair of tennis shoes, listening for the right squeak. It is a huge burden and the ramifications of his actions will reverberate and reverberate. The second guessers. The know it alls. The Delkus wanna Bes. He will make the right call, either way, after anguish and woe. In this he must be trusted, not envied.
Overcoming the usual dropouts, we will move forward. An impressive self replacement culture has evolved. The Todd's brother, Mardy, and Mir both getting subs when unavoidable events required them to roddick. The kid from last year replaced by a new kid. Organic ethics are developing. Keck's communication processes, the familiar "Mahut!" as the server begins each mahut, the determination to continuously adjust the format. This year we could try the even game changeover. Or possibly the 5 game changeover. Talk of a royal doubles finale mahut pitting the King and Earl vs. the Prince and Duke is likely too ambitious. The crowds would love it, but the players might revolt. Best to keep the focus on the tennis, not the crowds.
The mist is covering everything. It is strangely muggy. Steady rains and lightening are a 100% certainty if weather professionals are believed. Clouds and fog of pure vapor are all over as the sun is giving glow to the overcast sky. Heavy air. It will be a tough call for Keck, but I wanna slide like Novak, I wanna serve the spitball, I wanna fight like Isner, I wanna be the King! In truth, I'd be thrilled to be the Duke and proud to be the Earl. Just wanna be a royal.