Jeff Brown vs. John Kidd, part 4.
Like Friday the 13th and Rocky movies, the sequels just keep coming.
The latest installment of Brown vs. Kidd is at 10 a.m. today when these two netters square off for the Lima Area Tennis Association’s men’s singles title at the University of Northwestern (UNOH) courts for the fourth consecutive year.
The two have battled each other in the three previous finals with Kidd garnering top honors in 2013 and 2014 but Brown broke that two-year streak when he defeated his nemesis, 6-4, 6-2, last year.
Brown and Kidd advanced to the finals after both won their respective matches on the second day of competition of the three-day tournament Saturday.
For Brown, it was a relatively easy day for the defending champion. The former UNOH standout had a forfeit in his first match and then followed it up with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Nathan Turnwald. In his quarterfinal match, Brown downed Michael Rutter 6-0, 6-1.
Brown admits his game is not where it is supposed to be but he was able to defeat these younger opponents because of his maturity and better understanding of the game.
“A lot of these players are just constantly hitting balls but they are not really orchestrating points on the court and that is where I come in and can really work these juniors over,” Brown said. “Most of the juniors out here are good players they are just going to have to mature on the mental side. Even for myself it took me a long time to understand that.”
Brown said this was a good teaching moment for Rutter.
“He has to work on the small things and putting things together,” Brown said. “Like I told him earlier. He has to learn how to finish points. He starts points but he doesn’t finish points and I think that is where my game has excelled over the years.”
Brown said he knows he will have to be at the top of his game if he is going to defeat Kidd even though the University of Findlay product is just getting back into tennis shape after taking a brief break from tennis the last couple of months.
Kidd showed little evidence of a hiatus in his first match Saturday when he defeated Scott Willis, tennis coach for the Ohio Northern University women’s tennis team and the Ada high school girls tennis team, 6-0, 6-1.
However, in his quarterfinal match, Kidd had a little more trouble beating Emerson Hager, a state qualifier for Wapakoneta, this past spring, 6-1, 6-3.
Hager said one reason Kidd is hard to beat is because of his athleticism and his determination.
“He is very sound and doesn’t have a weakness,” said Hager, who said he battled unforced errors and first serve troubles throughout the match. However, when Hager did win a game, it was because of Kidd’s inconsistency with his first serve.
After capturing the first set, Kidd found himself in a battle in the second set and was down 2-1 early to Hager. Kidd regained the form that made him a standout at the University of Findlay by capturing the next two games. But Hager fought back to notch a game before Kidd closed out Hager by winning the final two games and the set and the match.
“I knew he was a tough match coming in and he pushed me the second set so I had to make sure I stayed on my game,” Kidd said.
Kidd said it is tough getting back into playing competitively after a brief stint not playing tennis but he said his game is slowly developing back to where he feels comfortable.
“I know I have to be ready to play tomorrow no matter how I am playing,” Kidd said. “I just have to play hard and play tough and hopefully the outcome is the way I want it to be.”
Both Brown and Kidd are friendly rivals and have great respect for each other’s talent but at the same time both want bragging rights and their competitive juices will be kicking in when they battle.
“He is one of the hardest working tennis players probably on and off the court,” Brown said. “He strives for greatness. He brings a different game to the table. If he is on he is pretty much untouchable.”
Kidd admits he wants to recapture the title and beating Brown would make the victory even more satisfying. Kidd said he looks forward to this meeting and takes great pride in representing Lima.
“There always is a little incentive when you play Jeff,” Kidd said. “We have been battling the past couple of years whether it be at the city tournament or just playing exhibition matches. He was a great player at UNOH and he beat some great players there.”
On the women’s side, the finals will feature defending champion and Spencerville graduate Kaylee Davis, the University of Findlay bound netter, against Mackenzie Wills, a recent Ada graduate who will play for ONU.
Wills, who has faced Davis in various tournaments but never beaten her, said she knows she is the underdog coming into the match but hopes to break through this year.
“I’ve got my work cut out for me,” Wills said. “She has beaten me multiple times, so I am going into the match with an open mind about things hoping to work my hardest and do my best.”
Wills, who said she has really been pushed this tournament by her opponents, advanced to the finals by beating Bree O’Neal, 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals Saturday. Last year, Wills fell in the first round and she wanted to have a stronger showing this year..
“I came in here wanting to improve,” she said. “I have been working over the summer so hopefully I have improved a little bit from last year.”
Wills said the key to her upsetting Davis would be consistency and being aggressive at the net.
The care-free Davis is optimistic about her chances of repeating and said she is enjoying her time in the tournament. Even though she came in as the favorite, Davis said she feels no pressure.
Davis said playing Wills will be fun, and she is looking forward to the challenge.
“You never know the outcome but I am playing well so we will see what happens,” Davis said. “Mackenzie is a really good player.”
In the 35-year-and-older division, Mary Lou Roush, who won her two matches Saturday in the round robin affair, will battle Barbie Prince who has also gone undefeated for the championship.
Roush defeated Joan Collar 6-2, 6-1. Prince picked up wins over Desrene Brown 6-2, 6-2.
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