Andrew and I participated in the 2017 Desert Open in Phoenix this past weekend, but played in the A division.  Initially, I opted to do this because attendance has been a bit sparse, so I wanted to play against the highest level.  By the time of the tournament, however, the attendance was significantly higher than in the tournament’s first two years, with a number of very good A level players to compete against.  Although tempted to request that we be dropped back a division, I am glad we did not.

Although I lost virtually every match I played in, the level of competition was fantastic.  I was able to give my opponents some solid competitive sets.  At the same time, because they were so consistent, it felt easier for me to assess what I was doing wrong (hitting the ball fat, poor shot selection, etc.).  In other words, it was very educational.  At the upcoming Indian Wells Tennis Garden Championships, Andrew and I will once again play B’s, but it may be the last time.  The value from playing in A’s is just too high.