Despite a tougher battle than expected, JT advances to a semifinal showdown with the defending champ!
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Waukee High School Tennis Complex, Waukee, IA. By Jason Toelle; Fox-JT (A subsidiary of ESVN-Sports) - Today was the first-ever meeting between KN and JT on the tennis courts and given the age disparity, the former champ pulled some punches in the first set... quickly learning that he may have taken Ken too lightly. Despite winning easily 6-2, JT quickly learns that KN will make you pay if you make mistakes, which led to Ken's winning two games.
Determined not to make the same mistakes, JT stops pulling his punches in the second set, but much to his surprise, KN really begins to turn it on, taking a quick 1-0 lead! KN begins capitalizing on JT's mistakes and begins hitting some great winning shots of his own. Regularly returning most of JT's best serves with Ruther-like technique.
JT ties set two at 1-1, but gives up another game. Ken leading 2-1, the former champ regains his composure, tying the second set and later taking the lead 3-2. KN ties it up at three!! In game seven, KN has some of his best shots of the match, just falling to JT 4-3, only to tie it up again at 4-4!! Feeling a bit uneasy at the score, Toelle pours it on with his serve and some excellent passing shots, going on to win the second set, 6-4.
Despite the defeat, KN put on an excellent performance against the younger JT... who now begins preparations for his upcoming match against his evil nemesis, Matt (the woman) Sopcic.
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