International Relations Strengthened at Cherry Blossom 2006
Four of the six final matches at the International Tennis Club of
Washington's 2006 Cherry Blossom Tournament featured players from
outside the US,
and in two of those, our visitors overcame the home court advantage
favoring the Yanks. Luncheons in English, French, and American style
provided a culinary counterpart to national anthems being sung in the
dedans, discourses in both Dutch and German, declarations of 'bal de
jeu' from our bilingual markers, and the four flags flying proudly over
Prince's Court. As one scribe noted, the final match was 'an
extraordinary manifestation of the international cement that binds us
all'.
The tournament ran remarkably smoothly over four days, and the play was
always inspired.
Congratulations to the Cherry Blossom 2006 winners, participants, and
creators!
A Blossom-Strewn Path To The Finals
The petals danced on the branch, shone brightly,
cast a heavenly light, then drifted slowly to
ground throughout our 2006 Cherry Blossom weekend.
It is fitting that we celebrate the ephemeral,
transitory, fleeting beauty of these blooms, and
their counterparts: all points played; games won
and lost; shots directed, redirected, and
misdirected; balls chased down; the boom from the
grille; the ping from that sweet spot right in the
center of the racquet. What we recently and fully
lived on court is gone forever; yet it remains in
our memories, camaraderie, and enduring fellowship.
Indeed, it is not truly gone, for it laid the
foundation for the very best play,
culminating in six tremendous finals.
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