Title Challege: Serpent Over Tennis Machine

Star City Serpent's coils bring TennisMachine to a hault. Serpent takes title 6-5, 4-6, 6-2.

The hiss of tennis temptation and grinding cogs of destruction shattered the serentity of morning as the first official Passion of the Stripes trophy title game took place on August 7th. Both Ryan "star city serpent" Norris and Matt "tennismachine" Moore met at the San Regis battle field at 6:45am to begin preperations for the bitter battle to ensue.
The serpent appeared alert as he bagan his pre-game regiment of akward yet acute serves and back-handed spins, while tennismachine focused on his top-spin overhands. The on-the-court banter resembled the morning in many ways; it, like the morning, was both light and friendly, but a thin cloud of the unknown lingered just under the surface.
Tennismachine came into the match an undesputed champion. He had taken the hiss out of the serpent 2 straight times in official match play, while stomping The Juice (Kerchner) dead in his tracks several days prior. Tennismachine had no real hinderings on the morning, but the the mere fact that the official Passion of the Stripes trophy was on the line for the first time made this match unlike any other. According to official Pashion of the Stripes league rules, if the current champion is defeated by a challenger in a full pro-set, the defeated champion must stoop down to both knees and present the trophy to the new champion as a further symbol of shame and defeat. Because this was the first official trophy match, tennismachine would hate nothing more than having to be the first player to present the trophy from his knees especially after defeating the serpent in 2 seperate games prior.
Both players began the match as heroes...only one was left a fraud.
The first game was like a battle between greek gods. By the time the advantage at duece had been lost and won over three full rotations, both players neglected nerves and played on passion. By the time the match had reached to half way through the first set, it was clear that this was to be a match for the ages. Tennismachine's acrobatics just fell short of the serpent's persistance as the serpent edged out tennismachine in a bitter 6-5 win.
The second set began much like the first as both players seemed to posses skills only fabled in Viking legend and lore, however from the begining, it was clear this set was to go to the tennismachine. Tennismachine's hard drive came into sync with the rest of his combustion frame creating a serve best characterized by the engraving on the underside of a Rolex: Swiss Movements. Tennismachine played an almost flawless set keeping the serpent off the board until the 4th game when the serpent made the score 3-1. The serpent's comeback just didn't come soon enough as tennismachine took the set 6-4.
D-day, JFK's assasination, August 7th 2005: each of these now historic days all began with a hint of something epic in the air, the latter of the list was no exception. For it was on this day that the star city serpent completely destroyed tennismachine in the final set of the first official title-trophy game.
Tennismachine came into the final set with an almost cocky stride relevent to his victory in set #2. The serpent, with an almost creepy air to his unfaultering eyes, came into the match looking for a kill, and he most certainly got it. From the very begining of set 3, the star city serpent showed signs of greatness while tennismachine 'removed both shoes and a sock'. The star city serpent was relentless in his pumaling of tennismachine as he kept 'machine off the board until the 5th point 4-1. It was clear this match was to go to the reptile, but 'machine fought on like the poor kid at recess inspired by his viet nam veteran uncle...he was born to lose.
As the smoke cleared, the star city serpent emerged victorious as the tennismachine hung his head in shame. Tennismachine offered only praise to the serpent while complaining of an alleged ankle sprain that 'magically' went un-noticed by both parties participating.
Like a English hero being knighted with only shame as his mentor, the tennismachine bowed before the star city serpent and presented the title. On this day, the star city serpent emerged the better man...God save the Queen.