Never Say Die

I finally saw Barb play in a pickleball tournament.  She was playing in the top level of women’s doubles. 

There were four teams in her division.  So they played a round robin. 

Barb and her partner won their first two games easily.  Then they had to play the other undefeated team in the last game and the winner would be the champions. 

They were playing one game to 21. 

The other team was surprisingly good.  Barb and her partner were losing 20-16 near the end of the game. 

I thought to myself if I was calculating probabilities I would almost certainly think Barb was going to lose. 

Then someone on the other court started a leaf blower.  I guess that distracted the other team and Barb got two quick points on service aces. 

Barb and her partner never lost focus and never gave up.  They turned the game around.  Barb and her partner came back and won the game 21-20. 

Barb had mistakenly thought the tournament would be decided by point differential but it was actually decided only by points for.  So they won the tournament by one point 63-62.