Nerves Work for Kohler This Time : Tennis: Player from Carmel defeats La Jollan Liz Harper to advance to women’s 60s semifinals in national hardcourt. The result was the reverse of a meeting last week in Northern California tournament.
Nervousness can work in strange ways. It can take over mind and body, prohibitting an athlete from reaching full potential. Or it can provide extra energy that enhances performance.
Last week, when Carmel’s Marjorie Kohler lost to Liz Harper of La Jolla in the women’s 60s final of the Northern California Sectional tennis tournament in Carmel, she said nervousness was a contributing factor.
Friday, Kohler defeated Harper, 6-1, 6-1, in the quarterfinals of the women’s 60s singles in the U.S. National Hardcourt Championships at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.
Harper was the only San Diegan remaining in either the 50s or 60s singles.
“I get nervous before my matches,” Kohler said. “In Carmel, it worked against me. This time, it worked for me. Maybe you should call it super-concentration instead of nervousness. It takes a lot of concentration not to think.
“We’ve had a lot of buildup between Carmel and here. I was ready and waiting to get back.”
No. 1-seeded Kohler said she thought Friday’s match would be fairly even but then went out and won the first four games.
Kohler will play No. 5 Ellie McPhail of Denver in today’s semifinals. McPhail defeated Elaine Mason of Fresno, 6-2, 6-3, to advance. In the other 60s semifinal, No. 2 Nancy Neeld of Albuquerque will play No. 3 Kathy Rothfels of Salt Lake City.
Kohler, in her first year in the 60s, is playing in tournaments again after a year-long break. She became “disenchanted” with the sport and found that it “just wasn’t fun any more”.
But a new year brought a new attitude, and now even too much tennis is not enough for Kohler.
“This year I told my husband I was going to go for it and start playing tournaments again,” Kohler said. “Now I can’t get enough of it.”
Kohler also advanced to today’s doubles semifinals. Kohler and Peggy Landtroop of Dallas defeated Mason and McPhail, 6-2, 7-5.
Kohler and Landtroop met in Carmel earlier this year while Landtroop was visiting from Dallas. Landtroop’s regular partner was ill, and two of Kohler’s friends suggested they team up for a social match. They have been partners since and are playing in their second tournament together.
Kohler said their distance hasn’t caused a problem and that their styles mesh.
“We get along so well,” Kohler said. “We have melded our games and complement each other.”
In women’s 50s singles semifinals today, top-seeded Dorothy Matthiessen of Pasadena will play No. 3 Arlene Cohen of Orinda, and Pat Cody of Whittier will play Susan Anawalt of Monte Serreno. Matthiessen defeated Annabelle Belknap of West Hills, 6-0, 6-3; Cohen defeated Carol Wood of Rockville, Md., 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Cody beat Peggy Omohundro of Franklin, Tenn., 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and Anawalt defeated Lorna Brooks of Exeter, 6-2, 6-0, in the quarterfinals.