Page 65 of The Pickleball Girl Finds Her Match

Tied, going into the championship match.

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Endy strode toward Stadium Court, where volunteers were making final preparations for the concluding games. The courtside seats were already filled with everyone anxious to watch the championship match. From the sidewalk surrounding the sunken court, Endy looked over the crowd.

George Jacobs caught her eye and blew a kiss her way. Endy smiled and blew a kiss back in return. Nearby, Dr. Markowitz leaned back and chatted with a couple sitting behind him, all of them wearing the Dri-FIT T-shirts they’d gotten for participating in the event. Kids ran, screaming and laughing, across the lawns bordering the court. Endy nodded to herself, knowing she had done a great job pulling these groups together.

At the net, waiting to start the match, stood two tall, very handsome men also wearing the event T-shirts. Next to them were one confident, athletic sixteen-year-old and one dark, chubby pre-teen, gyrating his hips and singing at the top of his voice along to Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” playing from the event speakers.

The noise from the stands quieted as the first game started. Joel and Brayden won the coin toss and opted to serve. The crowd could feel the tension as Sebastian and Joel faced each other, positioned at opposite corners of the court.

“This is my house,” said Joel, staring at Sebastian, a smug smile on his face. “You’re going down.”

Sebastian quirked up an eyebrow, his eyes hidden behind mirrored sunglasses. “Fight on, Joel,” he goaded.

A muscle twitched in Joel’s jaw. And then immediately after the ref called out, “Game one. Zero, zero, two,” Joel dropped the ball, swung his paddle, and served … out wide.

Taken off guard with Joel’s signature shot, a ball that was wide and far out of his reach, Sebastian lunged toward the sideline, extending his arm and leg. The ball skipped off the floor of the court, and Sebastian tripped awkwardly on his outside leg.

“Fu–!”Sebastian choked back as he landed heavily, offbalance. He grabbed his knee.

“TIME-OUT!” Paco yelled from the middle of their court. He dashed toward Sebastian with concern etched across his face. “Boss! You okay?”

“Time-out?” Joel threw up his hands. “What the hell, kid, we’ve only played one point!”

Paco turned and stared hard at Joel, flipped up his middle finger, and rubbed it across his chin.

Sebastian took a deep breath, stood tall, and put weight on his leg, testing it. “Yeah, I’m good.” He walked to Paco, and they tapped paddles. They gathered at the back of the court, their backs turned to Joel and Brayden. Sebastian bent low, his head close to Paco, listening intently as the kid whispered something.

“Time!” called out the pickleball referee.

Paco stomped to his receiving position on the left side of their court, clutching his paddle tightly with anger.

Joel had swapped sides, and the ref called out the score. “One, zero, two.” Joel served the ball over the net and Paco swung his paddle, returning the ball deep. Brayden smacked the ball and moved in as it sailed over the net. Sebastian scooped it up, then softly caressed the ball, dinking it into the kitchen. Joel dinked it back to Sebastian, who dinked it back to Joel.

Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink. Dink.

Finally unable to contain himself, Paco darted in and slapped at a high ball, sending it down the middle past an unprepared Brayden.

The crowd erupted with cheers. Paco turned to the stands and bowed low, then brought his paddle to his forehead and gave a salute. The crowd cheered even louder.

From her vantage point on the sidewalk, Endy locked eyes with Valentina, who was standing next to the court with a hand clapped to her forehead.This is gonna be looong,she mouthed. Endy grinned and nodded.

Tension still high, the championship game continued, the two teams evenly matched. The court echoed with the sounds of paddles striking the ball over and over and over. Points were hard-fought, with both teams unwilling to surrender. And as the match progressed, the intensity only grew. Rallies became longer, and the four players executed gutsy moves, returning what seemed like impossible shots.

Sebastian and Paco played with boundless energy. At the end of each point, regardless if they had won it or not, they’d come together and tap paddles. “Let’s go,” they’d say to each other, pumping their fists.

As Endy watched, she sensed an exuberance in Sebastian that she’d never seen. Since after that first point when Joel had snuck in the wide serve, Sebastian seemed so … happy. Radiant, even, like he was bursting with joy. He wore a constant grin that lit up his face, and he laughed with gusto. He played freely, his shots loose and confident.

And after what felt like hours, they were tied at 9–9, with Paco serving next after Sebastian had lost his service game.

“Nine, nine, two,” the ref called out.

Paco’s serve to Brayden was deep, skidding off the front of the baseline. Brayden jabbed at the ball but didn’t connect, and his paddle whiffed through the air.

“Point,” declared the ref.

“Come on!” celebrated Paco, and he tapped his paddle to Sebastian’s.

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