Bummer.

I proceeded to lose the next nine points and the first game.

It was time for me to regroup. I had to be realistic about my chances since I was just trounced, 9-0, in the first game. To add insult to injury, he had played five of the points over. So he really beat me 14-0. I decided to change my game plan. I decided to go for the big point or any point I could get.

The guy was barely breathing. I was running from side to side, chasing down balls. I quickly learned what it was like to get thrashed by one of the best Harvard squash players ever.

The second, third and fourth games were instant replays of the first. He won all three games by 9-0 scores. He was even kind enough to announce what kind of shots he had hit after he had taken the point. "A three-wall nick," he'd say. "A backhand, cross-court, drop knick. A reverse-boast."

Oh.

In the fifth game, he finally gave me the opening I needed. I was determined to make a good showing.

And I did. After forcing him to hit a tin shot, I scored my newly-patented "Lartigue backhand slam into a nick" for my first point of the day.

I was starting to put the pressure on him. Suddenly, I was not satisfied with one point. I wanted to win the game. I wiped my hands on the wall, like all good squash players.

However, Darius was able to get back his serve and score the next nine points to win the match.

But I had my one point. How many people can say they won a point from Harvard's number-one player?

We shook hands and got our bags. "It's my last big match before graduation," Darius said.

But he's forgetting about our rematch.

Next time, I'm determined to beat him. Or at least double my point total.