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Show Tournament strengthens friendship . y r. ... . in..ui p . u i- m m ' . I y i V -tA 5 Best friends Ryan Nestman and Paul Nelson competed for the 10 y and under singles title in the Bountiful City Tennis Tournament Aug. 3. Nestman outlasted Nelson to win the match, 6-2, 6-4. By G.B.HART Most athletes don't have too much difficulty giving their all to beat an opponent. It's a little bit different, however; when the opponent is your best Ryan Nestman and Paul Nelson have been best friends since they were in kindergarten five years ago. The boys were forced to square off against one another for the first time in the Bountiful City Tennis Tournament finals for the boys' 10 and under division, something both boys wanted very much to win. The winner of their match would take first place. Ryan and Paul have always been on the same team. They've played soccer together; they've played on the same baseball and all-star teams, and according to Mrs. Nelson, Paul's mother, the boys are the best two guards any Junior Jazz basketball team has ever seen. But more importantly, Ryan was on Paul's team when it counted most last September. Paul underwent brain surgery which removed two tumors and claimed his pituitary gland. Mrs. Nelson said, "Most kids Paul's age were nervous and afraid to be around Paul They had shaved his head, and he had a scar from ear to ear across the top of his head, but it didn't seem to faze Ryan. "Ryan came to the hospital, and he came over to the house to play Nintendo. Ryan was right by his side the whole time. He never treated Paul any different. "He literally nursed Paul back to health mentally added Mrs. Nelson. ' Being forced to play each other in the finals was something neither boy looked forward to. "Paul told me before the match, 'If I can't take first, there's nobody I'd rather have win than Ryan There's an incredible love between these two boys, ' said Mrs. Nelson. Ryan also commented during the match that playing his best friend was the hardest thing L he'd ever done. Friendship and everything else aside, the match went on. Both boys played as hard as they could. Both wanted to win. When it was all over, Ryan outlasted Paul's second set comeback come-back winning the match, 6-2, 6-4. When asked if he was mad at his friend for beating him, a visibly -exhausted Paul managed to smile N happily and say, "No, I'm not mad at all that Ryan won." j Although both boys found it hard : to explain exactly why they were such good friends, they were, and i that was enough for them. . |