Hong Kong Open - October 2006.
After finding out the day before I travelled that Qatar had been postponed it was going to be along trip to the far east as I had to go via Dubai on the way there and way back!
Vicky Botwright and I flew on Friday the 13th and arrived on the Saturday at 8pm. It was a quick bite to eat and bed!!!
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were all practise days trying to get over the jetlag. I hit with a few of the girls and tried to prepare for my match against Lauren Briggs on Wednesday!
Match Day!
I practised well on Monday morning. I went on for the match and made a great start winning the first game 9/1. I felt like I relaxed a little bit too much in the 2nd and just won the game 10-9. The third wasn't good enough from me. I made too many errors and Lauren hit a few winners and I lost that game 9/4. I was better in the 4th knowing that if I wasn't Lauren would be ready to take advantage. I played well and finished the game 9/3.
It was back to the hotel for an ice bath and to prepare for my match against Vanessa Atkinson on Thursday!
Last 16.....
Today was my match against Vanessa currently ranked world number 2 and seeded 2 for the tournament. I warmed up well and made a great start going 5-0 up. I then had a lapse in concentration and was 7-5 down before I knew it. I was determind to make a good start and win the first game so I battled on and won it 9-7.
Wanting to make a good start in the second I went 4-1 down initially before playing better in the 2nd half of the game to take it 9-4.
I wanted to win 3-0 and so was keen to tighten up my game for the 3rd. I made a great start and went all the way to matchball after a few harder rallies at the beginning. I ended up losing my first matchball and on reflection Vanessa started to play better and before I knew it I was at 8-8. After a few more rallies I lost the game 10-8. Bitterly disappionted I went off for a break between games to re-group.
The 4th was hard, thinking about the matchball i'd lost. Vanessa seemed to be playing better as well and I lost a tight 4th game 9-7. In the 5th it was hard to get a good start. I was so disappointed from the 3rd and 4th games that she ran away with it really and I ended up losing 9/2.
Although I was very disappointed I am happy to have had matchball against the world number 2 and 3 in the last two tournaments and am looking forward to Wolverhampton and the World Open in November.