Kuwait Open & Qatar Classic ('06)
I flew to Kuwait from Manchester on Thursday and arrived Friday morning. The over night flights are always tough because you lose a nights sleep. I managed to get a nap in though and then went down to the club to practise at 5pm. Feeling quite tired it was a quick dinner and to bed. The time difference is only 2 hours so not so not too much in the way of jetlag.Saturday.... I was up at 9am and to breakfast. I spent the morning in the room getting prepared for my match on Sunday and chilling out abit. I went down to the club and watched some of the qualifying matches and then had a hit at 5pm. In the evening was the opening ceremony and I was asked to do the walk on. Back late from there we went to dinner and then to bed.
Up on Sunday at 9am again. Down to the club and had a hit at 10.30am. I was on court for my match at 12.45pm so I just prepared for my match. I was playing Tania Bailey again... I have already played her in 2 gold events this year. We went on pretty much on time and the game was really tight and really long. The 1st was long and I lost it. My game plan was then just get the 2nd. 'Thats all thats important' I kept saying to myself. I managed to get that and was feeling much better. The match was turning into the longest i've ever played and it was taking it's toll. I pushed hard the whole way and couldn't have given it anymore. After a long 3rd I lost it and was back on again trying to level it. I played well in that game and tried to keep my cool with the referee abit more who I thought wasn't doing a fantastic job. I levelled it at 2-2. I just said it's one more game. One big push. After a tight first part of the game I went 7-1 down which isn't fantastic but I kept pushing hard. I had a mini come back until the ref gave an unbelieveale stroke when I thought it was a let and Tania went to matchball. I saved a couple until I thought there was a dodgy bounce and lost my concentration and tinned a shot at matchball down. I tried to appeal but it was no good. I was absolutely gutted. I was on court 104 mins...my longest ever match and a tonne of lets!! I have a qualifier to play Tania again in Soeul in a couple of weeks so hopefully I can get my revenge there!
I now have Mon and Tues training before I fly straight to Qatar for the Qatar classic '06 which was postponed from last year.
I arrived on Wednesday after the short flight from Kuwait to Qatar. Madeline and I had a practise and then went to the mall for dinner and a look around. Thursday we got up and practised early and then went back to the club for the WISPA AGM. It went well and alot of good points made. The tour seems to be getting bigger each year and improvements to rules are always happening! That evening it was to the Function at the Diplomatic Club. A buffet, speeches and presentations later we made our way back to the hotel to get an early night before our matches on Friday.
Friday morning we went to breakfast at 9am and went to practise. I was playing at 3pm and so went back to the hotel for lunch and then made my way back down to the club. I played Nicolette Fernandes. I played well and kept the pace high, however she was off the pace compared to when we played in the World Open I won fairly easy 9-1 9-0 9-0 in 15mins. Glad to get off quick I am now preparing for my last 16 match against Omneya Abdel Kawy from Egypt.
Saturday took much the same pattern as Friday but everything was an hour later because I was playing at 4pm. I felt good and confident going into the match. After a good warm up and preparation we started on time. I didn't make the best of starts as Omneya came out like a bull in a china shop. The ball was getting wacked at 100 mph at me and I was doing my best to keep in the rallies. I tried to plug away and keep running and at 8-1down she started to hit the tin. Before I knew it I was back at 8-8. I played great to get back level but she upped her game and picked me off with a couple of her great short shots and I lost 10-8. The second was similar in that she was playing well and I was doing my best to try and stay in the rallies. Doing a better job this time of keeping the ball staright I only went 8-6 down and with the way Omneya was playing I wasn't too disappointed. Then at 8-6 down again she hit a couple of tins and I came back to 8-8. This time determind not to let my comeback go I won it 10-8. The 3rd was a good game by me. I felt I played well and she got very frustarted with herslf and the ref. I won this game the quickest 9-5. The 4th was hard as she picked her game up and I started to get alittle tired. It hard to play her because you have to do so much work to stay in the rallies. I didn't play great and lost the 4th 9-6. The 5th was a nightmare from my point of view. I got tired in my legs and struggled to pick her balls up. I stayed with her till 3-3 and it was tight for a while and then she pulled away fast from 3-3 to finish the match. Another massive match at 84mins and gutted to be the loser again. I can take from it though that I have never been on court for this length of time before and am getting closer each time to my opponents. Omneya was obviously tired the next day and she lost to Nicol in 22mins. Very frustrating from my point of view.