Dutch Open
I arrived in Amsterdam with a day to spare and the plan was to get the players to do a WISPA calendar for next year. This meant having hair and makeup done and then having shots done in our playing kit and formal dresses. It turned out really well and hopefully so will the calendar when it's printed in November.The next day (thurs) was match day and I was seeded top 8 against Rebecca Chiu. I hadn't played her for almost 2 years and I won 3-0 then. I was first on court at 12noon which was quite early. I made a good start and she seemed abit slow off the mark. I won the first game 11-8 and was feeling good. I came on for the second and she'd picked it up abit. She was moving better and because my pace wasn't as high as it had been she played better. I lost that game 11-7. At 1-1 things became a battle and the 3rd was tight the whole way through. I eventually pushed through to take the 3rd game 11-8 and was feeling confident to finish the match. In the 4th she was always 1 or 2 points ahead of me. After a long game we were level at 10-10 and I had 2 match balls and she had 5 or 6 game balls. It was tense and I eventually lost the game 16-14 to take it to a 5th game. The 5th was the first time i've ever competitively gone to 5 games and I was abit nervous and really made an effort to make a good start. We were level all the way to 7-7 when a decision went in my favour and disturbed her concentration and I went through from 7-7 to 11-7 in about 40secs. It was unfortunate that it was over so quick for her but I was pleased to win and be through to play Nicol in the quarter finals tomorrow.
Match day against Nicol. I was feeling good. Not stiff after my long 3-2 with Rebecca yesterday. My match was not until 8pm though in the evening because I was playing the number 1 seed. I practiced with Alison in the morning and then stayed down to watch Alison pull off a great win against Rachel Grinham and Jenny Duncalf lose to a sharp looking Natalie Grainger. I had lunch and went back to the hotel to chillout.
At 6pm I went back down to the club and watched Vanessa play Natalie Grinham and then the men's quarter final, Laurens Jan Anjema v Davide Bianchetti which was a long hard match that went 3-1 to Laurens. I went on abit late against Nicol. I had a great warm up but unfortuanately didn't make a great start. Nicol came out fast and I didn't think about what I was doing very well. I feel like i'm learning loads tactically as I get to play the top girls more and more often in these events. I lost the first 11-5 and the second 11-4. A hammering in anyones book. After the second I changed things up a bit and I think it surprised Nicol. She took her foot off the pedal and before I knew it I was playing more attacking and defending better and was 2-2 each 11-9 in the 3rd and 4th games. In the 5th I just wanted to make a good start. That wasn't what happened. I went 6-1 down quickly and after a ball break it was too far to come back. I made a big effort but it was abit late. I went down 11-6. I was really disappointed to lose after coming back and having an opportunity to take a win. I will build and learn from it for the next time we meet.