Day 0:
After 90 euros in Taxi bills because Island people can not speak English I arrive at my luxury appartment on the south side of Tenerife. Here I get my tan on by the pool, relax, sleep eat well and prepare for the tournament that starts tomorrow. I am 4th seed in the qualifying and I am playing a local player in my first match in qualifying. Preperation has not been 100% as I had some training arrangements that cancelled on me and I did not get a practice court when I arrived. But maybe a few extra days off will do me some good. Time will show. This will also be my first tournament with my new rackets Dunlop Biomimetic ultimate.
Day 1: After waiting 2 hours for a bus that does not arrive, I finally cross the island from south to north. In Santa Cruz another 30 minutes pass, and after some confusion as I do not speak a word Spanish, I take a chance and jump off the bus and locate the squash/swimming hall from google maps. I have a little hit and get a feel for the courts before I have 2 lunches of the local cuisine. Will begin my warm up in about 60 minutes, to take on the locals ;) I stay at the players hotel in Santa Cruz until my departure on the 20th of December.
Day 2:
Relaxing in the hotel after a nice breakfast on the top floor of our hotel with a terrific view. The player hotel is really nice and straight in the middle of centrum about 15 min. walk from the squash centre.
I won my match yesterday 3-0, playing the hardest hitter in Spain. It was not too big of a challenge and a good test in my first match. I could not ease through, as I had to step it up and move the ball well around the court to get my points. My length did not work too well, but I still kept it to the back and waited for the attack. With 2 personal errors in 3 games, I was pleased with this. I was 2-7 down in the last game before I stepped it up and took it 11-9. This was all about concentration, and I know now what to do in todays match against James Simpson from England. I do not know him or how he play but I know myself, and I will try my best to impose my game on him. This is this years most important match for me, so I am really looking forward to performing well in this one. Wish me luck ;)
Day 4:
Returning to the hotelroom after being on the beach and moping a whole day :P
Disappointed in losing my qualifying finals 1-3 yesterday. In a way its all fair, since I played close to my level, and I see improvement in a lot of things, but my game is not there at the moment. My opponent played well, and hit his targets so I cant take nothing away from him. The disappointment lies in not making the main draw for the ranking points that I really need, but I can not do anything but train now and return better next year. Now: punishment training and enjoying Tenerife. Then: Holiday in Norway which means training camp in my mums gym ;)
For more information comments and photos, see :http://www.squashsite.co.uk/2009/canaryislands2011.htm
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