2nd Kean tour win

In this period of finishing up my studies and getting in as much training as possible, I signed up for a smaller local tournament in Hoofddorp at Meersquash. There is no money or PSA points in this tour but it is good for training,  matches and experience. Playing 3-4 matches per day is also something tough that can be good to do from time to time to just exhaust your body.
I am still working hard on my technique, and this tournament held a descent level for me to work on it while I still needed to focus 100%.
In my first match i played Urbano Farro, a descent Dutch player with good reach and good shots. I was struggling a bit during this match, but was able to pul through 3-1. As I was first seed, it was expected for me to end up in the final. I was given a bye (wo) in the first round, so Urbano was my second round match.
In the semi final I played my good friend Thomas de Paauw who has been struggling with injuries the latest years. Focus was better and the first 2 games went really well. In the third game I lost focus and dicipline and had to let it go. I am glad I was able to re-focus and take the last game after some brutal rallies. Quite content with this match all in all.

In the final I played Marc ter Sluis who also pulled through 3-1 in a slightly longer semi final. He is fresh out of juniors, and is training well at the moment. I lost to him 1-3 in league the same week, so I was keen to avenge myself. The first game started of tense from my side with little variation in pace, play and with too many crosscourts. That game was given away 5-11 or something similar.
The second game went better and was decided in a long tie-break 14-12 for me.
The third game was also a tight affair that Marc won. At this point the game started to get really physically heavy for both of us, and i could also sense this in my opponent. The next game I played really well, more patient, closed down the court better and went forward at the right moment. Scoreline something like 11-2.

Marc was not ready to give up and he really gave a big push in the 5th game. We both kept on running, and there were some gruelling rallies  in the 90 minute match. I felt strong and I picked up most attacks he came up with. My shots went in well towards the end, and after 4-4, I pulled away, took the game and match.

Tough one, but good training, a really good final, and my second Kean tour win....out of 2 ;)

Look in the right side menu for article from squashlife.nl

Victoria Rotterdam v Flevoparq Dronten 11/01-2012

The first battle in Dutch Eredivisie for our team in 2012 was away against Victoria Rotterdam, last years playoff finalists. I was put on the number 1 spot to take on world number 7 Peter Barker. His record speaks for itself, and I knew that this would be a close to impossible task. But I still go on there with a do or die attitude, a set gameplan and my goals for the match. It was twice as hard considering this was week 2 after the holidays for me. Peter Barker just came back from playing the Super Series play offs in London.

The first game was defined by the lack of length from my side. Although I have taken major steps in this area, it needs to be even more precise, and consistent against these guys. Some tactical blunders from my side saw me at the wrong end of the scoreboard and Pete read what I had to come with to easily and put me under a lot of pressure both offensively and defensively. Positive points is that I made my own points, and did little amounts of errors. He did 1 personal error. I took 1 stroke and the remaining points I got myself. First game 3-11.

In the second game his tactic was clear and it worked. I can learn a lot from this. He worked me around the court with precise balls to the back until my legs were tagliatelle and then he moved the ball in short where I could not reach it. I still made some weird decisions, but the game got progressively better. Gamescore 2-11. Memo to self: No need to go in short too early against anyone, ESPECALLY not the world no7

Third game: There was not enough oxygen on the planet for me to get into my lungs. The legs were fine but he got me breathing too hard for me to keep up with the pace. A positive point is that I tactically played a lot better and played some good floaters up and down the walls. It was far from enough, and the game ended 

1-11.

I dont think I made (That big of) a fool out of myself. I certainly learned a lot and will put this experience in my backpack of knowledge that will help me progress further.

Thanks to Fredrik Holmberg for support ;)

Now lets see if I can upload a video...hmmmmm