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 ;)

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