I finally got to play singles and doubles today and ended up 1 for 2 on the day. Won my doubles 6-4 7-5 and lost my singles 7-6(4) 6-3. In singles one break of serve cost me the match. I played well, I was going for my shots, but my opponent (the 6th seed Martina Borecka - CZE) won the key points in the match. Looking back on the match I don't feel I played bad but I think I was the decider of who was going to win or not. She didn't play me off the court. She had a great serve and steady ground strokes. It was a match were I blinked first.
The 1st game of the match I served and it went about 10 deuce points. I came out a bit anxious but calmed down and was able to pull out the game. My opponent's service game was another couple of deuce points but she hit some well placed 1st serves to hold. Then the next few games we each held easily. Both hitting big serves, deep in the box, and well placed to get a short return and the next shot was put away. We both held up until 6-5 my opponent serving and I had played a good game, getting to the net often and finally I got a set point, but again my opponent hit a big out wide serve and I missed the return in the net. And that hurts because on those points you need to make your opponent play. The opponent might miss the next ball if you get it over. And in my case I didn't do that. So in those points you need to get it back and in the court. It doesn't matter how you do it, you just have to make them play. So I ended up losing the game and we were headed for a tie breaker. I start serving and hit a body serve right into her left hip but some how she hit it late for an angle winner. (Off to a good start.) Next point she wins. Down 2-0. Next point I hit a big forehand winner down the line after a cross court exchange. Down 2-1. The next few points I don't remember but it went like this, 2-2, 3-2 down, 4-2, 4-3, 5-3, 5-4. At this time she was serving and I know that I needed to win at least 1 point to try and stay in the set. But it's so much easier said than done. But at 5-4 down I ended up getting her on the run to her forehand side, I get into the net as she hits a floater to my forehand volley and what do I do? I botch the volley wide. Had the whole court and didn't hit the outside of the ball. Missed it by 2 inches. Her set point we had about a 10 ball rally. I got pulled out wide to my right, made a good running forehand cross court, she hits it down the line to my backhand and I slice it back deep up the middle, and she pulls me back to the forehand side and miss the next running forehand deep. Set done and over. Looking back on the set both of us saved about 15 break points and both of us had a set point. The only clear difference is my opponent won her set point. Plain and simple.
The next set my opponent starts serving 1st and holds easily. My next service game I get broken. I played a few bad points and rushed them. I didn't plan my points out. I tried to hit a big serve and follow it up with the winner, and that doesn't happen too often. I should have taken my time and really plan what I wanted to do in the point. But after that game, now down a break it is difficult to get it back indoors against an opponent who is serving well. It's like standing at the bottom of Mt. Everest looking up. The gray clouds halfway up with the hawks circling high above and you're at the bottom need to get to 28 thousand feet (that's how I see it). It's not impossible it is just difficult. But the next game I had a chance to break back but missed my backhand slice approach deep. So now down 3-0. Then I held to 3-1. She holds to 4-1. Now I'm thinking I really need to make some thing happen to get a break back but I couldn't. The closest I got was a few deuce points at 4-2 and 5-3 but never a chance on my Ad.
So I'm happy with the way I played. I serve well, I hit big forehands and I got to the net plenty of times. She just protected her service games better than me. I wish I could have returned better but can't really do anything about it now. So there are things to work on (forehand volley and running forehands) but there should always be after matches. Now I have another chance next week to see if I can make those improvements.
In doubles it was a pretty good match. We got up in the first set quickly 4-1 then found ourselves tied at 4-4 until we held and broke to win the set. But our opponents were pretty good. One girl was a lefty so her slice serve out wide got me a bit, and the other opponent just hit the ball as hard and flat as she could. But the second set wasn't too exciting it was just holding serve until the end at 6-5 when we broke. But one thing that did happen was the lefty ended up hitting her partner who was standing at the net with her serve, and it sounded like it hurt. The girl pretty much crumpled to the ground almost in tears she got hit in the back so hard. I was in shock until I saw her partner laughing in back of her and saying "I'm not laughing at you! I'm so sorry" so I was giggling. I had to try and compose myself in the back of the court. After a couple of minutes we were about to continue the point with a 2nd serve but the one girl couldn't stop laughing. So the girl who got hit set up again at net and I guess saw smiles on our faces and put her racket down and said "Oh is it funny that I got hit? Go ahead and laugh. Get it out" I was shocked. I really wasn't laughing at her at all because I've gotten hit with plenty of overheads to the back and it hurts. I haven't fallen to the ground crying but it stings. I was really just laughing at her partner trying to say sorry with a straight face. But that was all the excitement for the day. We play doubles again tomorrow. Hopefully we'll do well.
No comments:
Post a Comment