Santa Clara NTRP

Round 1: Win, v Michael Maldonado, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3

This match started out with plenty of unforced errors. My opponent was playing smart tennis, keeping the ball in play by hitting with depth and margin over the net. I played aggressively but often choosing the wrong shot. I knew that my ability to stay in points was under my control so decide to play more percentage shots in the 2nd set.

The tactic payed off. I hit fewer errors and my opponent started feeling more pressure and making more errors of his own. My serve was solid but conversely, I was getting gifts on his serve and took the match to him for a 3rd set.

At the start of the 3rd set I started feeling hungry and tired. I was relying on my gu and cliff bars but knew it was too late. Cramps started in my right wrist and I very laboured between points. I was making my shots count and stopped running balls down if I played a poor point. I was stepped up when I had break chances and converted early to close out the match.

Round 2: Win, v Ji Zhang, 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-2

After the physical battle in round one, to come back a couple of hours later for another match was a tough ask. I really didn't fuel properly during the first match and was struggling for round 2. I didn't have time to leave and get real food so I was back on the gu and cliff bars. I ate a lot and drank plenty of fluids, but at the start of the match, I started to get indigestion. Not a good sign.

My opponent played with lots of spin and got the ball in play well. The points were long and tiring - this was going to be a tough match. There were no breaks in the first set and we headed to a tie break. There were some tight points early doors but I raced out to a 4-1 lead only to gift a few points back. We traded points again until I arrived at match point serving at 6-5. A lose point gave away the advantage. I hung in on the next point and took one point from my opponent on his serve before closing out the set.

The 2nd set was another tight affair but I was trying hard to close out in straight sets as I didn't fancy my chances in a 3rd set. I was getting very tired and was taking the maximum time between points. My stomach was hurting - I didn't know if I wanted to burp or puke. At 4-4 I played a lose game to hand the advantage to my opponent who closed out with a solid service game.

The 3rd set was going to be a challenge but I wasn't yet ready to concede. I tried to keep the points short and made my opponent but in some running which seemed to be working - I was getting some errors and winning enough cheap points to get an early break. Hi legs started getting heavy and lost a lot of footwork - I could smell victory and focused on keeping him running and playing aggressive. I had cramp problems again in my right wrist but managed to close out the set comfortably.

Round 3: Win, v Scott Lam, 6-1, 6-1

This was one of my best matches. I was hitting great 1st serves and keeping a really high %. My opponent was hitting hard and flat but making lots of errors - most going long. I was killing his returns if he missed his 1st serve so he started going for too much on the 2nd gifting me a lot of double faults. The first set was almost over in 20mins, I was serving at 5-0 to close out the bagel. I threw in a double fault and hit a forehand long to hand him a life line. He went after his next shot and I was down 3 break points. Another double fault handed him the game. I brushed off the previous game and went back to my tactics on the return. I got the break and went into the 2nd set with some confidence.

I started the 2nd set thinking it was going to be a walk in the park and again, through in a double and an early error to hand over a break. I re-focused and went back to playing each point and neglected the score. I started racking up winners again and forced the errors. I cruised through the games closing out in just over an hour.

Quarter Final: Loss, v Hien Jimmy Nguyen, 6-1, 6-2

Playing the #1 seed and it was obvious this guy had game. He was killing me early with his kick serve - I didn't know whether to stand inside the baseline or step back and take a cut. I was giving away cheap points everytime he served and didn't get close to breaking in the first set. I was struggling with 1st serves - making very few but hitting good 2nd sevres. He was getting most of my serves back in play and was too consistent with the ground strokes. I stayed calm and thought I was in each game. I was starting to get looks on his serve and managed a break in the 2nd set but it was too little too late.