Blankenese Tournament!

Today I played in a tournament in which Blankenese is the host site. I am playing in the Women's Division, kinda like the open division back home. There are also 12's, 14's, and 16's (no 18's, they grow up faster here and are herded into the adult divison). The club has it's own restaurant that is a separate building in itself but it is joined to three indoor carpet courts. Most people sit outside to eat and enjoy the courtside view and today I went in the restuarant, Da Giovanni (?) and looked at the last court. The lights were off but sunlight shone through windows. I saw tons of tennis bags and people just sitting and some walking around and my first thoughts were accurate: some groups of kids bring sleeping bags and pillows to sleep on the court to save travel $. I don't think we'd find that in America...It is a good idea since we are in an expensive location. (The girls said the hotels were pricey around here.)

My first match was at 10:00 and honestly I was a little nervous. She was a 31 year old German woman that actually teaches here at this club. The first match jitters just don't go away no matter where I am or what is one the line. After her first groundstroke, a forehand, in the warm-up I knew I could handle her. Although I lost the first game I won 6-2, 6-1. I moved her around a lot and practiced all my shots: lobs, volleys, dropshots, slices, high top spin...It was really fun! My next match was scheduled for 4:00 but I decided to stay at the courts all day and munch on my pbj while I watched Johanna (the 15 year old sister) with Mrs. Spincke. Mrs. Spincke is such a hoot. I can't really describe her but she is always laughing, saying her opinion, telling someone what to do, stirring up something good in the kitchen or practicing her English with me. She is light hearted and tonight at a party (I saved this as a draft and have now returned) I passed her on the way to go to the bathroom and she just laughs and says, "Cook-ooo!' like I am crazy or something! haha We have a lot of fun and she has made me feel incredibly at home.

I continued to wait around, watching some matches and just enjoying the beautiful weather of prob about 75 degrees. The time quickly passed and I was playing this girl that I had noticed all day because she has, "the look." She walks really confidently and has a strong presence. Well, I tried to strut out to the court with her and I guess I did a good job of showing my stuff too because I won the first set 6-3. Halmuth (Claudia's father) and her mother were up on this balcony thing watching and that really helped. I guess I am pretty vain to play better when people are watching...oh well, it worked! After my first set finished she took a bathroom break and Claudia was warming up right next to me to start her match. Inni (the Russian girl I was playing) pretty much just walked over me in the second set, 6-1. I remember getting frustrated because my accuracy was so inconsistent and just kinda stupid. I was making dumb mistakes and getting pushed around like the runt in a puppy litter. After that episode, I took the bathroom break to redo my hair and marched out to the court. About 20 minutes later I was down 4-1, then 5-2 and was really upset with myself although noone knew expect my head. I was serving on the good side where the sun wasn't right in the ball toss path and was down 0-40. (OK, I am almost positive it was 0-40, it was atleast 0-30 but the other way makes a better story.) Somehow I scraped that first match point out of the way, then the second, then the third and was content when it got back to deuce. Yay! I was back in the game! Then I won the game, broke to make it 4-5, held serve again and should have been up 6-5 but she held. We switched sides again and I remember finishing my water bottle (they don't drink the tap here) but then I was like, 'Well, next time I sit down it'll be over anyway!' I pushed her to a tiebreak and at that point I was pretty sure I was going to take her since I had a lot more momentum. I got off to a good start in the tiebreak and won 6-2! Yippee kai yai yay!

There was actually a good crowd because they put the adult divisions on the center court right outside the restaurant and under the balcony thing and I had the Spincke's cheering for me and this really sweet lady who only speaks German so we just smile at each other, and then smile again, and then nod, then tilt our heads at one another, and then wave. She organizes our team stuff for the season. She was clapping for me, too. The atmosphere seemed sorta sophisticated because they recognized good points and only clapped and cheered on key moments. There were probably about 100 people or so watching total and it made for a very unique memory for me. A lot of the kids just hang around at the tournament site and were sitting along the ledge next to the other side of the court. As my mom would say, "Small town America" meaning the kids are just outside and content and love tennis. Anyways, I really wish I had some of it on camera but I will take a pic tomorrow so you can understand. I am trying to upload pics to my blog but of course the computer stuff is in German so I don't have a prayer. Oh yea, the iceing on the cake! The girl I played was the number 2 seed and I didn't know that until after the match. The burnt part of the cake is that I play Claudia tomorrow in the quarters. Oh well, that's part of it. We don't play 'til 1:00 so we are going to church in the morning beforehand.
I was really excited to have this win. I can't remember my last win over a good player in a hard three set match. It is a very good feeling.

I am tired. Much Love! And if you read this on Sunday, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, Mama!!!!!!!!!! and Amy! and Grandma! and Rhonda! and soon Emily!