Absoluto Gimeno

First Open tournament of the year kick-started with the cash-prize tournament held at the Gimeno Tennis Academy---the Absoluto Gimeno Open.  It was 5 minutes by drive away from the Academy, and my match was scheduled at 12.30pm.  I had morning practice as per normal, strung up a racquet, packed food, my bag, and headed for competition.

I lost my match 1-6 1-6 to one of the best U-16 players in Catalunya---the region that encapsulates Barcelona.  I don't think I played badly.  I reached certain goals I had chart out for myself---and was surprised at the relative ease at which my strokes flowed.  I kept my calm and stayed positive throughout the entire match.  Balls were pacey, the outward kick serve I've been working on worked 60% well (good stat for a start), and every time I got into the right position to hit the ball, she either had trouble answering---or had no answer at all.

Still there were lots of areas for improvement.  Obviously, I need to learn how to get into position more!  Hahaha.  I realised I wasn't reading her body enough.  In my quest to stay calm (#1 priority my new tutor Fernando Boldo set me)---I forgot to "think" about the other things.  How is her body moving? Read the shot.  Read the shot.  Read the shot.  Anticipate.  In the end, I was always reacting 1 second too late.  Too much time lost.

This time, walking off court--that familiar bitter/disappointed/despairing feeling was absent.  As pensive as I still was, the main thoughts running through my head were 1) I can beat her. 2)  I need to play more matches.  3)  Combining it feels so different.  Yes.  As I mumbled to Fernando in Spanish after----"Jugar tenis y jugar tourneo es totalmente diferente, tio."

Certainly.  Playing tennis and playing tournaments are different games altogether.

Ice
It was so cold this morning, ice laced the corners of the courts.  It crept by the lines and scattered itself across the clay.  Small, white icicles, like troops, crawling in, quietly conquering.  We winced.  Braced our naked hands---and played on.

My 2010 in FB Statuses

It's a given that most of us post what we think on FB.  But it's even more startling when you get an app that shows your most-used words for the year. 

This time, what we post of Facebook reveals then, a certain type of deeper, stronger truth.  These patterns of speech speak of our thoughts.  From a deeper level, they show the stories that we tell--yes, of others--but really, more of ourselves.

I thank God He's really been the centre of my 2010.

Up, up and onwards.  I can't wait to see how 2011 will turn out :)