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.