Thursday was quarterfinal day in most events. I played Caroline Glaszmann from France. She played #1 on the bronze medal winning French Marble Cup team. She’s a lefty with a 2-handed backhand. She started slowly against me…I think she was a bit tired but at 60 30 she woke up and from then on it was a dog fight…she attacked more and played quite differently and moved better. I was lucky to win the second set 64 and advance to the semis. Meanwhile my doubles partner this week, Lynn Mortimer (Australia) was playing top seeded Nora Blom (Netherlands). Lynn prevailed in three well played sets. Tina won in just under an hour 61 60 against Margreth Beyer of Germany. The fourth quarter pitted Sherri Bronson’s victor, Susanna Schweda, Germany against #3 seed Encarnacion Gomez of Spain. Schweda won in three sets and then defaulted to me in the semis because of a hand injury, arthritis in her thumb. So I am through to the final which will be played on Sunday.
Lynn and I played the semis of the doubles too, against Tina and Nora. We started slowly, going 41 down before winning 75 61. Lynn played brilliantly and I was steady, which worked well. We play a South African pair in the final on Saturday; they took out Margret and Jutta Boekmann from Germany in a match tiebreak.
In women’s 50s, Fran Chandler won over Lisa Prechtel and Gretchen Magers took out Ingrid Gutmann Resch, a former world champion in three sets, so both are in the semis, played tomorrow.
In men’s 50s doubles, Polo Cowan/Daniel Grossman lost in the quarters.
In the 55s, Susan Wright had a marathon with last year’s World Champion and World #1, Chris French. She started slowly, going down 51; fought back to split sets and go up 41 in the third and had a match point before losing 76 in the third. Kathy Vick took out the #3 seed, Vittori from Italy 62 61 and plays French next.
Jack and Diane Barker are in the 55 mixed semis but have a tough semi against Barbara Koutna and Pierre Godfroid.
Val Wilder advanced in three sets over Godfroid and Mike Tammen also reached the semis; Mike Fedderly lost to Glenn Busby, the top seed. Fedderly and Tammen are in the doubles semis; they play the Aussie pair which too out the top seeds a few days ago.
In men’s 60s, Danny Waldman had a marathon, three hour plus match against Wayne Cowley, the #5 seed before prevailing; he plays the top seed, from Brazil, Roger Guedes tomorrow. Paul French, Chris’ husband, who was too sick to play the Cup last week, too out #2 seeded Andrew Rae 60 in the third today. That was a long match too. Waldman and Sal Castillo took out the top seeds 62 61 today. They are in the semis tomorrow.
So I have an off day tomorrow and am going to practice a bit and warm up Fran and Lynn and watch Lynn and Tina play.