We had the Gala Dinner last night, a nice buffet dinner, preceded by champagne and Schnapps..wine on the tables, but we had to request water. It started at about 8 for cocktails, 8:30 for dinner…dancing was starting about 10 when we left, as I needed to find out when I played and nothing was posted at the dinner, though a schedule was promised. The schedule was posted at the Club where a men’s 70s match had just concluded at 10pm, and the referee was still on site. I was scheduled for 9am at the top club, the one with a great view.

Today we were driven up the mountain only to find out that the tournament had failed to reserve those courts (which were fully scheduled for matches today)…back down the mountain to the main club in Opatija, where we were fit in at about 3pm…however there were 2 courts free at 9:30…I asked the referee…can we play now, we are here, no one is on the courts. He agreed and so we played and I beat a Serbian player 60 60…nice lady, only has been playing tennis for 6 years, but a decent player, good athlete and a former basketball player.

Our mixed was also scheduled for up on the mountain…now it’s scheduled not before 5pm…probably will be closer to dusk (7:30 or so) I think…one 10am match was just starting at noon. The loss of 2 of 9 courts is bound to put them behind schedule.

Very sunny and warm here today and the Adriatic is sparkling. It is a very relaxed atmosphere other than the fact that the tournament is being run in an incoherent fashion! Apparently one woman took vacation this year during the tournament and it’s thrown things off.

All for now.