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The final of the women’s 60 singles was held today in Mallorca. I got up early and never looked outside, so it wasn’t till I started walking toward our warm up court that I learned that it had rained overnight and play was delayed. So we, Erin and I, Wendy Armstrong and Stuart Leslie and others went to do what tennis players are known for…eat. The Beach Club Font de sa Cala where we all stayed included breakfast and dinner in the room rate. The food was very good too. After a while it became clear (as the weather was clearing) that tennis would go on before long. Since I had a 9am match, my match was moved to Na Taconara and we didn’t get a warm up. Na Taconara is an easy walk of about 1/2 kilometer up the street, but is much windier than the Beach Club, since there aren’t buildings around the court. It was very windy at the start. I played Encarnita Gomis-Ruiz in the final. She started well and I didn’t, I was hitting short, but after going down 2/0 I won 12 games in a row and the title. No one asked me if I won after, only if I had won 60 60…no pressure at all (sarcasm alert).  Encarnita has really improved over the last five years; she works hard and plays tons of tournaments and it shows.

I watched Carol Campling from Australia  play in the 65s (she lost, though had a set point in the second set) to a French player, and then watched some of the women’s 55 final, between Katrin Dippner and Laura Di Vittori. Dippner from Germany was involved in marathons all week, as was Di Vittori in her second and third round matches. This one went three sets too, but despite some serving woes, Dippner was the braver of the two and went for her shots in the end while Di Vittori seemed to play not to lose. Dippner won 75 in the third. Dippner has on the striped top below.

In the doubles, the British team which edged us yesterday, went down 41 in the first set to Pam Schulz and Julie David, but rebounded from that slow start to win 75 63.

Ann and Andrew Stanley from California won the 60 mixed.

Michael Beautyman lost in the semis of the men’s 65s.

After watching and the trophy presentation Erin and I drove to Palma with minimal wrong turns, returned the rental car without a problem and then went to the airport. Erin stayed at an airport hotel on the beach while I went to Barcelona for a day. Erin is going to another ITF tournament, this one in the South of France. It was a fun week, the tournament was well run, ran on time, transportation was well done, and the rates were reasonable. The weather was fine and the area is very nice, so I highly recommend it.

There were quite a few Americans in the 55 doubles; Dearth, Ann Stanley, Julie David, Pam Schulz, and me, plus Erin who is from Canada. Julie and Pam took out Ann and her Austrian partner. Dearth, playing with her British sister, took out the #2 seeds. Erin and I won 2 matches on Thursday  to reach the semis but lost today to a British pair who played quite well…we lost 16 64 11-9. Unfortunately, we had to play a match tiebreak which really makes a difference as a team only has to win one set and a tiebreak, a lot different from playing a third set. Nonetheless we had one match point…back to the drawing board on that one. We were hoping for an all-American final as Julie David and Pam Shulz won their match today, but they’ll have to carry the flag for the US in the final.

Erin lost her singles in the semis to the top seed from Italy yesterday; she, De Vittori, plays the German, Dippner (winner of the dramatic match a few days ago) in the final. ; I had the day off yesterday but beat the 4th seed today, Dagmar Panner from Germany 60 60, though we had a few long games and matches. I play the #2 seed, Encarnacion Gomes/Ruiz tomorrow; she held off the #5 seed today 60 57 75; she led 41 in the second before Olga Markova rallied to force a third. Encarnita is ranked #2 in the world so it should be a good final, she fought very hard today and as a Spaniard is at home here.

Michael Beautyman also won 60 60 today to advance to the semis where he takes on Luis Flor, a tough Spaniard.

Below, photos of the #1 seed in the 55s and of Erin.

I finally got to play a match, on Day 3 of the Mallorca Open. I played a pleasant woman from Frankfurt, Germany, Brigitte Kraell. I played pretty well and at 5-0 in the first set she looked at me and told me that I was just “too good” for her. That could be the kiss of death, but I won 60 60 to advance to the quarters against the #8 seed from France, after which Brigitte and I went for a drink together as is the custom in Europe.

I scouted a match after I finished, then went to see how Erin was doing, which was fine, as she had just beaten the #4 seed (Erin being the #5 seed) 62 60. I caught up with Heide Orth, who confused some onlookers (those who weren’t watching any of the points) by using the scoreboard such that it appeared she was up 65 instead of 60 50. A picture will follow of the scoreboards tomorrow so I can explain the issue better.

When Heide finished I watched another match that was full of drama in the third set; a 41 lead come and gone; nerves and frustration, particularly from whomever held the lead; balls slammed into fences, calls questioned by both players,  and in the end some gutsy and successful forays to the net by the eventual victor. Somehow there seems to be more drama in matches here in Europe, but maybe there are just more matches, so by law of averages that happens.

After watching the women’s matches, I watched men’s 40 quarterfinals which were really good matches. The #1 seed was taken to three sets; the #2 seed beat Andrew Moraghan in a tough 63 62 match in which the #2 seed was constantly berating and exhorting himself. He had a massive forehand and an excellent one handed backhand and a good serve. The most interesting match was a Swiss vs a Belgian; the Swiss player was more of a counterpuncher, rope a doping his Belgian opponent. Both were lefties and the Swiss absorbed power well and constantly redirected the ball while seemingly moving very little and using minimal effort, while his Belgian counterpart used a lot of energy to try and get to the ball and finish points. The Swiss had beaten the #4 seed first round 1,0, so was obviously tough and was up a set and 3/2 when I left.

Below, a photo of the pool area: hotel guests, particularly in the summer, reserve these lounges with their towels on them, and lie for hours by the pool! Right now they are mostly empty though as the hotel is full of guests who are too busy playing tennis to lie around.

Erin and I were up just after dawn today for warm up. It was peaceful by the beach, just a few swimmers and a lone sailboat.

Erin and I are below…I wonder who our doubles opponents are going to lob. 😉

I had a default today so didn’t play, but I do play at 9am tomorrow. Unfortunately I booked a practice court at 8:25, since the court times come out about 7pm, but one has to book a practice court around 3pm..anyway, I play a pretty good German player tomorrow so will have to warm up mentally instead of on the court!

Today I watched only two matches but they were both marathons…Jenny Cerff took on the top seed in the women’s 55, Laura Vitorri from Italy, and won the first set 76. The second set was close, 64, and we thought Jenny was ahead 42 when we left, but we obviously read the scorecard incorrectly, (unless the score wasn’t correct onlineJenny lost 62 in the third. It was a 3 hour plus match that started at noon and it was warm and muggy! It was a contrast in styles, Jenny has a big serve and forehand while Laura does damage with her crafty backhand. The more experienced clay court player won in the end.

Erin also had a 3 hour plus match. We (Erin, Marc Pepin from Canada and her daughter Hannah) watched the first set, then left to watch Jenny; when we returned Erin had split sets and she won the match in three sets. Her opponent was a good clay court player, nice forehand, heavy slice backhand and good angles. Erin was the better overall player and once she got her “clay legs”, she pulled out the win. 

There are a few other Americans here. Michael Beautyman won his match. Greg Shepherd got a walkover in singles. Jeff Dearth won in men’s 65. Bruce Barrett also won in men’s 65.

Doubles hasn’t started yet…maybe on Thursday. This tournament, though held in Spain is run by Germans and announcements are made in German, then English, then Spanish and there aren’t a lot of Spanish players in the draw. It’s a truly international tournament. It’s run well.. practice courts are booked via a computer and only players registered in the tournament can sign up for their 25 minute session each day, four players to a court. There are four venues used and transport to each venue is available, other than the one within easy walking distance. There are events many evenings for the players and nice player gifts and good prize money for winners and finalists at a minimum. And it’s in a nice location.

Meanwhile, draws are here.

Today started pretty early with an 8am practice, and then checked in where we received polo shirts and towels as player gifts, very nice. We then had a nice breakfast. That was a good thing because we next went to another club, Son Besso, a few miles away and had a good 2 hour practice, Erin Boynton, my doubles partner this week and her daughter Hannah, a member of the Williams D3 varsity team (which won the D3 title in 2015). Son Besso is away from the sea a bit but is up high enough so we could see the Mediterranean while we had lunch. The weather was perfect, sunny and warm but not humid or hot.

After checking in at our new hotel, we went to the Cuevas de Arta. They are full of stalagmites and stalactites and are really impressive. Some caves are over 40 meters high. The drive there was pretty and the cliffs are amazing, steep and craggy.

I got a default in my first round match, so don’t play tomorrow, but Erin does. I play a German in the next round.

The news of the day is that I managed to find the rental car location, and then, once I’d renewed my contract, I found the airport (where I was picking up Erin Boynton and her daughter Hannah; Erin and I are playing doubles this week) and then found the way to Font de sa Cala, on the opposite end of the Island all pretty much without getting lost! So that counts as a good day.

In the late morning/early afternoon, I finally went inside the Palma Church and Castle. The church is lovely inside, especially the organ, the stained glass windows and the ceilings.

The castle had some interesting ceilings all of which were very high. It’s situated right next to the cathedral. It must get cold here in the winter…one room had three fireplaces!

After going to the museum, I walked around the park to get a good view of the castle and park, then it was off the aforementioned driving adventure.

We are now in Font de sa Cala and planning on an early morning hit. I ran into a group of Americans including Julie David and Pam.

Buenos Noches.