Today, Wednesday, I played my first round match in Baden Baden. I warmed up well with Carole DeBruin again. We got to the courts at 10 just as it started raining. So we started hitting as soon as it stopped on a fairly soggy court (on one end). We got in a great warm up though, using one up one back and then as the court dried advancing to full court play. As I was leaving, another player, Margreth Beyer, asked me if I also played at Singheim. My answer was what???? Apparently the venue for the women’s 60s and some other women’s matches changed from Baden Baden to another club in another city! (Thank you Margaret!). It absolutely poured at my apartment around 12:30 but when I called the club, they said there was no delay. So off I went to get the shuttle. I ran into Lyn Mortimer, the top seed here and asked her if she also played at Singheim. She knew nothing about the venue change either, so we took the same shuttle and went off the the new venue. The courts there were quite good, five courts in a rural setting, complete with locker rooms and a clubhouse where players could get tea or coffee (de riguer in Europe I think).

As I strated playing against Gunda Jacks the skies looked pretty threatening. We didn’t waste much time warming up or sitting between points and I won 60 60.  Gunda is a pretty good player, has won some Grade 4 tournaments and got a lot of balls back at times so we had some good rallies. It was pretty windy and started sprinkling just was we finished. We swept the court, brushed the lines and I was back in Baden Baden two hours after I left it.

Tomorrow I play my friend Margreth Beyer, a very nice player & person and it should be a good match.

Draws here: http://www.itftennis.com/seniors/tournaments/tournament/info.aspx?tournamentid=1100038588

Photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/ppQJmr1VSydtATEB7