Today we..Women’s 65s…were back at Tennis Son Besso where we played the Kitty Godfree Cup. The courts keep getting better there…the first time I practiced on them they were dry and had too much clay but now they are pretty much perfect.
I played Karien Theeuwes, one of my German teammates (though she is Dutch), and though we had some great rallies (in one Karien ran me side to side, up and back, finally hitting a good drop shot which I just barely got back…only to see her reach it and lob it just out of reach!) I won though in straight sets in about 70 minutes (not including warm up).
Susan Wright beat Katrin Dippner from Germany; and Bunnie Jackson fell to Ros Balodis from Australia.
There were some long matches too in the W65s…Betty Michel, France, had to go three sets to beat Spaniard Carmen Chillida and the longest was Gundi Weiland who has become a real marathon player, who outlasted Africa Sanches 67 63 60 in well over three hours!
Bunnie and I beat the British pairing of Jenny Chin/Diana (Dee) Smith 2,1 on a breezy afternoon. Susan and Pat Medrado won easily. Then we watched Jenny Cerff (RSA) and Tracey Thompson (USA) play Sylvie Primault (FRA) and Lyn Robinson (AUS)…four continents on one court! It was a good match with lots of ebbs and flows…but the French/Aussie pairing won.
We also were watching a men’s 65 doubles match, which was literally a knockdown match..Ros Person’s partner who plays for Sweden Mats Ljungman (lives in USA) was hit twice..took one on the chin and one in a more private part, but kept on attacking the net against Glenn Busby and Austrian Michael Maldoner.
In mixed Tracey Thompson/Tim Wright had a very good match with Leanne Scott/Michael Ford the 10th seeds, losing 62 75. Carolyn Lane/Steve Dance won 0,3 and Jenny Cerff is playing her mixed matc
It sounds like a busy and competitive day at Tennis Son Besso for the Women’s 65s! It’s great to hear that the courts have improved over time. The matches seem intense, with some impressive rallies. It must have been quite a challenge for Karien to run you around the court like that.