Karlovy Vary Wednesday

I had a day off today from tennis, since it’s a round robin of three players. I will play the second round robin match tomorrow.I did hit for an hour in the morning with Ellen Neumann and Heide Orth and serve. I tried to watch Ellen play but it was absolutely freezing, and sprinkling and so instead I went and sat in the restaurant with Heide and Ludwig and drank hot tea! It feels colder than the summer in San Francisco here.

I did watch last night, both Ellen’s match and Leeanne Scott and the #1 seed in the 55s from Italy. My feet are still cold from that effort. It was raining intermittently during both matches, and not pleasant for the players. I had played earlier on the center court and it was pretty nice weather then. The only issue with that court is that there are huge speakers on the court and they are the ones used for calling players to the courts. Since you can hear the announcements 200 yards or more away you can imagine how they sound right in one’s ear.

At this tournament every match is chaired, mostly by children from the tennis program here. My umpire yesterday was a small 10 year old boy wearing glasses. He did a pretty good job, called the score accurately in English and Czech. He looked younger than 10. My opponent Vera, our chair and me after the match. I won 60 60. Vera did win her round robin match today though, so I think I’m in good shape for tomorrow’s match.

I was supposed to play women’s doubles but I think all the women changed to mixed. Doubles isn’t too popular or well respected anyway in Europe, though mixed is pretty popular.

The players’ party is tonight and I’m going to go, then try and get in more hitting tomorrow. The rain is supposedly finished which is great. When the sun comes out here the scenery is spectacular.