So the French Open ended early on a delayed quarterfinal day…so I’m writing without that distraction! Who will reach the final: Konta vs Vondrousova; Anisimova vs Barty; Fed vs Rafa; Thiem vs Djokokovic?
Onto the tennis at the Werzer Cup in Poertschach am Worthersee, Austria.
I played my first round match today. I had a good warm up with Laura DiVittori from Italy, who plays in the women’s 55. I played Shirley Friedl who is a good player from Austria (lives in France too). However I won 60 60 in under an hour because she has a bad back, a stress fracture in her right foot and also a partially torn plantar in the same foot. It was nice of her to give me a match (and she won one yesterday), but I hope she heals up soon.
Speaking of injuries…Luisa Gouveia hurt her right arm (she’s a righty with a one-handed backhand)…falling off a hover board while trying to jump (hmmm), so is playing lefty this week and her forehand looks good…she won a match yesterday, but lamented her lack of a serve and volley left handed! She did lose today however.
Karl Placek from San Diego played the #2 seed today in men’s 75, Johannes Muehlenburg from Austria. Placek won the first set, lost the second and it looked bad for him when he went 41 down in the third. Muehlenburg had several points to go up 52, but Karl saved a big one by hitting a behind his back lob over Muehlenburg for a winner. He was in control from then on, even if he didn’t got to net as often as his doubles partner Dave Van Den Berg wanted him to (which was every point). He’s in the semis now.
Karl Placek after a 3+ hour win today
King Van Nostrand won today in the 85s over Adrian Alle to advance to the final against his doubles partner, Herbert Althaus. Althaus is always smiling, talking, really a nice guy and a good player…my money is on King though.
Adrian Alle left, King Van Nostrand, right
Bruce Barrett, USA fell to his doubles partner from GBR, Chris Ornstein and they were having a tough time in doubles when I left, playing Velasquez and Hoefling.
In doubles, Ellen Neumann and I have to play in the 50s and are in the semis (5 teams). So that will be a challenge, but hopefully a fun one.