Daws are here.

A bit about the tournament. It’s an ITF MT 1000 event and this year there are nearly 800 players playing over eight days. Due to curfew restrictions, the tournament added two days to the event this year (causing the overlap with Mont Tremblant). The club is long and narrow, fit in between rows of high rise buildings and bordered by streets and the Pacific Ocean. It has 10 red clay tennis courts, some squash courts, a pool, gym and various restaurants.

During the tournament each court has an umpire and a ball person! And the players don’t have to groom their courts after play. Or before play!

In addition to the Terrazas club, the tournament is using seven courts at Club Promotor (which I believe is all of them), down by the promenade overlooking the ocean. I walked by there today adn though the nets were interesting…they don’t attach at the bottom to the court.

I took a racquet to get strung today. Stringing is inexpensive…20 Soles or just over $5 for labor…but strings and grips are expensive, 200 soles for a set of Wilson multifilament! So bring your own string but string it here.

After dropping off the racquet, Toni and I went back to the grocery store and I found some vegetables, fruit and half a cooked chicken…there are big delis devoted to cheese and ham in every store, and lots of potatoes and grains (lots of quinoa). And of course the bagged milk.

I then had lunch and walked along the promenade overlooking the Pacific. This year the weather is cold and damp…sort of like “May Gray” in San Diego (or December), but it’s not rainy. Good playing weather.

I walked through “El Parque del Amor” or Lovers’ Park, and “El Parque Chino” or Chinese Park, and past the Promentor Courts before walking back to the club, picking up my racquet and heading back to the stairs.

Tomorrow I have a 6:30 am hit…the only time courts are available here.