It was another beautiful day here today, actually a “California” day…which makes sense, both have Mediterranean climates.

The warm up courts are available only from 8 to 8:25 and 8:25 to 8:50 am, so I hit at 8:25 even though I didn’t play till high noon. I warmed up with Lesley O’Halloran from, you guessed it, Ireland, a really good player with a big lefty serve. After hitting against her ball, the ball most of the 55s hit doesn’t seem so difficult.

I played a German player, Heike Tuerk-Fischer from central Germany. She was also at the Ottersweier tournament I played earlier this year. That tournament is popular because it’s held on a 3 day weekend and allows the younger players to compete without missing work.

I won 62 60, she hit a lot of high topspin forehands and slice backhands, but I managed to do it a bit better than she did. I play Margreth Beyer, a good player from Germany, who plays on the German Cup team. She had a topsy-turvy match against Christian Derykre from Belgium…61 46 60. It was an upset on paper, since Christian was seeded 5th.  I played both of them earlier this summer in Germany, but this is a completely different setting, weather, court.

In the 55s, four of the eight seeds lost today including the 3rd seed, Encarnation Gomez, who was upset by Ann Brown. The 1, 2, 4 and 6 seeds moved on to the quarters.

Among the Americans, Greg Shepard went out in three sets to the hard serving Aussie, Ray Bray; Hugh Thomson prevailed after winning the first set 76, then won the second 62. I saw a bit of the match, he hit about 5 dropshots in the first game alone; Michael Beautyman advanced easily, dropping a game and George Sarantos won 75 61. The doubles started today but Lyn Mortimer and I had a bye, we are the top seeds in the 55s. Beautyman and Thomson are the top seeds in the 65s. Pam Schultz paired up with a German and Shepard played with Sarantos in the 60s. Draws for the doubles aren’t posted online for some reason yet. Heide Orth, who plays many of the US tournaments is playing in the 65 singles and 60 doubles. She advanced easily today.

There are four sites for this event, so players are scattered.

I watched a bit of men’s doubles. The German style of doubles is interesting, the net man stands almost on top of the net, and the server may or may not come up to the net. The server did serve and volley in the game I watched and absolutely nailed his opponent with a high volley…ouch. Overall it’s a very different style from American doubles.

Here is the link to the draws: http://www.mallorca-seniors.de/results/2011/index.htm