Don't Panic, Yet.

Published: 08 Jun 2006 - 10:48 by raystrach

Updated: 08 Jun 2006 - 10:48

Subscribers: Log in to subscribe to this post.

My match tonite was a chance to gauge my real form since being back from holidays. Playing against a player who I have been beating in recent times would be a good yard stick. On this occasion I came up short.

The pleasing aspect is that my fitness or otherwise did not hinder me although my movement, especially to the front of the court, is a little laboured. Apart from that, there was no stage that I felt exhausted, although being a cold night, long rallies were the exception rather than the rule.

My biggest dissapointment is my lack of ability to get the ball consistantly deep. until late in the second, my lobs were too low and my drives too short. this allowed him to camp on the T and volley to his heart's content.

I made a concerted effort to get the ball higher and that paid dividends, winning the third and fourth. He doesn't like the slower pace so that was effective. when I did no quite get them high, wide or deep enough, he often came up with an error. I was playing some reasonale attacking shots when I got the opportunity.

In the fifth, I lost my way just a little, reverting back to trying to hit too many winners at the wrong time and being a little negative when I had the opportunity. This eased the pressure off him just enough to gain a bit of momentum and sneak the fifth 10 - 8. Although disappointed, I can take some positives out of the match and confdence that I will return to some reasonable form pretty soon