The Travel
Just over two hours flight to Helsinki and a three hours bus trip to Mikkeli is considered a long trip according to European standards. At 6pm I was stubbornly walking to my accommodation in -18 Celcius. Having been here last year, I knew my way around this small town and even though my face felt numb, soon I was at the hotel having a nice hot shower.
Qualifying Draw
An incomplete draw meant I got a bye and had to win only one match to get in the main draw. I drew the Spaniard Alex Garbi Caro in the second match. Alex is a capable and experienced player and I expected him to fight hard - even though he played down his chances when we spoke earlier in the day.
I started the match well - something I have been working on. It seemed like I would cruise to a 3-0 win when I led 7-4 in the third. However, a slight moment of relaxation saw him claw back and get confident. He played well in the end to take the game and get himself back in the match. He carried the momentum forward and won the fourth as well as I struggled to find answers. However, at 3-9 down in the fourth I had already figured out plan B. I kept working at it and closed the gap and even though I lost the fourth, I took the momentum back. The fifth was a grind and I was happy that fitness and my plan saw me through as I held my nerve and stayed composed to win the final game and earn a passage to the main draw.
I wasn't happy with letting him back in the match due to my complacency but happy that fitness saw me through - a good confidence booster. Now, I hope for a good draw and to recover well for tomorrow.
Main Draw
There hasn't been a time where my belief in visualisation was stronger than when the draw came out. I wanted the third name out of the hat to be mine and that's excatly how it was. The draw opened up even more with a withdrawal and now I was to play a lucky loser to be drawn out of the players who lost in the last round of qualification.
Welsh champion Peter Creed would get the spot and be my next opponent. I had played him once, nearly two years ago but he has been playing well and improved a lot lately making his debut in the top 100 this month. It was going to be another tough match but I knew that if I stayed focused like I was in the first two games yesterday I could do well.
That's exactly what I was able to do and contained the tricky Welshman well. At 2-0 up and the score 8-4 in my favour I made a couple of mistakes and let him back in - just like yesterday's match. A slight lapse was all he need and constructed a couple of good rallies to level at 8-8. With yesterday's lesson still fresh in my mind and plenty of energy in the tank, I managed to stay focused, work hard and close out the match 3-0 to go through to the quarter final.
All the matches will be played on the glass court from now. Even though a court set up in a shopping mall sounds nice, it has its disadvantages. The light from the shops challenge the eyes to keep track of the ball. The lower tin will make it even less bouncy. The challenge is to get used to it as much as I can.
But first, a good night's sleep.
The Quarter Final
A frustrating and relatively close three games loss was the result. Got taught a lesson on how to use the glass court to your advantage. Having trained on traditional courts with 19 inches tin, I struggled to cope with the talented Egyptian on the glass with a lower tin. There are things to be learnt as always yet positives to take. Overall, I got what I came here for. I have managed to shift the momentum my way.
The next challenge is to try and switch off mentally in hope of finally getting a good sleep.
The remaining days
I stayed on for a few more days, till the end of the event. We were well looked after and very comfortable. Having Campbell and Cops here meant a good time was guaranteed. Henrik's presence not only added a local flavour but also plenty of laughs through his witty, straight-faced one liners. Answering to my query about Cops' whereabouts at one stage, Henrik unexpectedly replied 'He is brushing the remaining hair on his head'
Apart from supporting Campbell and watching some good matches in a very well set up venue at Stella Mall, we also went ice swimming and met the locals at the tournament function. I reluctantly accepted the organsiers request for a speech on behalf of the players + I am told I managed fine. On the last night, it was the usual order of good catchups, stories and ofcourse some fun games. There were also a few stories born here which I am sure will be heard again another time another place. Overall, an excellent tournament and a great trip to Finland.
Time to get back and get ready for the next one.
World Squash Tour - Behind the scenes
