I am looking back at a special week. The last active days of our coach Gerben Bruijstens, the bad news about the halted contribution of the Dutch Olympic Committee, a TV recording, a radio interview and also the last tournament of 2012, the Carlton Irish Open.
For 3½ years my partners and I have worked with Gerben and as in every cooperation we had ups and downs, but a positive feeling predominates. I am glad that Samantha and I and 2 other Dutch pairs could end his last tournament as the National Coach with a victory.
After the win at the Norwegian International Sam and I had not worked together anymore as she had to recover from a foot injury while I went on training as usual. Still we were top seed at this tournament and of course one wants to live up to that. Fortunately we had the opportunity in the first two rounds to find the right rhythm again because these were not too difficult. In the quarter finals we got some kind of a test for the first time when we were meeting the 6th seeded French pair Gaetan Mittelheisser and Emilie Lefel. Although we started a bit nervously we didn’t allow our opponents to take a lead. We were well matched till 17-17 but then we scored 4 points in a row. In the second game we were in full control and we won that one very easily.
In the men’s doubles Dave and I were top seed as well. With two laborious wins we made it to the quarter finals and then it was all over and out. We played badly and far below our usual level. Our German opponents could benefit and without having been even close to winning a game we lost the match. It made me feel sick!
During such tournaments you can not effort to stay emotional too long as a few hours later another match is scheduled. So I had to put my disappointment away and recharge myself.
In the semi finals Samantha and I were playing Jelle Maas and Iris Tabeling. We won the first game, but at a certain moment in the second game we were facing an 11-17 arrear. Still we managed to come alongside again and then both we and them were getting several game- or match points. Finally at 25-24 we succeeded to exploit another match point and so to secure a place in the finals.
This final, the last of the tournament, was an encounter of two Dutch pairs again. Jacco Arends and Ilse Vaessen were our opponents. I arrived at the venue when the third final of the day was on so I had all the time to quietly prepare myself for the match. Although quietly?!?
In the match preceding ours Scott Evans, the Irishman, was playing Lucas Corvee, a Frenchman. Scott is a good friend on the tour and he is an outspoken guy who shows his emotions quite openly. Sometimes it is really fun to see him play because you never know what to expect. I wasn’t aware that he had lost all his 7 preceding finals and when he won this match in 2 games he almost went crazy. During the interview he was more or less speechless. I was really happy for him, but I still had a job to do.
In the final we had to work very hard. In fact we were well matched. There were long and good rallies but at decisive moments we were slightly better or more consistent. With 22-20 and 21-17 Samantha and I won our second tournament in a row and that gives a great feeling again, a feeling you never get used to.
We are back home now and the next step is to find out how to proceed in the near future. Will we really be banished from the national training centre Papendal in August? Which tournaments can we still play next year? Do we get a new National Coach and who will be the new Technical Director. Many, many questions and time to get answers. Naturally I will try to keep you all informed about the developments. So even though there are no more tournaments the coming weeks you may stay tuned as there are 2 more matches in the German League to come and probably also other things to report on.