Thursday morning KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) took us to Oslo where the Norwegian International would be played. After a smooth flight we arrived at our hotel early afternoon. We were informed that there were no training courts available as the qualification matches were well under way. But there was an alternative, an excellent fitness centre right around the corner. It was great to let off steam and to exercise after the journey.
Our first matches were scheduled on Friday evening. Normally, when all goes well, Friday is a very hard day with 4 matches but this time I had a bye in the first round of both men’s doubles and mixed. A nice bonus. The first round in the men’s doubles is not worth mentioning. Our opponents were not strong. But in the mixed it was a different story. Samantha Barning and I had 2 Finnish opponents and in the first game we didn’t stand a chance. We simply were not concentrated but after this unexpected loss we put things in order by winning the following 2 games quite easily. So two quarter finals!
This meant that now the hardest day would be Saturday. In the men’s doubles Dave Khodabux and I met a Danish pair which was not too difficult to play. We won in two games. But again the venom was in the mixed. We were facing a second seeded Ukrainian pair and I had never won before from this guy. Also this time our start was not good. I had trouble to find the right rhythm but nevertheless we kept on scoring points. Finally we did win the first game in the extension with a little bit of luck. In the second game, after the interval, we managed to take a lead and we were no longer in danger. This was a nice win and it meant 2 semi finals!
In those two matches we had to play versus our team mates. Dave and I started with the men’s doubles versus Jacco Arends and Jelle Maas. At our last encounter, the final of the Spanish Open, we won and I had a positive feeling when we started off. From the beginning we all were well focussed and well matched. In fact we might as well have started at 18-18 which we do quite often during the trainings. We won the first game with 19 and they won the second with 19. You wouldn’t expect it but the third game had a similar course. Unfortunately we lost that one with …19-21. From both sides it was a good match and I was happy with my playing, but of course we were disappointed after such a thrilling match.
There was hardly any time to deal with this disappointment as the semi final mixed had to be played soon after it. Again a Dutch get together with Dave and Selena Piek as opponents. A month ago we also played each other in the second round of the Dutch Open and then we won after a marathon encounter. This match was completely different again. Less rallies and the focus on the first 4 or five shots. We won the first game and they over classed us in the second. The final game was very exciting and till the last stage of the game we were well matched but then we drew the longest straw and won the game with 21-18. COOL, our first challenge final!!
In the last encounter on Sunday Samantha and I were facing the German pair Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels, a very strong and experienced pair which not long ago was number 8 on the world ranking. At the London Olympic Games they played a great tournament and reached the quarter finals. In the past I had played them once and then I lost in 3 games. However, in my still fresh partnership with Samantha it was the first time. In the first game we didn’t stand a chance and we didn’t even come close to winning it. We lost with 16-21. In the second game we first kept a 3 point arrear for some time but then we started to play longer rallies. I really had to work very, very hard and I almost died in the back court. For some reason this way of playing worked out well and while fighting for every single point we managed to get a better control. At a 17-20 score we succeeded to survive the three match points but then again an arrear of 20-21. We also survived this match point followed by 2 more consecutive points. This meant a win and it gave us both a very good feeling. In the final game we kept on fighting for every single point but again we were facing an arrear of some points. At the end we first tied the score and then for the first time we even took a lead. We reached match point first but we didn’t succeed to capitalize it right away. It was now or never!! 19-20, a good and again long lasting rally and…… the error of the Germans! We had won!!! We just did it! How happy we were to conclude a difficult tournament with defeating an opponent of this calibre. It really gave us a satisfied feeling!
Today I am recovering and enjoying this achievement. Tomorrow it is business as usual again at Papendal!