Signs and results are here.
Nini (Luisa), Reinhilde and I came from Nuremberg via Munich by train yesterday only a few minutes late to Villach, Austria. The train from Munich to Villach was very busy in all classes and there was a bit of confusion about chair reservations because they did not get on the train (they are not mandatory). But I had a place for myself and space to save my luggage and the landscape was beautiful.
On arrival we received a Uber from the address shown on the Sixt Reservation, but it turned out to be in the wrong city … So the Uber switched to a taxi and brought us to the right place (watch out if you ever rent a car in Villach, Austria, from Sixt … it could happen!). The Sixt location was close to our apartment and we put our things away, changed and went to meet Reinhilde and Vicki Buholz … I hit with Vicki and Nini with Reinhilde. We had a good amount of time and Vicki is incredibly good … I crashed after a little more than an hour … Between a short night’s sleep, a long train ride and 8 hours of tennis in the weekend I was a bit tired. Nini and I went to a Billa -Supermarkt, which turned out to be next to a Hofer (the name Aldi Sud in Austria … Aldi was already taken by the time Aldi placed shops in Austria). It was not a great Aldi … Although quite large, nor a great Billa (although if you wanted chocolate, this was the place to go!), But we thought what we had to eat and drink.
Today Nini walked the 1.8 kilometers (just more than a mile) to the Warmbad Villach sports park to practice this morning at 7:30; I arrived at 9 am to hit Nini and got a good warm -up from 40 minutes before my 11.30 am match. I play 65 singles and 60 Doubles (or whatever age division makes a draw). Our division only has 5 players, so we play a round Robin; In the 60s there are 6 players, so there are 2 groups of 3 players who each play a round Robin with the winner of each group to play the final. Nini and Vicki are unfortunately in the same group A. MJ Pachl, Catherine Morgan and Ellen Neumann (from Germany, the #2 seed) are in group B. So half of the draw is American! This is an ITF MT 700 … The same level as National Grass and indoors, but more as a level 2.
I played Shirley Friedl from Austria, my double partner last year. She is a lifty and played really well … mixed her shots, came in the net and almost all my drop shots walked down. I won 63 60. We had a very long last game in the first set … Shirley got two dead net cords in that game (when she came the top of the net in the following game, I said I was surprised that it would not passed … She quickly answered that if she had had a hat trick!). I am in the camp “not apologize for touching a net cord or line” camp. Although I will acknowledge happiness.
Today I saw a few other Americans here, Bruce Barrett M75, Bob Anderman M85 (he won today) and Danny Shaw (although he lives in Vienna).
Tomorrow it will most likely rain … Hopefully it will last until the afternoon since I play at 9.30 am, against Sylvia Reigl … We had to play indoors in Austria last year and it was a long and tough match against the Austrian Lefty.
#success #Villach