Mara and I lost in three very tight sets today. We played very well but so did our opponents and they were just too good in the end so I can live with that. Only an hour after the women's doubles I was back on the same court partnering Jonas Bjorkman in the mixed, which we won in two sets. Then another 30-minute break before our quarterfinal, which we won in three, so it's fair to say it was an action-packed day! No rest for the wicked, as they say! A bunch of my friends were courtside cheering me on throughout my matches which was nice. The Sun was out the entire day so I could see everyone in the crowd becoming more red by the minute! I do have a spot of sunburn myself, so I'll get the SPF out Sunday!
If all goes to plan on Sunday, Jonas and I should play two matches, our semifinal then the final. We've been improving every single match as far as combining goes, so I'm imagining we will take it up a few notches in our next match.
Everyone probably thinks we all get a holiday after Wimbledon finishes; I wish that were the case! Instead, many players like myself represent their respective countries in the Fed Cup, the women's equivalent to Davis Cup. Australia is scheduled to play Ukraine next weekend IN AUSTRALIA, on the Gold Coast! As soon as I'm done playing here it's essential I jump on the next flight out direct to Australia as I must get there as soon as possible to become accustomed to the court surface, so I'm ready to play Saturday should I be selected. What a mad rush, a lot of you probably think? It's actually an ordinary situation for a tennis player to be rushing to get to an event, checking our flights before a tournament has even finished... it's very normal. However, in saying that, I'm also very much looking forward to having a break after Fed Cup. I'll head back to Melbourne, recharge my batteries then prepare on hard courts for my next major trip, where I start at Toronto first, it's go, go, go! But as I mentioned earlier, regarding a rest, it's an absolute must after such a long and intense European season. It's as much taxing mentally as it is physically; I'd say it takes an emotional toll more than anything. So, it'll be good to have a mental break from tennis soon.
... but not before I hopefully win the mixed with Jonas!
Mara and I won our quarterfinal today, so we're in the semis tomorrow. My coach has a slight - or should I say large - dilemma. Saturday is the wedding of his best friend, who happens to be Josh Eagle, a former player. He is marrying Barbara Schett in Innsbruck, Austria. Five months ago, upon receiving the invitation, Killer (my coach) would've thought the date a certainty to attend, and so did I. There's no way four months ago when I didn't have a doubles partner and was arranging someone to play with week to week, that I would ever have dreamed of winning the French and getting to the semis of Wimbledon. Only great teams who combine well can do that; I think it's a sign that Mara and I do compliment each other well. But it's very strange in a way that for so long Killer and I have been talking about the wedding and how much fun it would be. I have encouraged him to attend as it is special moments like these we experience with our friends that are memories for the rest of our lives. And I know it would mean the world to Josh if Killer were there also. It's just not my decision to make. I support my coach whatever he chooses. I know how difficult it is being away because of tennis and how many important events are missed due to travel and logistics. Tennis is very important and so are friends; in my eyes they are equally important. But I love weddings!
Killer is staying to support Mara and I, so I will be doing my best to make sure it's worth his while. I'm looking forward to Saturday - semifinal day and crunch time. I'm quietly confident, as I have been all tournament long with Mara. It's important we start well and on an even keel with our emotions. Mara likes to get fired up; I'm a little more reserved in that department, however under my skin I'm a big believer in the way we play. I'll save my emotion for a victory!
I can't wait to see Josh and Babsi's wedding photos, and the video, maybe if they have one made. To be honest, I secretly wish I was there too!
Shock! It rained for most of the day, and at about 5pm, play was cancelled for myself and Jonas. Tomorrow will be a flat out day, weather permitting. No doubt I'll play my women's doubles first and then possibly two mixed doubles matches to catch up. Bring it on! I'm ready for anything!
I'm home watching a bit of TV and relaxing to music whilst writing my blog. I'm catching up for dinner tonight with an old friend of mine, Catherine Barclay. It's been a while since it was just the two of us so I look forward to hearing how her trip coaching the juniors has gone, and also how married life is treating her in Sydney! We were good mates on Tour before she retired, so it's nice we've been able to maintain contact and stay in touch. Staying in touch with friends is always difficult when you are travelling the world, however I believe it's really important to keep a sense of home.
Friday is beginning back in Australia, which means footy, and it's time to check the Australian Rules website to keep a check on the week's events and what I can look forward to over the weekend. If time permits tomorrow, I'll listen to the radio live online, which is always a favourite past-time of mine! Also Nova100, which is my favourite radio network in Melbourne.
Jonas Bjorkman, my mixed doubles partner, what a legend! It's nearing 7:30pm and Jonas has his fourth round singles match the next day, yet he is working his butt off to win this first round mixed doubles match with me. If anyone wanted a fine example of a true competitor and heart, Jonas is your man. To be honest, his fighting spirit and eagerness to win any tennis match and put himself on the line is truly commendable. A lot of youngsters should take a page out of his book, because I certainly have. It would be very easy for him just to be going through the motions just to get mixed over and done with, yet unlike a lot of the guys, Jonas treats every match like it's his last, which is amazing to see and experience on the court with him. I felt pressure in the mixed doubles; I didn't start very well at all. In my mind I kept thinking the last thing in the world Jonas wanted to be doing right now was to be playing in a three set mixed match right before his singles tomorrow... and wasn't I wrong! We are through to the next round and play Thursday after his singles match, which I'll be keeping a close eye on.
This evening, Pratty (Nicole Pratt) invited me over for a July 4th dinner. She's staying with a lovely American family, hence the celebration of this day. Although I arrived slightly late, I made it just in time for the backyard fireworks. There were plenty of little kids around. I was chief sparkler twirler and they were following. I played some soccer with a few four-year-olds, scored a couple of goals too! So that's the type of thing a professional tennis player gets up to! That's what I miss the most, the normal, ordinary things - dinner at a friend's house, being in a comfortable space like home, your own couch, walking down the street for a morning coffee and stopping to chat on the way to one of your neighbours who are gardening out the front. My neighbours back home are two of the people I miss most; they are like parents to me, I always drop in to say hi, have a cup of tea or fill them in on what's been happening in my life. If I can describe it a little better, as a tennis player and traveling the circuit, what I miss most is normality, and I embrace it. It's very easy to get caught up in the bubble as there's a whole other world out there, a real one.
Well it's very late, so I need to make this snappy! I just got home from watching Adam Hills, an Australian comedian, performing in a small dingy little pub. He was absolutely brilliant and incredibly funny, the most laughs I've had in a long time!
This afternoon I went shopping with Julia, a very good friend of mine. I managed to get all my training done in the morning so it was a luxury to leave the tennis courts early to go and do something. Two pairs of shoes later... it didn't take much to dampen our spirits! It's no fun shopping in the rain, so we were holed up in Chelsea Cafe watching the replays of the day's matches. It's funny how when you want to and feel the need to physically get away from it all, there is always a curious mind in all of us - the "need to know what's going on" factor! It was great to see Lleyton get through. He's flying the Aussie flag in the singles department!
I really need to get to bed. I can feel my eyelids closing. Mara and I play first at 11am tomorrow, so a 10am warm-up and 9am car and we are ready to fire. But not before I get some shut-eye and beauty sleep! I'm looking forward to that morning coffee already... and I know it's going to be a doubly-strong one!
Mum I know you're reading my blog. I hope you're enjoying it. Please don't panic about the shoes I bought; I know you always tell me I have plenty, but these were on special! And we all love a good bargain! Tell dad I say hi, and Richard too, as well as the ladies in your office; I know they're sneaking a peek at my blog also...
Sorry I didn't blog yesterday, but to tell you the truth I needed the day off, and there wasn't too much happening. I had a nice sleep-in, practiced in the early afternoon, then settled in to watch the concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium. Joss Stone was a big favourite of mine, so was James Morrison. Can't really go past Elton either! And I must say I think Prince Harry is a spunk! Diana's legacy certainly is living on through her sons, it's great to see!
I left for the courts this morning at 9:45am. I've just returned to my apartment and it's 11:20pm! A solid day fair to say; a heap of waiting around time, can't believe I managed to fill in the day without going mad! One positive was my partner Mara and I completed and won our second round doubles match against the Bondarenko sisters. We knew it was a race against time to get it finished; I could hear the murmurs of the crowds from neighbouring courts as the rain fell in sheets. Thank God I pulled out an ace on match point just as the clouds opened!
And what does a player waiting to go on do for most of the day? Let me tell you, I was involved in a very lengthy conversation/debate about dating protocol with a number of girls in the corner of the locker room! Corina Morariu was a lively contributor, so was Meghann Shaughnessy. They wouldn't stop raving about the cute 'Olivier Martinez' lookalike that was serving them dinner the previous night! Anna-Lena Groenfeld was listening in intently and giggling the whole time, so was my partner Mara. Janette Husarova was laying down in the corner pretending she wasn't listening and would suddenly pipe in when she thought she had words of wisdom or advice to offer! So basically boys were the topic, what else! Dramas, dilemmas, dating - you name it, we talked about it! So in a way I look forward to more rain. It's inevitable at some stage this week our conversations will resume!
I haven't played my first round mixed with my partner Jonas Bjorkman yet, and strangely enough we aren't even on the schedule tomorrow. Wimbledon is backed up big-time despite what the tournament organisers say, no two ways about it! I'll practise with Mara tomorrow, making sure I get out of the tennis early as I know its going to be a long, long week with plenty more waiting around. Tomorrow night I'm going with a group of friends to watch an Australian comedian, Adam Hills, perform at a tiny pub in the city - can hardly wait. Will be great to get out of the village and do something a little different. Although the tennis circuit can be quite a comedy act at times, I look forward to seeing a REAL show!
It rained for most of the day and it's still raining. I was able to watch my doubles partner Mara Santangelo play on Centre Court during the short time it was dry, however her match was one of the only ones to be completed. I managed to get a practice on the indoor courts and then I also completed a workout in the gym, however the rest of the day was filled in with chatting with my girlfriends up in the players' café. It was like an old reunion today, meeting up with old tennis friends whom I've known since I was 14 years of age and nothing has changed! I believe the friends you make in sport are often the ones you'll keep for life. During the time we met we had the common interest of tennis and no doubt in the future that will remain common ground with so many memorable moments and good times!
Seeing my doubles cancelled today I am writing this, jumping in the shower and heading out to Wimbledon village to meet my mates for dinner and a quiet drink. Traditionally, Wimbledon is not played on the middle Sunday, which is tomorrow. This year is no different. So if I happen to go to bed tonight a few minutes past my bed time, it won't be a big issue! It's Saturday night and there's nothing I feel like doing more than sitting in front of a fireplace with my best mates having a laugh... and that's what I'll do!
Did I mention St. Kilda, my football team, won today? Go Saints!!!
See you tomorrow... I'll be dreaming about some sunshine!
Well it's only 8:30pm and I'm absolutely exhausted. I think it's due to long days at the courts, waiting around to play, and using up a lot of mental and nervous energy! Tonight I won my first round doubles match with Mara Santangelo. We played a pretty solid match first up and I'm looking forward to our later rounds!
I lost my Sony Ericsson phone at the courts today. I was in a mad panic running around trying to find it. That's all I need - to be in a foreign country and have no means to contact all my friends at home! Gone are the days of remembering everyone's number. The fact that nearly all the female players on the Tour have the same phone did not help my plight, but thankfully someone handed it in. I got lucky this time!
It's Friday in the UK but Saturday morning is just beginning in Australia... that means football is starting, and it's very important I read the papers from home and keep up with all the latest results and action from the weekend in Australia! Going to watch Australian Rules Football is actually one of my favorite past-times; I love it! There's always an incredible atmosphere where the crowd gets very fired up. I support a team called St. Kilda, however I also have a soft spot for Collingwood. I hope not too many football fans read this as if they do I could be crucified for supporting those two teams! For those of you who are unaware, football is a religion in Australia - there is no other way to put it!
As I write this all I can think about is putting my pyjamas on, grabbing my book and heading to bed. In fact, that's what I'm going to do right now! Goodnight all, enjoy your weekend, I know you will!
Unfortunately, Pratty (Nicole Pratt) lost her match today, as did The Gooch (Chris Guccione), in five sets. I was able to watch both matches but couldn't make it out to see Wayne Arthurs win and continue to be the oldest player still going in the draw! What an effort! His next match is against my mixed doubles partner, Jonas Bjorkman; one of the best servers in the game of tennis opposing one of the best returners. I'm tipping each set will edge to a tie-break!
It's the day after I lost to Serena, and although I've had a chance to reflect upon it, I still feel an immense sense of disappointment considering it was mine for the taking and I had many opportunities in the match. More or less my mind is now focused on doubles and mixed, but it's impossible to forget about your singles, even if you want to. It's not unusual that many people want to say bad luck, and there's always the extra post-match advice which floods in to my coach and myself wondering why I didn't play more of this, or serve more of that, and just do this on certain points... I know people are trying to help, and I listen as much as I can, but to be honest sometimes I feel like putting my fingers in my ears to drown it all out. I know people are just trying to help which is why I always choose to listen and think a little about the messages they are trying to give me. It's the old 'two heads are better than one' but if I do my math correctly, my coach Killer and I equal two already!
I had a great practice with Bryanne today. I feel we are both sharp and fresh and ready to fire in the doubles tomorrow! I'm hearing whispers of unsettled weather for the next few days, but in keeping... I tried to tune out and think positively!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MARA SANTANGELO!
... and a big hello to my friends who are travelling around Europe reading my blog during fleeting visits to internet cafes they stumble across!!
I lost to Serena, 76(4) 63. A very disappointing match, considering I found myself in numerous favorable positions. In fact, I couldn't have asked for more chances. Serena is world class, no doubt about that, and the best players in the world produce when it's absolutely necessary, and Serena did that today. I believe three points decided my match today; in the whole scheme of things it isn't much, yet I still lost in straight sets. That's what separates the best players in the world. I'm never in a good mood after I lose, nor am I in a foul one. I'm a realist. I see the match as it was. In no way am I ever delusional, hence I feel like I can hold a pretty decent perspective of the way I played and the outcome. When I opened up my locker room door after my match there was an invitation posted on the inside of the door. It was to a barbecue my very good friend Nicole Pratt was having at her friend's house. That cheered me up! I didn't hesitate to pick up the phone immediately to let her know I'd love to be there. It turned out to be a great night, a lot of Aussies... and just as many Aussie red wines! It's very important to unwind from the stresses of that day!
Pratty plays first on at 11am tomorrow so we all left at a reasonable hour to allow her suffiecient rest to be in top form. I will be courtside egging her on! That will be followed by a practice with my best friend Bryanne Stewart; on the agenda will be lots of doubles drills to try and get as sharp as we can for our matches Friday. And last but not least I have a date tomorrow night; it may be Wimbledon but we all need to keep it real!
I'll be seeing you all tomorrow - be good, and go Pratty!!
De jó volt őt tegnap látni! Csak az első szettet láttam, akkor tök jól játszott, most meg látom, hogy kikapott :-( de legalább megszorongatta egy kicsit Szirénát, és párosban még javíthat.
