My Tennis 2010 Exactly A Week Ago

This is my tennis 2010's serious competition with only 80% preparation.

I could have done better should I had prepared myself 100% as before, like in 2004 when I won the Championship of the Tennis Association of Filipinos in Thailand (TAFT) Open Tournament.

Because there was no ealier confirmations from the other participants that they will really join the tournament, and due to the constant rain everyday for several days already, and August really is the rainy season in Thailand, I was discouraged to continue my usual two-week regimens before the tournament day.

As a result, I just ended up the first runner for this year's TAFT tournament.

Though I got in the semi-final round as if with good luck, I was very sure that I could really reach the final round, and indeed, I had really made it.

The whole tennis group was divided into two groups, where in each group has five players. Each group has to play round-robin and the first and second ranking players in each group in terms of the points they won, will play cross-over in the semi-final: first vs. second and second vs. first.

While the other two players were still playing, I was wishing that the other guy (Mr. Joey) whose points were very closed to mine will just get equal points with his opponent (Mr. Dennis).

Otherwise, if he gets two point more than his opponent, then he would be the second-ranked player in our group, and he would be the one to play in the semi-final against the first-ranked player in the other group. Fortunately, his opponent got one more point over his. So, I was lucky to get the second highest points in our group and had played the semi-final. I was very confident to defeat my opponent (Mr. Jun) because I am too familiar of his tennis games play.

And I had really defeated him by just one point.

Five minutes after our semi-final match, my final opponent (Mr. Ti) had requested to have our final match immediately, but I asked for five minutes break. So, he was in a little advantage of the situation for he had rested more since their semi-final match had finished earlier than ours.

He got the first point during his service, and I got mine during my turn.

I had almost broken him in his second service turn. It was 0-40 in my favor. Unfortunately, at this very moment, while thinking that I am winning the tournament, I had felt discomfort in my stomach and it's really bursting. So, I had lost my focus and he got the point.
In my second service turn I also got the point.

He got also his third point in his third service turn and I got mine on my third service turn.

However, after this, he got his fourth point. And in my fourth service turn, he had broken me, and had won the tournament's championship match.

I was happy with the result thinking that it's a good gift for his elderly mother for it was exactly a Mother's Day in Thailand that day. She was waiting for him since morning and supposed to go at 5 P.M. for doctor's appointment. I was the one who was pressured with his Mom's appointment.

Anyway, these are the things I had learned in this tournament: I should continue my usual two-week regimens no matter what: whether the tournament will go on or not.

I should eat heavy breakfast few hours before the tournament. I should never be disturbed by anything especially during the final round.

Visualization had really worked for me again this time, but the only thing I had missed is that, when I visualized myself raising the trophy the night before the tournament, I didn't clearly visualize what trophy was it: champion's or the runner-up's trophy.