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Aussie Open: Double Trouble (January 2012)

Posted on: January 17, 2012 |
Tags: costa del sol, Elite Tennis, Professional Tennis, spain, Tennis Academy, Tennis Academy Spain

Today started a little later for me- 6am! Up and at ’em as they say!

A couple of phone calls and a few e mails later and it’s time for brekkie with STA access player Jonny Marray and Jamie Delgado before their first round dubs.  The guys must get sick of me, as I am always pestering them with questions on tennis and opinions – today is different as it’s game day, so I leave them to their routine and the conversation resembles something that would not look out of place on Sky TV’s Sunday Supplement- for those who don’t know what that is, its men talking rubbish about their opinions on football!

We travel to Melbourne Park and walk past Nadal, Del Potro and many more on the way to our practice court – all normal now! I am soaking it all up!

I spend the next hour with Louis Cayer hanging on every word he says as we warm up Jonny and Jamie and then Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins – I even find myself playing some points and rolling back the years, so I think, the boys will have a differing thought I am sure. It was amazing to play on the courts at the Aussie Open and I can’t write an email to myself quick enough with all the knowledge Louis has reeled off – he really is the guru!

Jonny and Jamie are up first and come out flying against the 4th seeded Poles but can’t quite convert their break points.. It bites them as the Poles convert their first break point to win the set. The boys match them shot for shot and make them look far from the US Open finalists and end of season Masters Finalists that they are. But no sooner have I thought that at 4-3 to the boys with a break in the second,  5 mins later they are all shaking hands after 2 breaks and a hold – ‘eat those thoughts, Dan’ I hear them cry!

It is an amazing experience for me to be around this level again and to see that all these guys are humans and make errors, but just know their games so well and have the confidence to back themselves under pressure.

Colin and Ross kept the British flag flying with a strong performance and on to round 2…

For me another train and back to Traralgon with Josh and Liam to prepare for the Junior event!

Still enthused…Still learning…Still missing the family. All part of the travelling tennis coach I guess.

Onwards and upwards to another day..

Play to Win.

Dan Kiernan

Director, SotoTennis Academy

www.sototennis.com

Inspiring Excellence | Tennis Academy Spain


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