Hey everybody! Firstly, I want to apologize for not updating my blog in a very long time. It is a lot of work and I am quite occupied with training, coaching, and just resting hehe. Well anyways, here's just a quick summary of my trip/tournament of the XV PERU INTERNATIONAL 2010!
Monday, April 5, I left Vancouver on an early 7am flight. I was feeling like crap and by the time I reached the gate, I had a sore throat, a head-ache and a slight fever. Mentally, I was pretty pissed to be going to my first International tournament feeling sick. I just had to do well! I kept hydrated on the flights drinking cup after cup of water. A few tylenols and advils helped too! We got in past midnight and got a shuttle to the hotel. I passed out after that.
Tuesday, April 6. I was woken up by a phone call from the Peruvian Tournament Organizer. She told me that the accreditations are coming to the hotel at 1pm. Now, you would think that by now we could go to the Venue (Club Regatas Lima) to go hit and practice. WRONG! Everybody was told that there will be no courts to practice on until the tournament starts! Great!! And also, the draws were STILL not up!! So I waited past 1pm for the accreditation and nobody came. I emailed the organizer and was told that they were going to come the next day at 1pm. Greeeaaaattt..... So with nothing to do, I went to the mall which was only a few minutes away. Feeling sick still, I just had a soup and salad at the Chili's Restaurant. After I went back to the hotel to sleep some more. Later that evening, I walked over the local grocery store, Vivanda. Now one thing to know about Peru is that the food is CHEAP! I bought a whole roasted chicken, a box of fries, and a 1.5L of Inca Kola (like a peruvian cream soda) for around S./24.00! That's like 8 bucks Canadian and was enough food to have left overs for another meal! Their chicken was also super juicy and tasted great! Lastly, the draws finally were done and was posted on tournamentsoftware!
Wednesday, April 7. Every single Canadian playing that trip had arrived the night before. We didnt get our accreditation at 1pm but a shuttle came at 245 to drive us all to the Regatas. We all got inside the venue and had a pretty decent practice. My fever and head-ache was pretty much all gone and I was feeling ready to play!
Thursday, April 8. I had 1 round of mixed against a Peruvian team. They were quite young and my partner Phyllis and I didn't have much trouble getting through 21-12, 21-17. We won but looked on as we would face the 4th seed from USA, Nicholas Jinadasa and Rulan Yeh.
Friday, April 9. 4 games to be played today!
My first round of doubles with Adrian was against a Mexican team. They were also a junior team. One had a ridiculous fast drive serve. Was rather annoying to play with but we ended up defeating them 21-10, 21-19. Annoyed with giving them 19 in the 2nd set, I told myself that I would put all my focus and play 100% every game no matter how easy the opponent was.
Next game I played was my mixed against the USA 4th seeds. We played quite well and claimed a quick victory 21-11, 21-16! All that training and practice poking the bird down early paid off! My mixed game has gone up to another level!
2nd round doubles, Adrian and I played mexico again. Focused and ready to kick ass we defeated our opponents 21-8, 21-9. Defending felt great. Nothing could get by us and when attacking, nobody could stop us.
Last game of the day for me was mixed. We played Arthuso and Cury of Brasil. They were a heavier hitting team but couldn't play against my tight shots dinking the girl around at the net. I do not know how many times the line judge had to get up to wipe off sweat off their side of the court because I made them dive so many times. They must have dove at least 8-9 times! We won 21-14, 21-17. I was now in the semi-finals for Mixed and Doubles. I was to play the 1st seeds in doubles, the team that defeated the Canadians to get into the Thomas Cup, Antonio De Vinatea and Martin Del Valle of Peru. For mixed I played fellow COBA athletes and partner, Adrian Liu and Joyce Ko.
Saturday, April 10. SEMI-FINALS! This is the furthest I have ever gone in any International tournament! Okay, so when I woke up this morning, I was feeling like SH!T! I had a huuge migraine. I went down to try and eat some breakfast but couldn't eat a bite. I drank 2 cups of tea went upstairs, and threw up.. I didn't let my partner or my opponents know, but I felt like hell. I took more tylenol and advil! I was feeling a bit better before the match. I had to just sit down, close my eyes, and just focus on my migraine going away. I went on court 100% focused on winning. No thought was on my migraine. Phyllis and I defeated Liu/Ko 21-12, 21-8. Phyllis and I played great and the feel esctasy had depleted my migraine! I was now in the finals.... to play my brother Toby Ng and his partner Grace Gao... the 1st seeds.
Next was my doubles. I knew this was the team who defeated Maxime and Francois just a few months ago. Did that scare me? No.. I was determined. I was playing great, and I was feeling confident. Adrian and I pummelled the first seeders 21-9, 21-8 in front of the home crowd. It felt great. I was now in 2 finals!
Sunday, April 11. I could barely sleep. All I was thinking was strategy and how I was going to play. The first match of the day was my mixed doubles against Toby and Grace. Phyllis and I took the first set easy winning 21-11. They didn't seem ready but I knew that there was no way in hell the 2nd match would go as smoothly as the first. I was right, the 2nd match Toby and Grace was leading us by the first 11. Phyllis and I caught up but continued to trail but then got the lead 18-17. We had a huge rally and Grace pulled a tremendous cross court block that rolled over. Phyllis and I then pulled ahead to match point but could not gain one more ralley as Grace and Toby won 4 points in a row defeating us 22-20.
Doubles against the Japanese, Komiyama Hajime and ! Adrian and I were down 2-0 but got the serve back and won a quick 4-5 points just off service. They could not return my serve for some reason. We won the first 21-18 but got killed the 2nd game 21-10. We were a bit unfocused and was driving way too much. They were quick and got the lift too many times. 3rd game, again they got a quick point or two but when I got the serve back, they couldn't return my serves! We were up to 11 first but they were not too far behind on the scoreboard. At around 16 or 17, Komiyama Hajime pulled an amazing fake which got both Adrian and I. I literally did not see the bird until it landed on the floor! But soon to our demise, the Japanese were up 20-19, 3rd game. Staying clutch, Adrian and I tied it to 20-20 deuce. It was my serve and I had no intention on screwing up and serving into the net. I served, it was perfect. Saeki hit a soft push towards me, and I pushed back down the middle. Komiyama drove a high one to our forehand side and BOOOM!!! Adrian crushed a winner cross court right through Saeki's defense! 21-20, match point, for the win.... my serve.... Can't screw it up now.. I serve, cross-body to Komiyama's left hand, and... he hits the bird into the net!!! Adrian and I had just won our first International Title in Peru on our first tournament back playing together! Adrian went nuts, I went nuts, the crowd went nuts!! Adrian had his shirt covering his head as I cheered to the crowd! Ecstasy could not describe whatever it was pumping through my veins. I had won. The end!
