Lil Mo Regionals

I had the opportunity to participate in the Little Mo Regionals! It was played in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, May 26, 2018. 

We (my mom, my 2 brothers, Emil and Zachary, my uncle Alex) started traveling there on Friday, May 25, 2018 so we can get settled into the hotel as well as get everything ready for Saturday. It was a long, and surprisingly exhausting, 4-hour drive to our hotel in Dallas. When we got there, we got all our equipment and baggage up in the hotel and rested a little so we can decide what to do after. We finally got to some public courts and hit around for a short practice before Saturday. My brother Emil and I, and my mom headed down to some local courts near us. We hit around, played some points; you know, the usual. We practiced for about an hour before we started heading towards Cheesecake Factory for some delicious dinner. After we finished up, we went back to the hotel and quickly jumped into bed. Big day tomorrow!

Madison Duong and I before our match.

@T Bar M Racquet Club

My first opponent was Madison Duong. I was really nervous before the match. Some of our points were long but I was I slowly getting into the game and started attacking more--deep down the line (DTL) as well as to the open court. I confused and out-rallied her with topspin as well as backspin. In the second set she became a little more consistent. I was still able to outplay her around the court, which led to my victory scores of 6-0, 6-2.

I really enjoyed the fact that I am playing in the Little Mo Regional tournament. It was very accomplishing in my opinion. The next match was supposed to be on Sunday, so I had the whole rest of the day to watch my brother Emil and other players played. It was a very relaxing day for me. After my brother finished, we went to the player's party. Me, my brothers, and my friend, Kori, had an amazing time gathering tickets and going on rides. It was a real stress reliever for me. It took my mind off my match(es) tomorrow. When we got home I ate some Chinese food takeout and headed straight for my bed. The competition has not ended for my brother and I. We had one more day to go through. 

Here I am in the same state--nerves and doubts--like before any other match. I had a battle with my doubt and nervous feelings in my head. I think I won? Can I go on any further?

My second opponent was Jenna Sohosky on Sunday. I stayed consistent, attempting to hit clean winners or at least forced errors. I made her make mostly forced errors. I was able to take control of many points so that I finish with a winner or a forced error. I won this match 6-0, 6-0.

I had about a 2 hour break before my third match. I relaxed and rested so I can recover from the last match. After watching some Roland Garros matches on the TV, I was as ready as I'll ever be.

My third opponent was Kenna Erickson on the same day. She hit very clean and powerful shots. In the first set, I stayed consistent hitting deep for ease of defending her heavy and fast groundstrokes. She made a lot of unforced errors in the first set. In the second set, she became more consistent and I started playing really bad. I was playing really defensive by choice and that was not good. Fortunately, I was able to make it through winning 6-0, 7-5.

I had a lot of doubt about the finals in my head as I was overthinking it, and I didn't feel good. It was not a good emotion, I had doubts and no inspirations. It really messed with the way I played. I was usually good at removing it. Will I be able to do it again this time?

Listening to Mrs. Brinker sharing her stories.

Eva and I sharing a winning feeling together.

It was finals on a Monday with Eva Oxford, and I was getting ready for my match. The feeling of doubt has come over me. I knew I can. Even if I don't win, I am going to prove to myself that I love to play and I love to compete.

My last and final opponent for this tournament was Eva Oxford. She was a really consistent and patient player. I didn't get many free points from her errors. I had to win it. In the first set, I started off slow but still playing well in the upper front part of the court. I was able to out rally and outplay her at the baseline sometimes, but it was not enough. She was able to outplay me at the baseline more than I wish I had. It was hard to find opportunities to attack in the first set. In the second set, I kicked my level of play up a bit. I was able to make my own opportunities to attack the front court and keep on going up to the net. This won me many points in the second. She made more unforced errors in the second set than the first set which also helped me. I took the second set.

Then we went to a tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, from the get-go she hit harder, more aggressive shots and stayed more patient within the high margin of the court. I made a lot of unforced errors due to nervousness and being unsure of myself. I didn't make it through. I lost 2-6, 6-2, 1-10! It was my worse tie-breaker performance, ever.

My brother and his friends.

My brother with Mrs. Brinker.

After the match, we went to the tournament desk for the awarding the trophies to us. Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker's daughter Cindy Brinker Simmons, talked to me and Eva about her mother Maureen and her tennis and about our tennis and our attitude on and off the court. I was really inspired by Cindy's talk and her mother's legacy.

Cindy is an amazing and inspiring writer and motivator and she shares a lot of stories from her amazing mother. She is an incredible person that is inspiring and believing. I was so honored because Mrs. Brinker even signed my book (Little Mo's Legacy; A Mother's Lessons, A Daughter's Story) that she wrote!  She and her mother Maureen Connolly Brinker have inspired me to be an even better person and tennis player. She has overall changed the way I think about tennis in a very simple way when she was talking to me. This experience; reading her book and being, talking, and understanding her, has made my time at Little Mo unique and special to me. Thank you Mrs. Brinker!

Play "Mo" tennis,
​Karina Zaharieva 

p.s. Nationals, here we come! <3

My family and I!