Southeast Texas Tennis Association Challenger 1-Day

I had a Challenger tournament on Saturday, November 11, 2017 called the Southeast Texas Tennis Association Challenger 1-Day in Beaumont. This tournament was very special to me because if I win this one, it would be my last tournament as a Green Ball player! And so it went.

Starting out at the Round of 16, my first opponent was against Dana Locke. In the first set, I got many points from her due to her many unforced errors. However, in the second set, I made a lot of errors myself, dumping many balls into the net. Dana had a very powerful forehand weapon, so I tried to attack more to her backhand side. I ended up winning the match, 4-0; 4-3. 

Warming up...groundstrokes.

Warming up...volleys.

Warming up...serves.

In my second match against Elizabeth Howard, whom I had never played before, the game dynamic was a bit different. Many of Elizabeth's balls had a high, loopy shape to them, which allowed me to step in and control a lot of point. I took many balls early and attacked aggressively. I was happy with my playing consequently ending up winning the match 4-0; 4-1.

Onto my third match, it was with Macarena Rodriguez. We had played each other before, so I just stayed calm and hit more forcing shots straight at her to force errors. I also hit more cross-court shots to move her, which I did effectively. I won this match 4-0; 4-0.

Dana Locke and I walking back to tournament desk.

"Always look up"...they say.

My fourth and final match, the Finals, was with Anika Sub. I had just played her in Giammalva the previous week, so I kinda knew her game a bit. Anika made me run so much because she was an attacking type. I ran a lot, but the running did not tire me out because I was so in the game I forgot how I was feeling. I could only feel my nervousness that I needed to run to keep the ball in play. I was ignoring my physical condition, but played with pure emotions--the will to stay and fight! 

Playing Anika Sub made me realize more about myself as a tennis player; my errors, my weaknesses. In both the first and second set, she was leading 2-0, but I was determined to stay in the game. I started attacking and turned the match around in each set. When I started attacking more, she started to make more errors. This match made me understand that the player who dare to attack and be aggressive with her play usually ended up winning. And so the Finals' scores were 4-2; 4-2, favored me.

Anika Sub and I, with our medals! :-)

This was my final Green Ball Challenger tournament, moving into regular yellow ball Champ Level! This tournament made me learn a lot about myself proving that no one is perfect, everyone has weaknesses. Your weakness could be mental, physical, and/or technical. But the most important thing that I learned in both Orange and Green Ball tournaments was that your opponent was not the one you need to look for weaknesses, but rather you need to find your own weaknesses, counter them, and beat them!  

You're your own worst opponent to beat. And I'm beginning to know more about my own game, my own self. And I have more to learn, more to experience. Champ level, here I come!

With lots of love <3,
​Karina Zaharieva