Heraklion, Greece
I am headed to Heraklion, Crete, Greece for another big trip to play Futures. I was planning on staying around five weeks this time. I met up with my friend and training partner Avi Shugar there, and we both played in qualifying. I was really excited for this trip because I had a few people I knew at the tournament and was staying outside of the tournament hotel in an Airbnb, giving me the freedom to get out and explore, cook meals at home, and save more money. And no, this Airbnb was not a beautiful white condo looking over the ocean.
Avi and I stayed within walking distance of the tennis facility and about a 15-minute walk into the small town to get groceries at the market. This was definitely the most cost-effective option for these trips, especially with prices in Greece being rather low. We basically survived on olive oil, eggs, honey, cheese, and lots of halva.
The conditions in Heraklion were very slow, with the tennis balls getting fuzzed up after only a few games and tons of wind, as the courts were right next to the sea. My first week, I lost in the second round to an Irish Davis Cup player. During the second week, I was able to win my first two rounds, setting myself up for another opportunity to win and advance to the main draw. I had also earned my second ITF point by advancing to the final round of qualifying.
I played an American ATP-ranked player and ended up losing the match 4 and 0. It was another one of those matches where I found myself with many chances in the first set to break and take a lead, but I was unable to capitalize. I’ve learned that you may only get one or two looks per match to swing momentum in your direction, and those points will often decide the match. If two points had swung my direction instead of his, maybe the first set would have been mine and the outcome could have been different. This is something I need to pay attention to and take more advantage of in future matches.
Over the following three weeks, I played a lot of tight matches. Four out of my five matches went to three sets. I came out on top in a few and also let a few matches get away from me. I also signed up to play doubles every week but had no luck getting in.
Earning another ITF point felt like a small success on this trip. But most importantly, I felt more comfortable and confident on the court. I was finding my groove again and winning more matches. It helps to feel a sense of belonging at these tournaments and on the court, and that can translate to better play during matches. I still feel as if I have more to grow on the court, as a lot of these matches were winnable if I had been tougher and smarter in certain situations.
I was also able to meet up with a few former Portland State Vikings in Heraklion — Majeed Bukhari and Andrea Briggnacca. Majeed was a teammate of mine during my years at Portland State. He has been playing on tour for a few years now and is a member of the Saudi Arabia Davis Cup Team. I coached Andrea at PSU for two years and am happy to have stayed in touch with him.
Avi and I also stopped in Athens to explore the city for three days on our way home before Thanksgiving. It had been almost six weeks since I had been home, and I was so excited to come home for the holidays and spend some much-needed time with friends and family.
