Week 1 in Tunisia: Day 1
The first day of week one began with Ale suffering a tough loss. Between two sets and a super-tiebreaker, she spent 2 hours and 23 minutes under a stifling sun only to lose by the smallest of margins at 11-9. I felt somewhat responsible for her loss, as it was obvious that her energy flagged and I had just spent the past night tossing and turning next to her after my long journey. On a selfishly positive note however, Ale’s loss allowed me time to take in my surroundings.
The first day of qualifying in Tunisia is a zoo. There are 8 courts, with 6 in one area and 2 more tucked away at the side of the resort, and there are people everywhere. But it was not the business of the event that struck me, but rather the inconsistent quality that could be observed from court to court. The men had begun their matches, and on one court, there was a level of play that appeared no higher than your solid local players, facing off against one another with tentative pacing and unforced errors that I did not expect to see.
On another court right next to it, a battle between polished professional players was underway. The sound of the ball hitting their racquets made a sound that I had never heard before in person. It was a deep thump that sounded more like an explosion than a felt ball hitting strings. The pace and movement of each player was incredible and I found myself amazed that such a dichotomy of play could exist, and that these two players were unfortunate enough to have drawn each other right out of the gate. The idea that one of these players would be knocked out for a week felt unfair to me somehow, and the unforgiving nature of this pursuit became apparent right away. (For reference, they played each other in the main draw final the following week)
The eventual winner of that match, Li Tu of Australia would turn out to be one of the stars of the weeks I would spend in Tunisia. He did not, however, win this tournament. Eventually falling in the main draw round of 16, but we will write more about him for next weeks article.
As the day of qualifying came to a close, Ale and I sat down at the resorts food court for dinner. A massive room cordoned off into 6 different areas, two of which are reserved exclusively for the tennis community. While I didn’t get to sit through as much tennis as I would have liked to, there was still a lot to take in.
The mood of the tournament seems quite cordial overall. As Ale and I eat we are approached by a group of Indian girls who Ale has made friends with. They introduce themselves to me and ask how I’m liking the food with a knowing smile and leave. Ale and I finish what we can on our plates and head off for bed to get ready to do it all again tomorrow.
