2010 Squash Season begins

Robert and I kicked off the 2010 squash season last night.

We've been playing now for three years and we're aiming (time commitments permitting) to join the local squash league later in the year, but our own mini competition will continue alongside this.

Last night's match - the usual 2 x 40 min sessions - was a close contest.

We both began fairly slowly.

The first four sets were really tight affairs and could have gone either way. But he managed to snatch victory in each one and I was feeling a bit miffed to say the least to be 4-0 down.

I did manage to finally take a set next time round, making it 4-1, and I took a 6-2 lead in the sixth set. But I let him back into it and lost the sixth set to find myself 5-1 down.

A quick glance at the clock told me we only had 20 minutes left - not enough time to pull back four sets. So the match entered into a kind of no-mans land where I tried for some shots and didn't really give a damn on others, and I wasn't too bothered to lose them. I just used the remaining time to focus on improving my technique and warming down.

So the match finished 7-1, which on paper looks like a trouncing but in reality was nothing of the sorts.

It took me two sets to really find my game, a little longer than I'd like, but I was fairly happy with my ball contact and drop shots. I've got to resist my urge to go for winners all the time - I'm giving too many unforced errors away - but, overall, I don't think it was a bad night's work.

2010 Standings

0-1

Robert leads the 2010 Squash Championship 1-0