Qatar Trip Day 2 – Match Day Preparation
Monday started bright and early. By 9:30 a.m. we were already on court for our morning training — once again hitting with the Iraq No.1 seed. It was a shorter session today, keeping Rafa sharp but fresh ahead of his first-round match this evening at 5:00 p.m.
We also took the opportunity to run through doubles formations and strategy, as Rafa will be partnering with the same player for the doubles event tomorrow. Decisions had to be made about which side each of them will take, so we tested a few combinations to see what feels strongest.
First Round Match – A Strong Start
The match started punctually at 5:00 p.m. and during the warm-up we discovered that Rafa’s opponent, representing the USA, trains regularly in Mallorca, Spain. Same age as Rafa, very solid groundstrokes — and honestly, after watching the warm-up, I knew this was going to be a tough challenge. But the preparation we did beforehand made all the difference. We had spoken clearly about the strategy and the specific patterns to follow, and I could not be happier with how Rafa executed everything. He stayed organised, disciplined, and made smart decisions throughout the entire match.
It wasn’t an easy battle, but Rafa was the more composed and consistent player today, and the result was a well-earned victory — along with the satisfaction of seeing good planning come together on court. Now it’s time to stretch, have a light dinner, and rest. Tomorrow brings a new day, new matches, and new opportunities.
follow, and I could not be happier with how Rafa executed everything. He stayed organised, disciplined, and made smart decisions throughout the entire match. It wasn’t an easy battle, but Rafa was the more composed and consistent player today, and the result was a well-earned victory — along with the satisfaction of seeing good planning come together on court.
Now it’s time to stretch, have a light dinner, and rest. Tomorrow brings a new day, new matches, and new opportunities.