WEEK 2 IN SURABAYA
We have landed in beautiful Surabaya. After our last hotel in Jakarta, the Oval Hotel here in Surabaya is pretty beautiful as well. Out of last week's tournament on Thursday, we tried to get a flight over to Surabaya on Friday, but because of a major holiday coming up there were no seats! Check in was on Saturday before 6 pm, and our flight wasn't until 6:10! So we called to sign in and let them know that we were coming!
View from our room at the Oval Hotel.
Sunday morning we arrived at the Makodam V Brawijaya Tennis Facility ready to go. Dimong's opponent would be Pinasatria Yoga of Indonesia. At the beginning of the match things were pretty lopsided in Dimong's favor. Pinasatria would find a rhythm, but before we knew it Dimong ran away with the first 6-3. Pinasatria's errors would cost him the 2nd set and the match, Dimong winning 6-3 6-2. Dimong would face a 14 year old Indonesian next, Daffa Irianto.
Dimong preparing for his 1st round quali match.
Thinking we would have enough time to rest in between his morning match and his next round was right, and because of long matches we actually ended waiting longer than expected. When it was match time Dimong was a little slow to start, but was able to overpower his opponent in the first set, 6-4. The 2nd set was quite a rollercoaster with breaks coming and going, neither opponent seeming to get enough momentum to close out the set. With the sunlight waning, Dimong's match was actually moved at 4 all, to a court with better lighting. Everyone still at the site was gathered around Dimong's court since they were the last match on for the day. Even under the dim lights and pressure from the loud cheers for his opponent, Dimong was able to battle to win the next two games, the final score, 6-4 6-4.
Dimong warming up for his match.
Dimong's Monday morning opponent would be Hao Sheng Koay of Malaysia. Errors off the forehand side from Koay allowed Dimong to go up 2-0, but was unfortunately broken in the next game, putting them back on serve. Serving well, and playing shots to his opponent's forehand would work out okay in the the next two games where both players held, Dimong up 3-2. At this point is where Hao's serve would let loose. With two aces in the game Hao was able to hold quite easily. I could tell Dimong felt a little pressure in the next to hold, not allowing himself to play as freely as he would like - he was broken. Down a break 3-4, Hao continued to bomb service winner after service winner against Dimong, holding quite easily. A bit tentative on his serve still, Dimong couldn't put quite enough pressure on Hao's return, losing the game and set 6-3.
The 2nd set started out with holds, and were on serve at 2-1. Noticing that Dimong had some trouble with high balls to either side, Hao began to moonball religiously. Pushing him deep back into the court and waiting for the short ball to pound his forehand won Hao the break. Playing a little more aggressive in Hao's service game, Dimong tried to make it tougher for his opponent to get it up high consistently, and this worked out to result in another break, on serve with Dimong down 2-3. Sticking to his plan regardless of the last game, Hao frustrated Dimong with high ball after high ball and went up 5-2 in a hurry. In Dimong's service game, Hao began to change his game, wanting maybe to close out the match quickly. This caused Hao to start missing, especially on the forehand side which had been so stable for the last set and a half. Dimong holds. Down 5-3, the errors keep coming from Hao and Dimong goes up 40-15. Unreturnable serve, 40-30. Dimong crushes the first short ball he gets, and Hao shanks it up into the air. Thinking the ball was out, Dimong doesn't play the ball, only to hear silence. The umpire didn't call the ball out and Dimong desperately tries to slice it back but was without success. Deuce. Service winner, ad Hao. Dimong clips the tape on a backhand and the match is over, 6-3, 6-3 Hao Sheng Koay. Though it was his most complete match of the two tournaments it would not be quite good enough to make it to the main draw. Let's hope for success in the doubles
draw!
Dimong and I eating at Sushi Hana inside Town Square Surabaya!
SECOND LIFE
Well, let me just say that Dimong is now into the round of 16's in the main draw of singles. How you might ask is he in the main draw after losing in the last round of qualifying!? He was chosen as a lucky loser, and played his match 15 minutes after being selected. For not knowing he would have a match Dimong played better tennis than in his last match to win 6-3 6-3. Next up for Dimong would be the 5th seed, Widianto, the 2nd highest Indonesian seed of the tournament. Dimong would take the first in a tiebreak, winning it 7-1! On serve at 4-3, he was broken twice in a row to lose the set 6-4. Dimong's most commendable quality in the 3rd set was his ability to stay positive, which led him to a 6-3 win in the 3rd set for the match and his first ITF point! Some of you may not know, but this might very well be the last junior ITF tournament of his life! Tomorrow morning Dimong will face off against a player who ended his tournament last week in Jakarta, Muhammad Anshori. Let's hope for a different result this time! And Dimong won his first round doubles match with Jack Cheal of Great Britain, 6-4 6-1. Keep rolling Dimong!
Coach and player after the 3 set battle/win against Widianto!
Unfortunately Dimong would not have enough gas in the tank for Muhammad Anshori losing 6-2 6-0. Up again against Anshori in doubles, Dimong and partner Jack Cheal would fall short 6-1 6-1. It was a rough two weeks, but regardless of his final result, there were definitely glimpses of greatness and hopefully this young player will realize that his best is yet to come. Thanks for reading!
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