R2: Sana and Salma, not the most friendly of matches…

Sana : It’s actually my first time beating her in a match. Sometimes we play match games in practice. Last time I was here, a few months ago, at the end of last season, I won in five in training, but I know matches are different, of course.

I was a little bit nervous. I even spoke with my mental doctor here. He came to the match today, and I was so happy. I wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it…

I really wanted to win this match. I knew it was going to be tough. I know Salma has a lot of experience and is a talented player. She likes to play attacking shots and drops, and if I play any loose shots, she’ll kill me.

I also knew there’d be a lot of contact in this match, which is well known about her. But I told myself I had to go and get my ball every time, even if I had to push, because the ref wouldn’t see it. He wasn’t on my side today, so I thought I had to do everything to win the shot. I’m the one who has to win the point.

There were no decisions at all in the first game. It started from the second: the contacts, a lot of things, and the ref always penalised me. I was even laughing, because I didn’t know what to do. I knew this situation was going to happen, because Salma is a smart player and sometimes can take over the ref, even though she’s the one making me uncomfortable in my movement. I tried to stay as calm as I could. I laughed at the decisions, because if I’d got angry, I knew I wouldn’t win.

Yesterday I was a little negative with myself, but today I was positive. Even if I played a bad shot, I told myself: “It’s fine, it’s a good shot, I have to continue.” Even when I lost a point: “It’s fine, you’re going to win. Believe in yourself.” Every time I played the return or the serve, I did that. And even at 10-6, match ball, when I played the ball to the tin, I got a little rushed. I told myself: “Why are you in such a rush? Just play a normal point like the others. Even if you’re scared, don’t attack now, and you’ll win.” And I won with a cross court, and she hit the tin.

This scenario reminded me of two years ago here, with Nelle: she played the cross court and hit the tin on the last shot. So I was happy.

She was trying to play mind games with me. She started talking to me on court. I wasn’t looking at her or thinking about her. Even when she fell twice, I just helped her up and didn’t lose focus.

I feel like I played good squash, not bad, but still not my best. But I’m happy with my performance, and that my mind was solid. I believed in myself until the last shot.