We have just completed the first week in a 5 week trip, the first 3 weeks being in Mexico, and the last two in North America. The first tournament was in Toluca, just outside Mexico City. After 3 flights, totalling over 14 hours the day before, and with Toluca being 9000 ft above sea level, the first practice session was to say the least, interesting!

After a couple of days of hard training, Anna had to play her 1st match - final round of qualifying - against her doubles partner and fellow Brit, Anna Hawkins. Putting their friendship aside for the match, Fitzy went on and controlled the match from the start, winning 6-1 6-2.

The next day saw both Stefy and Anna playing 1st round main draw. Stefy faced a Mexican wild card and Anna played an American who had come through qualifying. As the girls were playing at the same time, it meant coach Jason was running between courts to lend his support. With the altitude, and with Jason’s fitness level, Jason was just as exhausted at the end of the matches as the girls were!Thankfully, the girls came through, Stefy 6-2 6-2, and Anna with a few more hiccups, 5-7 6-4 6-4.

However, in comparison to the next day, 1st round main draw was a walk in the park.. The girls followed each other on court 10. Stefy went on first, to play an Argentinian, ranked about 650. Stefy showed great concentration to come back from a set and 3-0 down to win 6-7 7-6 6-2, after 3 and a half hours on court. After such a long time in the same chair, Jason’s instructions to Anna, who also had to play an Argentinian, were to be aggressive from the start and most importantly to make the match quick! All seemed to be going according to plan after Anna won the first set 6-3, but then for whatever reason - maybe she wanted to torture Jason some more, after seeing how stressed and exasperated he got during Stefy’s match - she decided to have a lovely game of long rallies and dull tennis, and let her opponent back into the match. Having said that, Anna did gain show great fighting qualities, coming back from a break down in the 3rd to win 6-3 3-6 6-3.

After more than 6 hours in the same chair, Jason was more than relieved to get two wins against the old enemy Argentina. He would like to thank Anna Hawkins for trying to keep him sane and fetching him numerous cappucinos to stop him falling asleep!

Now through to the quarter finals, there was a chance that the girls would play each other, if the both won. Whether it was because of this, or the fact that Jason had promised to wear a pink shirt if they did both win, neither girl performed to their capabilities and unfortunately both lost. Anna went down to a Dutch girl - who was at least 6 ft 3, and had the wing span at the net of an albatross - 6-3 6-3, but still had chances to turn it around, despite struggling to find any real rhythm to her game. Stefy lost 7-6 6-4 to a Columbian, who was the human equivilent of a ball machine. Had Stefy been slightly more aggressive however, the result may well have been different. Hopefully, both girls learned what the have to do better in the upcoming tournaments.

In doubles, both girls were playing with partners for the first time, Stefy with a Swedish player, Mari Andersson, and Anna with Brit, Anna Hawkins. This lack of time on court together was evident in both partnerships. Stefy and Mari fell at the first hurdle. Anna and Anna Hawkins, dubbed the A-team by Jason, although showing signs of potential to become a solid doubles team, went down in the quarter finals.

Overall, a slightly disappointing week, both in terms of results and level of play, but with 4 weeks to go on this trip, there is definitely time to turns things around. Next week, we head to the coast for a $25000 Challenger in Coatzacoalcos, and we’ll let you know how it goes!