Thursday 12th August

10.50am

I just won 3 and 1,opponent started out absolutely swinging and I was a bit worried at first but worked my way into it and knew she couldn’t keep it up.She was then sick on court from the heat at 0-3 in 2nd set. I was feeling it a little today too, but coped pretty well. This is by far the most humid day since I’ve been here, everyday has been hot and humid but this was crazy.I couldn’t play 1 point without going to the towel to wipe the sweat from the grip. Its probably the toughest conditions I’ve played in, and that’s including Vietnam, Borneo, the Gold Coast, and parts of Florida. The awful air quality doesn’t help either, I dread to think what I’m breathing in. Back on at 12.30 so porridge and a banana and as much fluid as I can!

3.30pm

I won 3 and 2, but it was tough. She had points to go 4-2 up but I held on and then we had a 30 stroke rally which I won to go 3 all and it destroyed her. Literally. The point hurt me too,but I was damned if I was going to show it. She on the other hand walked to the chair, tried to call a medical time out and then was sick from the heat! If I wasn’t too busy trying to win, I would have laughed…two opponents in one day playing in their native country both sick against me! I must be making some balls in the court! That was the turning point, and although she tried medical timeouts, toilet breaks and making me wait for a ridiculously long time to serve, I was having none of it. The heat was almost unbearable and I wanted to get off court. What did annoy me at the end was that she barely shook my hand, girls do this quite a lot, and it’s wrong. No matter what happens out there on court, there surely has to be some acknowledgment of respect for being in a head to head battle with each other?You don’t see it with the guys ever, even at the top level, there is always a proper handshake and a look in the eye and a word or two, if not a pat on the stomach or slap on the back aswell! Anyway….I’m on for doubs in 30 minutes, trying to do the best I can to recover and find some energy from somewhere to face the heat again.

8pm

:( We lost on a champions tiebreak and I am gutted, feel really down about it for some reason. Sasha was very tired after 2 long matches today so I did all I could to keep her going and try and do as much of the work as I could. I was tired too, mentally more than anything, probably from 13 matches in 10 days! I could feel my resistance to being frustrated slipping but just tried to keep fighting. But it wasn’t enough. I probably ended up trying to play too well and tried to force things to happen. Maybe it was just unlucky 13th. Not that I’m superstitious or anything….

Got back to the hotel at 7ish, feeling pretty shaky but did bike recovery and plungepool and drank my 18th and 19th bottles of water. Yes really. Actually a few have been gatorade and electrolyte drinks but either way, that’s got to be a record for fluid intake! I have to eat something but I don’t feel like it at all, gone way past that. Feel pretty ropey, am absolutely shattered and could do with a hug…I’ve got to get my head round doing it all again tomorrow, I have to find something from somewhere, I want to win so much. First, just sleep.