A Break and US Open next for me

Hi All,

Im back home now after a pretty poor performance in the Dutch International. But im not particularly concerned. What Im focused on now is the Olympics and my preperations for that. Firstly Im going to take a well earned proper holiday. Believe it or not I have not had one for over four years. So im planning a week in the sun and im even going to leave my badminton rackets behind me. For past four years everywhere I have gone they have gone with me as sort of an extended limb.
After that my next probable tournaments will be the US open in July. I was thinking of going on the Asian loop around then to but I think I will skip that and concentrate wholy on US open and then the big one in August. I performed well on the Asian and US loop last year and gained valuable world ranking points and to keep those points you have to go back the following year to defend them. Its a wierd sort of system but its designed to get players to return to events year after year. If I dont go to Asia I will loose all the points I gained last year which will result in a drop in world ranking but I not overly concerned about that. My priority now is the Olympics in August.
Other than that I started Danish lessons last week to so I have to do some study and try and get on with that. You ever heard Danish in a Dublin accent..... Its funny!!!! Also best of luck to my good friend HK Vittinghus in today's Dutch open final. Go get em Fittinghus!!!!!

All the best

Scott

Sign Up to my Site and WIN WIN WIN

Hi all,
If you have not already signed up to the Scott Evans mailing list please feel free to go my main website at www.scottevansirl.com and to the contacts page of the site and just fill in the fields with the apropriate information. Its free and only takes a minute to do. You will then receive regular updates from Scott's site about tournaments and Scotts build up to the Olympics.
All current and new list members will then be entered into a draw for a signed Scott Evans Photograph and T shirt. Winner will be notified by email on Monday 19th May 2008.

scottevansirl.com

Dutch International Next

Hi All,

After a good week in Denmark with the Irish team and in the individual event I have decided to head down the road to Holland to play in the Victor Dutch International.
I am seeded number 4 at the event behind the two Dutch home favourites Dicky Palayma and Eric Pang with Bjoern Joppien at number 3.

My draw, like in the Europeans, has been favourable. In the opening round I face Koen Ridder another local Dutch player. He is ranked number 155 in the world but is sure to have the home fans behind him. I played him in the first round of the Scottish International in November 2007 and beat him 21-11 22-20. I will be well aware of his threat as I know his game in some ways and I hope to go and bring my European form and do the job.
If I win that game I will play either Rune Massing, another Dutch player or a qualifier. In my side of the draw I have Sven Eric Kastens of Germany who I beat in Herning last week and Erwin Kehlhoffner of France who got to the quarters in Herning in the men’s singles and the semi final of the men’s doubles. He is most likely to be my main contender for a semi final spot.
That’s all for now folks. I will drop in over the course of the tournament to let you know how it’s going. In the meantime spread the word and let people know that Irish badminton is on the up and don’t forget to drop back in to my site and blog to keep an eye on my progress on the run up to the Olympics.

All the best

Scott

Quarter Final Exit

Hi All,

I was beaten in the quarter final today 21-9 21-14 by Kenneth Jonassen from Denmark. He is just a super player and a joy to play against. I was never really in the game but I have come away from this week with my confidence back having played some really good games in the team and individual events.
What’s next you may ask………………well there is the small matter of a little tournament in Beijing to prepare for now. I’m going to take a holiday in the sun maybe and when I come back I might play an odd tournament to keep match fit.
So that’s all for now. Thanks you all so much for your support and keep checking back for regular updates on training and my career in general.

All the best

Scott

European Quarter Final Here I Come

Well it’s the morning after the night before and as most of you will probably know by now I beat Stanilslav Pukhov from Russia in three sets in last nights third round. After playing and winning my second round match earlier in the day I was feeling in good form and I knew I had the game to counteract my opponent.

It was a fierce battle and the opening set was a cagey affair. We were level at 6-6- but he got a run of 5 points and before I knew it I was 13-7 behind. I fought hard and contested every single point and pulled myself back into the match. I got closer and closer and eventually levelled the set at 17-17 and again at 19-19. He took the next two points to take the opening set and I was left with an uphill battle.

The second set was a played at a frantic pace with one player gaining the upper hand then the other. At 4-4 he rattled off 5 points to go 9-4 up and again 11-6. This was do or die for me at this stage as midway through the second set I was 5 points behind and already 1 set down. I just told myself is this the way you want to go out….Not on your life matey!!! I dug so deep, I thought of all the work Lauge and I have been putting in and told myself this is not the end. I then won 6 points without reply to take 12-11 lead and I was back in the game. He then went into an 18-15 lead and once again I had to re focus and call on all my inner strength. I rattled off 5 points to take a 20-18 lead and won the second 21-19 and I was now back in the match.

The third set was a hot headed affair and at 10-10 the match could have swung either way. At 13-10 there was an on court incident where I attacked a shuttle and unfortunately his head was in the way and the shuttle must have hurt as he started to use several four letter words over the net to me. The umpire had to interject and issue a yellow card to my Russian opponent. This proved to be a watershed in the match as I only grew in confidence and his seemed to be shattered at that point. I took complete control and ran out an easy 21-12 winner in the third.

All in all it was a very satisfying result. That’s three good wins on the trot now and a quarter final against the best player in Europe Kenneth Jonassen this afternoon. I will just go out there and give it my absolute best and who knows what may happen.

All the best

Scott

Through to European Third Round

Today has been a very good day for me as I have secured my position in the third round of the European Championships with a two set win over Sven Eric Kastens of Germany 21-19 21-19.
The first set was a very close game as Kastens took an early lead 9-6. I levelled it up at 9-9 and we continued to swap points and were level at 12-12,17-17 and 18-18. I dug deep into my mental reserves and managed to string a few points together to eventually take the opening set 21-19.
The second set was so different as at 4-4 I took control of the game and pulled away to lead 14-8. I was playing well and controlling the rallies. I felt good and really confident. But something happened mentally and I let him back into the game. Point by point he clawed his way back and at 19-14 up he won 5 straight points to level the game at 19-19.
But I was not going to let this one get away from me. I’m mentally stronger now and I just called on all my reserves again and won the next two points to take the set 21-19 and the match.
I’m so happy right now as this is my first run in a tournament in a while and all the work I have been putting in is starting to pay off. Next for me is the top Russian Stanislav Pukhov who beat English favourite Andrew Smith 21-12 21-17. Pukhov is ranked 69 in the world so I’m just going to go out there and give it my all once again and do my best to beat him.

A Good European Start

I’m just back after winning my opening game in the first round of the European Championships. I won in two sets 21-6 21-16. The first set was very uneventful. I went 8-0 up and never really looked back from there. At 8-1 I put together another streak of 5 points without reply. At 18-6 I again I put together a three point run to win the set.
The second set was a bit tighter and we were level at 5-5. I opened up a 14-8 lead and just lost a bit of concentration and let my opponent back into the game as he closed the gap to 14-13. I re focused and ended up pulling away again to win 21-16.

All in all it was a comfortable win and I was always in control I enjoyed the match. It is always good to get the opening match out of the way in any tournament. Tomorrow I play Sven Eric Kastens of Germany. He is ranked 126 in the world but I have never played him before. I’m really looking forward to the challenge as it’s always interesting to play new players.

That’s it for now. I’m off now to get some food and relax for the evening. I will pop in to say hello tomorrow and report on my game.

All the best
Scott