It is April 10, 2007. Irena Pavlovic, 18 years old and 330-seeded, is going through a difficult period in her career. She suffered two severe ankle sprains. The first injury occurred in December 2006 while she was participating in a tournament in Dubai. Conclusion: a month off followed by a month's rehabilitation to get her back on track.She goes back on tour mid-February, reaches the quarterfinals of a $25,000 in Stockholm (see previous blog), and the final of a $10,000 in Portugal. During the American tour that followed early March, she suffers a sprain to the second ankle in the first round of the first tournament. The recovery and training period would be shorter this time for she is ready to compete again mid-April. Her main goal: The French Open at the end of May.

I believe in her!

I have always greatly believed in Irena, and despite the many difficulties she has faced, I have never stopped believing in her. She is an exceptional athlete in my opinion. She just has not had the luck others have had. She is ranked 320th, but I am certain that she will quickly advance in the rankings to take the place she deserves within the professional tennis world.

Back to competing!

Irena and I decide that she will participate in the American clay-court tournaments. They are well funded and thus offer many winning points to players with good results. Since it is a comeback tour after a month and a half absence from competition, I decide to travel with Irena in the hopes of getting her back into the saddle quickly and effectively.She needs matches filled with emotion. She needs to regain a competitive spirit, relive the stress, but also the intoxicating, adrenaline highs synonymous with this sport.

The Dothan tournament

We arrive in Dothan Wednesday night. It is a mid-size town in Alabama, famous for being the peanut capital. The club is very beautiful surrounded by 34 impeccable courts and a very pretty mini-center court. The draw is high (it's a $75,000). And indeed, five Top 100 players are present. Irena must win her spot in the final draw by moving up in the qualification rounds

The qualification rounds

First round

I know that Irena is ready after three days of intensive training. The random draw allots her a difficult first round since she will play the 210-seeded American, Uberoi, who is a risk-taking, very aggressive player. The perfect weather conditions (28°C and sunny) suddenly deteriorate the day of the match. A violent, 60/80 km/h wind howls, rendering the already low temperatures (10°C) completely unbearable!

That's the way it is and maybe that's a good thing. It will be an advantage for Irena, who will have no choice but to take her chances before the American does. She will constantly have to take the initiative. Irena wins the match 6/4 7/5 an hour and forty-five minutes later by providing great statistics: 25 winners - 8 aces -12 winning serves. She completely dominated the court, to such an extent that Uberoi was unable to develop her game at any moment.

Second round

It turns out to be easier. Irena will play a Canadian of Russian origin, Shulaeva. Ranked 400th, she is an average, defensive player. The beginning of the match is relatively easy since Irena quickly breaks away 5/1 in the first set. And there, mystery of tennis, she suddenly starts to stall, holding back her shots and giving into panic little by little, thus allowing her opponent to acquire point after point, then set after set. Irena now trails 7/5 4/1 thirty minutes later. She is lost at this point in the game. She no longer believes in her actions and cannot finish points, accumulating direct fault upon direct fault. When they switch ends at 4/1, I tell myself that Irena must not, cannot lose this game and I let her know: « Irena, we are going to win this match! We are going to fight point by point and we are going to win! » After the match she admits that these words triggered something inside her. She starts to believe in her actions and hangs on when faced with two consecutive match points 7/5 5/4 15/40. She rallies point by point and finally grabs the decisive second set. Irena gradually rebounds in the third set and wins the game 6/3 in the third set. A three and a half hour fight...it leaves a trace, especially on someone who has not competed for a while. I am happy. It is the kind of victory that I especially enjoy. What a fight ! Even though Irena faltered in the first set due to her absence from tournaments these last few weeks, she was able to win the match with her guts. I am proud of her.

Third round

I had not measured the impact this match would have on Irena. For me, it was only positive; but it was extremely traumatic for her. She had could not handle the fact that she withheld her shots, that she panicked. I would never have thought that these feelings would make her lose the qualification match against Kondratieva, 208-seeded.

We bump into Marina Erakovic the next morning at breakfast. Erakovic is a New Zealand player of Serbian origin, just like Irena. She is automatically qualified for the final draw due to her ranking. Irena asks her who will she face in the first round, and Erakovic responds: "A qualifier." I turn to Irena: "Why did you not tell her: "See you tomorrow."? You are going to win today's match and you will beat her tomorrow in the first round draw." Irena laughs heartily, but I am not joking...

The match against the Kondratieva goes badly. Irena, deeply affected by the other day‚s match, plays without confidence and loses 6/2 7/5, but not for lack of trying.

When luck lends a helping hand

Irena is given a last chance. She can be chosen as a lucky loser and be accepted in the final draw. There are four contenders and only one slot. A random draw will determine which player will get this opportunity.

When I telephone the referee at the end of the day, she tells me this: "You are lucky. Irena's name was chosen in the random draw. She will play Erakovic tomorrow." I can't believe my ears. I leave my room, knock on Irena's door and tell her: "We were let through and you will face Erakovic. You almost died in the second round but came from behind and saved two match points. You are dead today by losing in the second round of qualifications but you are still alive! I told you, this is your match! We are going to train and you are going to win it. Get your tennis clothes on. We are going back to the court." I absolutely want Irena to retrieve her confidence and sensations. She is in dire need of it and I have no intention of letting this boost from destiny slip away. We must transform this test into victory. Irena got back her confidence after an hour and a half of training.

First round draw: Pavlovic 330WTA vs Erakovic 160WTA

To be completely honest, it must be said that this match had a lot more riding on it than it appeared because Erakovic had crushed Irena 6/0 6/1 during their previous match in the junior category. I know that Irena believes that this player is much stronger than she is. I tell her: "This is your chance to measure the progress you have made. You are better than her. Her backhand is weak. She will chop often. From the beginning, you will step on the court and hit along the line. Then she will not dare chop and will hit the ball flatly, so you will even out the game." That is exactly what Irena does a few hours later. She plays a very solid match, hitting many winning shots; her serve is solid (we have spent many hours refining it). Conclusion: an easy 6/2 6/4 victory. Irena is happy. This match is important to her and she believed in her chances. Once we are on the court for the post-game cool-down, she tells me: "I play Chan tomorrow. She is ranked 69th. I am very motivated to win this match!" Her self-confidence has returned. I rejoice upon hearing the determination in her voice.

Second round draw: Pavlovic 330WTA vs Chan 69WTA

This match appears difficult on paper but we have faith. I am on the outside. I know that Irena's game can frighten even the best players. I feel that she is confident, so I am serene. We sort out the details of her serve in the morning during warm-ups. She is ready!

1:00pm: The match begins. To the surprise of everyone present, the match is one-sided...in Irena's favor. She lands ace upon ace, hits every return without restraint. Chan never touches a ball! At 4/1 against her, she calls the physical therapist (a classic diversion in order to break the rhythm of the match). But once the match resumes, Irena has kept up the same rhythm: 5/1, then 6/1 in her favor. What a show! I am happy because for the first time, I see Irena as I had imagined her seven years earlier. She plays the exact same game I saw her play. And with such verve, such class! Chan is completely lost, so much so that she looks for tricks to unsettle Irena. At the end of the set she lingers in the restroom, and at the start of the second set, she suddenly starts playing drop shots, not knowing what to do to counter the assaults of the French player.

The game is balanced until 3/2, service Irena, then she starts to fall off physically. It is unfortunately but inexorably due to having played five matches in five days, including some tough ones! She loses the second set 6/3 and breaks down at 4/4 in the third set to finally lose 6/4 but not without having shown what she's worth.

Irena showed her exciting talent. She is on her way to truly using all of her qualities. Unfortunately I have to return to Paris. My academy needs me too. Yannick Soria takes over the next leg of the tour. It is the home stretch before the French Open where I hope she will be able to take advantage of a wild card in the final draw in order to go to the next level.

By Laura Bilman, May 4th 2007, 14:51

Dothan tournament