Dominique playing in Zürich 1999

I met Dominique again next morning at the practice. After it I went to her to ask her if she signs me some photos. Of course, she did, but suddenly she told me that she has seen me in Stuttgart last week. I was really surprised that she recognized me (Bart always recognizes me, but Dominique ...). Then she asked me how long I will stay. I didn’t know exactly (it always depends on my favourite players), so I said „at least till Wednesday“. She smiled and said „See you“ to me. Great ! From that day on she said „hello“ to me every day when I saw her. On this afternoon there was a double with Dominique. She played together with Manon Bollegraf (Bollie). I’ve never saw them playing together, but I like this team because both are players who belong to my favourites. Unfortunately they faced the top seeds Natasha & Nathalie Tauziat in the first round, both very excellent double players. Sorry, but I have no matchreport of this match because I concentrated to much on this double so after one set I realized that I have forgotten to write everything down. The other reason was that Miriam was watching this match too and so I was looking to her and the match. Too stressy to write a matchreport in this situation. I hope you understand it. But I remember some facts of this match. They started very well. The first set went into the tiebreak. Bollie and Dominique had (I think) one setpoint but didn’t used it. So Nat & Nat won this tiebreak with 11:9 (!!!). The second set wasn’t so close. „Our“ team lost it with 4:6. But I think it was a good performance of Bollie and Dominique when you know that they played the first time together.

Now (while writing this report) I know that it was Bollies last doubles match. So Dominique had the „honour“ to play the last match together with Bollie. :-(

On Tuesday I saw her again at the practice courts and on afternoon she had to play her second round match vs. Silvia Farina. Unfortunately I came a bit too late, because Miriam had a training before (I’m sure you understand). It was 3:1 for Dominique when I arrived the Centre Court. Ai Sugiyama and Michael de Jongh (coach of Mary Pierce) were watching this match too, and Bart of course. Farina was to serve when I came and Dominique had breakpoint in this game and used it (4:1). Then Dominique held her service and Farina too (5:2). Dominique served for the set and did it very well - that means to „love“. So the first set was 6:2 for Dominique. I didn’t expected it so clear, because I have seen Farina beating Miriam the day before :-(( and there she played quite good.

The second set started with a break by Dominique, to „love“ again (1:0). In the next service Dominique served very well, there were three servicewinners and a stopball by Farina, but with a great run Dominique reached it and made the point (2:0). Dominique had two break chances again in the next game but with two unforced errors by her Farina won the game (2:1). No highlights without a great stopball by Farina in Dominique’s next service game (3:1). In the next game there was a discussion about the linesman’s decision, but it was a straight game for Farina (3:2). With four return faults by Farina Dominique held her service to 4:2. Farina had problems with her service this day and so she was under pressure every time. Dominique had breakpoints once again. It was a very close service game of Farina. She played a lob but the ball touched the roof and so it was the point for Dominique and break (5:2). So Dominique „only“ had to hold her service to win the match but on this day I saw no danger not to do it. She started with an ace (143 km/h - btw.) and two forhand winners. So three matchpoints for Dominique and she used the first one. So she was in the quarter final now - great. It was a quite good match by her but with a lot of faults by Farina. The score was 6:2, 6:2 at the end.

It is usual in Zürich that the winner throws some signed balls into the crowd, so Dominique too. But this day was Player’s party and so every person who catch this ball got an ticket for this party. There were a lot of people on Centre Court and so I didn’t expect to catch one. But when Dominique started to throw these balls I stood up and called very loud „Dominique“. It seemed that she heard me because she looked to me and threw one ball directly to me. Unfortunately I didn’t catch it. But she had some more balls to throw and so I tried it one more time, called her name again and really, she tried it a second time and I can’t believe it till today - I really caught the ball !!!!! What a big, big surprise. And the best was: I was able to take one person with me. So my friend Kerstin and I visited the player’s party. It was great. There were some players: Miriam :-), Bollie, Vischi (Caroline Vis), Anke Huber, Irina Spirlea, Magui and of course Dominique with Bart. What a great atmosphere. I saw Miriam dancing and Bart too. Dominique didn’t dance but Bart much better. I never saw them in such a private situation. Unfortunately the party ended very early (at 1am.). All players were still there and wanted to stay a bit longer but it was definately ended. But it was a fantastic evening. Dominique, if you ever read this article, I want to thank you once again for throwing the ball directly to me. It was such a wonderful evening (not only for me).

The next morning I saw her again on the practice courts. After signing me some photos she asked me: „Did you catch the ball?“. Wow. I thanked her very much for it and she asked me how I liked it and when I came and so on. She said she came at 10.30 pm. Dominique is such a nice person. No question, why she has so much fans.

On Thursday I only saw her on the trainingscourts again because her quarter final match was on Friday. She was hitting some balls together with Miriam :-).

The quarterfinal match vs. Mary Pierce started at 6.30 pm. on Friday evening. It was broadcasted by Eurosport and so I haven’t written a matchreport. I only can say that Dominique had no chance this day vs. Pierce. Pierce played very, very well. The problem was that Dominique had problems with her service - too less first services and too much double faults. But the main reason why she lost was that Pierce was running for every ball and Dominique was making the errors. One example: two smashes by Dominique, Pierce reached both (don’t ask me how) and the third smash by Dominique went into the net. So Dominique lost the match 2:6, 4:6.

And with this match my tournament in Zürich ended too. I had to go home on Saturday. But it was a great week there.

Thank you, Dominique, for this wonderful week.