BRNO, Czech Republic - Liezel Huber does stray from her co-world No.1 doubles player in one circumstance - Fed Cup. Now playing for the United States, Huber is one of the most dependable members of the American Fed Cup Team, and this week blogs to us from their World Group semifinal tie in the Czech Republic.
-----
Sunday, April 26, 2009
GOOD EVENING! HEY! I'm so excited I feel like yelling, as you can see!
We won! My dad's words were: "We almost left it too late"... That's so true! I'll start you from the beginning...
We had an earlier start today, as there was two singles to be played and a doubles match. Bethanie lost to Safarova. There was a 20 minute break between the singles matches. Our job was to relax Alexa for her match. She did awesome yesterday and we had no doubt that she would be on fire today, but it was a big moment and we could see Alexa looked nervous. Well, she sure fooled us and played beautifully! Alexa beat Kvitova, 62 61! I went inside to the lounge to try and relax before the doubles. I couldn't relax, 'cause I was glued to the TV watching Alexa! She did great! Her winning meant we were tied at 2-2 going into the doubles. That's exactly where we wanted to be. I felt unsettled all of a sudden, so I messaged my husband and told him I needed him to say something - anything! He wrote me back and his words were: "No expectations." It just means go out and play. I also read over some of my notes I carry in my bag and felt more at ease. From the start of the week, Bethanie and I had planned to play the doubles. We considered if Alexa should play, as she was invincible. Bethanie and I were the more experienced pair, so we would go out there and try our hardest. We sure did, but couldn't get many games. Peschke was by far the dominant player and all over every ball. It seemed like we couldn't get the ball away from her. This lasted for too long. Before we knew it, we were down match point. 62 52 and ad to the Czechs. We thought we had it difficult up to this point, but now the real work needed to start 'cause we had a hole we had to dig ourselves out of! One step in front of the other, baby steps at first. We saved the game and were down 5-3. Then we broke for 5-4. Then I served a good game to even it to 5-5. They held and we were down again, 6-5. We held Bethanie's serve and then played an unbelievable tie-break! I think we won it 7-1 or 7-2. We won the third set, 6-1. They had it in their hands and we got lucky I guess. So lucky!
I felt so many emotions today and so did my teammates! Like I told you, I am on the best team. It was a huge team effort. I know Melanie didn't play this weekend, but without Melanie's win in Arizona, we wouldn't be here and also without Jill's win, we wouldn't be here. How awesome! Gosh, the match drained me physically and mentally! Nothing hurt at the time, but now I feel old!
We are in high spirits tonight. We ordered pizza in our room and everyone sat around a big table. We also got ice cream and coffees! And then we played charades... It's amazing what practice does... I have improved 100%! I was actually a team captain and an asset to my team... he he he. I say this every time. Fed Cup comes to an end and I will say it again: I will miss everyone! I don't want the week to end... :-(
Now for the bad news... I still have to pack and we leave at 4am. Not good. My mom and I are flying to the next tournament in Stuttgart, Germany. I already told my mom, when we get there we are going to the hotel and taking a nap. Cara and I have a practice court in the afternoon.
It's been my privilege to blog for you all this week. I hope you've enjoyed the experience with me. Can't wait for November and the Fed Cup final in Italy!
Thank you. Thank Team USA. Thank you God for giving me the strength to hang in there today.
Until next time,
xoxoxo
Liezel
Who are the hardest doubles players to beat on the Tour? - Raphael
We haven't played the Williams sisters yet, but think they must be the toughest opponents!
You can be someone else for one day... who would it be and why? - Helen
Not the president for sure! I would just like to be a humanatarian worker. Aiding people in need. I just think that would the most incredible feeling helping people in such dire need.
Do you think doubles should receive equal attention as singles? - Dechen
I do think that doubles deserves more coverage. We don't have to be compared to singles. I think we have a great product and why not put it out there more.
-----
Saturday, April 25, 2009
U-S-A... U-S-A... U-S-A...
Hey everyone! That's what I did today. I cheered/chanted/screamed/rung my bell/you name it... And I know I did good. We had to compete with an entire stadium of Czech fans and their music band! It was rowdy! Sometimes we would scream to each other and still not hear the other one... It was an experience and I loved it!
Our team did their best and they did great. Bethanie played Kvitova, who was on fire. The match was decided by just a few points. Next time Bethanie! In between matches I had to do Doping Control :-( I have never been to the bathroom that quickly in my life, 'cause I think I wanted to get back to the action on court! Alexa was phenomenal! I'm still speechless. She gave Benesova a 61 62 hiding! My heart is still racing with excitement. We are now 1-1. A great situation going into the final day of the tie. This is how it was in Surprise, Arizona when we played Argentina. It came down to the wire. I believe in my team and know we are going to fight hard tomorrow. Go Team USA!
It's been a long day. I went to practice at 7:45am. Some of the girls stayed after the match to practice. I knew I would be too exhausted and had to get it done early. I'm glad I did. My mom and I are relaxing. She is reading and I am chatting to you all.
I think we will go downstairs in a little bit for dinner. I am dreading charades. Maybe I can talk them into playing Pictionary. Maybe not. I can't draw. You see I am not very artsy. I don't cook fancy. I just make healthy food, no frills. I dress plain. Nothing daring or too colorful. I can't sew or make anything by hand. Well, I can knit, but have yet to finish a knitting project (don't tell my sister, 'cause she knitted more than half of the blanket...) So, what is the chance of me doing good at Pictionary?!
I don't think I told you. When I played for South Africa's Fed Cup Team, we had to play the Czech Republic in 2003. It was a World Group delegation match. We had won the qualifying competition that we played over one week. It was tough. Czech Republic lost in the World Group and was playing basically to switch spots with us. South Africa didn't want to pay my airfare to the tie in South Africa (I was in the US at the time.) I didn't play. I find it very ironic now. I am playing for a first world nation in the semifinal of Fed Cup now against the same team. South Africa didn't win. I am hoping for a different result for Team USA!
Hey again! I started my blog at before dinner and now have returned after Pictionary! I am not so bad. I can draw! Not well, but they guessed my movie, which was 'Coyote Ugly'. There were some difficult ones and some heated moments, but all and all, we had great fun! I enjoyed being on Mary Joe's team. She can't draw very well either. Her Santa looked like a snowman. He he he... Before we know, it is late again...
I checked out the pictures I took today and then saw one of Kaes, our hitting partner. He fell asleep in Team USA lounge today after the matches. He didn't know I took the picture! It's blackmail material... He says he has 1800 Facebook friends, so I might just tag him... He he he.
Tomorrow is a BIG day! Fingers and toes crossed!
I'm going to sleep before 11pm. Going to play hard tomorrow. May the best team win and I believe I am on it!
Until tomorrow.
xoxoxo
Liezel
What is the most beautiful place you've ever been to? - Damien
I think Budapest, Hungary is a beautiful city.
Did you play any other sports as a kid? - Yuki
I played Netball. I was pretty much an all-rounder. I did swimming and athletics too.
How do you and Cara decide which tournaments to play each year? - Paula
Good question. It's tough. We look at different scenarios and then go with the one we think best. We try not to play more than 3 weeks in a row. We also try and return to the tournaments we do good at. Like Dubai!
-----
Friday Night, April 24, 2009
It's official! I am the worst charades player of ALL time! I'm just going to accept it. It's not easy to accept, 'cause I am competitive with EVERYTHING! I hate to lose more than I love winning... I just had to make that confession before I started my blog...
Hey everyone! As you can hear we are having a great time! Team USA is awesome! Okay, they are better at charades than I am, but I won't hold that against them. I still love them! Grrrrr...
I practiced early with Sloane, Christina and Kaes. We did some doubles drills and then played some games and a tie-break. It was evenly contested. It was very productive. The girls and I did our sprints afterwards. I am double their age, but glad to report that I outran them! He he he.
We had lunch together in our room. I think I eat the most of everyone. I'm just hungry! I ate salad, pasta, chicken and bread. Oh my, at breakfast I ate cereal, fruit, two tiny pancakes, bread, bacon and cheese! Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. As a kid I would finish my tennis late at night and then it would always be too hot to eat cooked food, so I would eat cereal. I still can eat breakfast all day long, but I don't 'cause having just cereal at night now doesn't give me enough energy for the next day. I also travel with protein bars and Gatorade. For snacks, I have fruit and pretzels in my room. During the match I just eat bananas. I know Melanie eats raisins. I'll let you know what Alexa and Bethanie eat!
I read an article today and the headline read: USA Fed Cup Team Does Not Receive Special Treatment as Honored Guests. I wasn't sure what that was about so I read it. Oh my, the article quoted my blog about the gym incident. I want to clear something out. I have been to a couple bad restaurants or had a bad experience buying an outdated item at the grocery store, but that didn't mean it was done to me on purpose! I still love my home town of Cypress, Texas. These Czech folks did not know who we were when we entered their gym and it didn't matter. They obviously operate differently than us in the US. In the US it's all about customer service. That's the reason for me telling you the story. I am blogging after all! The Czech hospitality has been unreal. I still love Brno, just not that particular gym!
We had the draw ceremony today at city hall. We met the mayor of Brno. The draw was held in a beautiful room. It had a painted ceiling (I love those!) It reminded me almost of a church, because it had pews instead of chairs. I think the draw turned out great! Bethanie plays against Kvitova in the first match and Alexa plays against Benesova in the second match. The next day is a flip, the No.1s play each other and the No.2s play each other. The doubles will follow, with Bethanie and I playing against Benesova and Peschke. Excitement! Go Team USA!
I haven't mentioned our stringer, Roman. Yes, how lucky are we that we get to bring our own stringer with us?! Roman is born Czech, which has been a great help for us ordering food or organizing a ride or getting directions or just plain translating! Thanks Roman! Roman is the best stringer in the world! He is in charge of the stringing at the Australian Open, US Open, Miami and bunch of other tournaments. He specializes in customizing racquets for the pros. I love my stringing this week! Thanks again Roman! Besides all that, Roman is a really nice guy and it's been fun having him with Team USA!
I ask myself a lot, if I had this over, would I do it the same? I ask it in anything or everything. I do that on match points. I find I will come up with the answer and I will be sure of my decision. Well, if I had this week over, would I have trained the same way? Absolutely! I am so ready and I know Team USA's going to give their best! Come on U-S-A... A-L-L T-H-E W-A-Y!
Hoping to be on TV tomorrow. Look for me cheering my lungs out!
Until tomorrow
xoxoxo
Liezel
P.S. I am looking forward to your questions, so don't be shy and send them in!
-----
Friday Morning, April 24, 2009
Hey!
I thought I would add something different to my blog. I love to get to know people and learn things about them, so here it goes...
Five Things You Didn't Know About Me
1. My twin sister, Monita is 20 minutes older than me. Technically, I am the youngest of three children!
2. I adopted two cats a couple of weeks ago. I want them to catch the rats and field mice on our ranch. That will in turn keep the snakes away. I named them Xena and Rambo. Warriors!
3. I never owned a watch until we won the Sony Ericsson Championships and Cara and I became co-ranked No.1. I then bought myself a Chanel watch!
4. One of my best friends quit smoking. To support her, I gave up eating chips.
5. Tony and I would like to adopt children one day.
My blog will follow later...
-----
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Hi! Me again!
I even skipped charades tonight to get my blog done earlier, so I could get my much needed sleep... It's 11:30pm again...
My mom and I are having so much fun that I lost track of what I was SUPPOSED to do... yes, blog :-) We ended up turning the room upside down looking for a pair of shoes that I swore I had packed and now can't find... I'll let you know in a second how I found out they were 'missing'. Anyway, I messaged my husband and he went through my closet and 'found' them. He then took pictures of all my black flat shoes (three pairs of them), but it wasn't any of them. Now I am not sure if he did that on purpose and is joking with me... I haven't heard back from him, as he had to go to work. So I started looking AGAIN in my bags, drawers, the closet, under the bed, you name it... You know sometimes you can't think of something and then it bothers you? Well, it's the same thing. I was sure I packed the shoes and now I just want to know for sure that I left them. I want closure :-)
Now I will tell you why I needed them... Tonight was the official Fed Cup dinner. Team USA looked awesome! Great job Anne Marie picking out our outfits! I'll try and get a picture for you all. I just can't wear normal shoes. My feet are so used to being in tennis shoes, that when I wear anything but tennis shoes, I get blisters and my feet ache! I had packed an evening gown with high heel shoes for the ITF Champions dinner in Paris. My plan was to wear the shoes that evening with my gown and then when I sit at the table, I would take them off (don't tell anyone). Tonight I had to wear them as they were my only black pair of shoes... Ouch! The dinner was delicious. We had a lot of laughs and now ready for the games to begin!
Tomorrow is our last day of practice. I think we are as ready as we will ever be! Most of us will just hit once. Today we had another great morning practice. I played doubles for two hours with Alexa. We beat up on Christina and Kaes (sorry for misspelling your name the other day Kaes). This afternoon I did my gym workout. No, I didn't go back to the MEAN gym, I improvised in the hotel's mini-gym. Well done Erin, Rita and Jennifer for working out today!
Oh before I forget. It's tradition for the two nations to exchange gifts. I love gifts! Team USA gave the Czech Team very cute pink coach clutch bags. Nice! They gave us a crystal display piece (for my study) and lovely pearl earring/bracelet set. Very cool!
My mom's luggage arrived at 2pm. What a joyous moment. My poor mom had to tuck my warm-up pants into her socks cause they were so long on her... I wanted to take a picture, but I couldn't... My mom looked lovely tonight in her own clothes at the dinner. Anne Marie gave my mom a couple Fed Cup sweaters a nd a long sleeve shirt. She said she is saving that for match day!
I do get VERY nervous during Fed Cup. Not just for my match, but it feels like I play every ball with our teammates when they play. It's so tense! I cheer so loud, that I get sooo exhausted, but I love it! Like I said, we are ready and can't wait. Tomorrow is Friday... Saturday we play! Go Team USA!
On that high note, I HAVE to go to sleep. It is midnight... Early morning again and ready to beat the young ones at doubles. Hope Sloane and Christina bring their A-game...
Night you all.
Until tomorrow.
xoxoxo
Liezel
Do you have a good luck charm you travel with? - Lindsay
I am not superstitious. I only had a couple of dolls growing up, so I never got really attached to things. When I left home at age 12, my mom gave me a tiny Bible with our family photo in it. I travel with that.
Being from South Africa, do you know Amanda Coetzer that well? - Steve
I played Olympics in 2000 with Amanda as well as Fed Cup numerous times. She was so great for tennis in South Africa and a role model for me.
What was it like playing doubles with Martina Navratilova? - David
It was great, 'cause we were friends off the court too. She gave me my Jack Russell, Sam! She worked very hard and was very competitive. That made it fun!
-----
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wow, it's late! Good evening everyone! I am going to write my blog in record speed tonight... it's 11pm and I have to get up for an early practice tomorrow... Anyone who knows me knows I need my sleep or else I am very cranky... and that is putting it mildly... My husband would say to stay clear of me...
I am watching CNN right now. South Africa voted today and I have been waiting to see how it went and if they have an outcome. I know my brother and father both voted today. Don't tell anyone I told you this: my dad said the lines were so long that he took a crutch with him (my mom had had foot surgery some years ago and this was one of her crutches). They let him into the 'pensioners' line and it only took him 40 minutes to vote! I just HAD to tell you, 'cause I thought it was very smart of my dad! He he he.
My mom's luggage has yet to arrive. Never fly with Air France! It's been two days now. I think my mom is getting very sick of her jeans. She is going to have to wear some of my stuff tomorrow! My mom is only 5'6" and I am 5'10"... I am going to have to take a picture of her in my clothes.... he he he.
On the court it was a very successful day for Team USA. The first practice started at 8am and the last one ended at 7:30pm. Long day for the coaches and for our hitting partner, Kas. It's going to pay off though, and we will be sharp as anything on Saturday. I also did a bike ride in the gym and some sprints. I don't have a naturally thin or a toned body, so I have to work extra hard at it. My coach gave me a program for the week and I have been sticking to it and enjoying it! It is a lot easier when he is with me to push me and help me. So far so good. Tomorrow I have to lift weights.
We went out for our team dinner tonight. I took a picture of us all. It was awesome. The food was delicious. We had to wait a while for our meal and that is the reason why I am blogging at 11:15pm... Nevertheless, it was well worth it. Thanks everyone!
It seems like the days are flying by. Tomorrow is already Thursday. How sad. I love my team!
I am going to answer the questions I received so far. Thanks for them.
Lastly, we had some very bad news today. One of our students at Huber Tennis Ranch, 12-year-old Craig Buckenham, was diagnosed with leukemia. He started chemo on Saturday. He is very ill this week. Craig is a great player and we will miss him on the court! Don't tell him, it's a surprise: I contacted Andy Murray, who is going to send him something autographed just for him! Andy is his favorite player. If you can think of anything else that can cheer Craig up, please let me know. Huber Tennis Ranch is having a tournament this weekend named in Craig's honor and the money raised will be given to his parents. Just wanted to tell you. We always forget how good we have it.
Good night friends.
Until tomorrow,
xoxoxo
Liezel
Which European country has the friendliest people, in your opinion? - Nadia
That's a tough question. The people here in the Czech Republic have been awesome, but I am going to have to say the people in Belgium!
Are there any top singles players you would like to play doubles with at some point? - Jeffrey
I think Azarenka is a terrific doubles player. I don't see myself playing with anyone other than Cara right now, but I do think she is so talented!
Which player, past or present, do you find the most difficult to play against? - Marlo
It's always been the ones who for me are difficult to read. If I have a tough time telling where they are going to hit, then I struggle. One that comes to mind now is Nathalie Dechy. She is smart. She has a great variety of strokes and mixes it up nicely.
-----
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Hey everyone!
Goodness, how time flies when you have fun! It's almost 10pm.
Well, my day started with my alarm going off. You see at home I am awake between 5 and 5:30am every day with no alarm. I took a Tylenol PM last night to make sure I would sleep through the night. It worked, which I am so grateful for, but it was tough to wake up. My alarm went off at 8am, then 8:15, 8:30, 8:45 and then when it went off at 9am, I was pretty disgusted with myself and made myself get up! My husband wouldn't believe me if I told him that I slept until 9am!
I showered and went to breakfast. We have a banquet room just for Team USA. That's where we eat most of our meals. I think that's one of the things I enjoy most about Fed cup week, is socializing around the table. This week the tables are smaller, but in the Arizona and Russia ties we sat around big round tables and always added more chairs! At night we would play games and get silly! I must say that I have a disadvantage in the games (yes, I am mostly on the losing side). I blame it on English not being my first language growing up. That's my excuse... he he he. I say excuse 'cause it's not the real reason... English is my first language now... I am just BAD at games and can't play charades to save my life! I look forward to revenge this week.
Coach MJ arrived this morning and so did the rest of the team. My mom also made it here safely. Now if only Bethanie and my mom's luggage will arrive...
Alexa and I had a good practice this morning. It seems so long ago, I can't remember what we worked on. If it wasn't good I would've remembered! We went to the courts an hour before our practice. There is a supermarket nearby and we wanted to get some snacks and drinks. We browsed more than anything, looking at all the things they have in their supermarket. I took a photo inside the store of Derek (works for USTA), Alexa, Kevin (Alexa's coach) and Kas (our left-handed hitting partner). I bought cereal, pretzels and Coke Zero. Anyway, we had fun! After practice we came back to the hotel and had lunch together in our room. It was great seeing everyone. I introduced everyone to my mom. It felt great, 'cause this is my new family. People I didn't know a year ago and who I have had such great memories with my past three Fed Cup ties. They are so great and do such an amazing job with each tie! Thanks all of you!
I went to the gym at 4pm. Our team doctor, Jennifer, also felt like working out, so she came with me. What an experience. Firstly, we had to pay $20 each. Considering you can join a gym for $20 a month, I wasn't too impressed. My mom was sitting on a bench reading her book and my racquet bag was by her feet. An employee came to her and told her she couldn't have regular shoes on in the gym. Then he said that no bags are allowed. They are scared we will steal stuff. That's their policy. Then he saw my water bottle and said that no outside drinks were allowed. We had to buy drinks from them! If that wasn't enough, he approached me a few minutes later when I was doing my bench press. He said he didn't want me to be upset and that he was only doing his job. He also added that I am breaking another rule... I needed to do all exercises on my towel. He then went to Jennifer and yelled to her about her not using her towel... The good news is that we got our workouts in and felt great, and the better news is that we are going to find another gym to work out in for the rest of the week!
The evening practice was fun. We ended up playing doubles. Bethanie and I partnered up and didn't do too badly for our first time together. I also partnered with Alexa and we were on fire! There is only one court for us to practice on. We share it with the Czech team. In Arizona we had three or four courts to use during practice. Now coach MJ has some serious calculations to do to make sure we all get to work on what we have to in the time period we have the court. I know the young ones are going out for an extra session tomorrow at 7am... That's dedication!
We ate in the hotel tonight. I think it was just easier, as we finished late with practice. We pretty much ate and came back to our rooms. Every one had a long day and are jet lagged! My mom is already sleeping...
When my family comes and visits me they always bring me something... he he he. Sometimes food from home or jewelry (if my birthday is coming up) or a CD with Afrikaans music. Today my mom brought me some recipes! My brother visited a couple of weeks ago and he must've told them that I need recipes! Just kidding, I can cook just fine. It will be fun trying them out one day, as they are for desserts and I really can't bake. Now the truth comes out. I can cook, but I can't bake!
I am going to be disciplined and say good night. I want to get on the time change (without the help of Tylenol PM). For the ones who wonder about anti-doping, YES I can take Tylenol PM! I see we have a doping office set up at the stadium. Joy! I didn't think we could get tested any more than we have been... oh well, I was wrong... will get tested again this week!
I look forward to you all sending me any questions you might have. I thank www.blackandhuber.com, www.sonyericssonwtatour.com and www.usta.com for posting my blog and getting you all fired up for Team USA's semifinal clash with Czech Republic!
Off to bed. Miss you Tony and the dogs and the cats!
Until tomorrow,
xoxoxo
Liezel
-----
Monday, April 20, 2009
Good evening everyone!
I wanted to blog this week as I just love the Fed Cup experience! I thought it would be fun to share my amazing experience.
I hope your week has started as great as mine... I am not a fan of Mondays, 'cause it means back to work. If we are in a final, we travel on a Monday and more than likely hit once we arrive at the next place. Or if we hadn't made the finals, it means we are practicing even harder for the next tournament. If we are not on the road, Monday means we had Sunday off and it's the start to another hard week's practice... Mondays are never just relaxing...
My Monday started by getting woken up at 7am local time... MIDNIGHT HOUSTON TIME!!! The air steward woke me for breakfast! Of course I ate. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day... even at midnight Houston time!
My husband drove me to the airport on Sunday at noon. I always like to get to the airport in plenty of time. I ate my last meal on US soil; you guessed it - Mexican! I did a bit of shopping. I bought some magazines and books for myself. I bought my father a golf shirt. I also got some Texan souvenirs for my teammates. All and all very relaxing!
The flight went by quickly. I watched a movie and three episodes of "House". I had to force myself to go to sleep, he he he.
I flew in to Vienna. I was told it's an hour drive from Brno, Czech Republic, but it's a hike and took us over two hours. The driver did awesome and I can't say how fast we were going... we would be breaking the law! Don't worry, we made it safely to the hotel. Alexa Glatch and I had a nice short hit this afternoon. I also did a little bike ride in the gym. Nothing too crazy, just getting used to the time change and hopefully the exercise will make me sleep well.
We ate at a local restaurant. The food looked different than we expected, but all and all pretty tasty.
Now back at the hotel, the time of day I dread to be alone. Tony won't be joining me until Rome. Roger, my coach, comes to Stuttgart. So I had a brilliant idea and asked my mom to join me these two weeks. I don't get to see my family often and plus I need the company, so it's going to be perfect. My mom arrives tomorrow morning! Safe travels mom.
I am hoping to post some pictures this week too. I have one of me with my two dogs when I was home (which I've posted above), then another of this evening sitting in front of my computer and the last of my gym workout today... I hope to take some shots of my teammates!
Tomorrow I will tell you more about my teammates, our captain, etc. We have a whole week to chat! How exciting!
Lots of love from Brno,
xoxoxo
Liezel
