The 2010 USA Deaf Tennis Open, held in Las Vegas in mid July, was attended by four Australian players. Daily temperatures reached 43-45 degrees, so it was a very tough tournament. Most matches were played at the Las Vegas Hilton, with a pool nearby to assist with post-match recovery, which was much appreciated! To avoid the hottest part of the day, most matches were played at 7am or 5pm. Many thanks are due to the event organisers and officials, who did an outstanding job in difficult conditions.

In the singles our three men, John Lui (NSW), Jamie Zafir (QLD) and Stephen Swann (VIC) each won their early round singles matches, before going out in the quarter finals. Penny Gillett (VIC), instead of filling her regular role as Physio, decided to have a go as a player. After losing her first round singles match, in the consolation event she was awarded a win after her opponent withdrew mid-match due to the hot conditions. Well done Penny!

In the men’s doubles, Jamie Zafir paired with Stephen Swann, while John Lui paired with Thomas Meiler (Germany). Both pairs had a tough draw, being unable to overcome their opponents, both of whom went on to the final. In the mixed doubles, Lui and Raquel Lorenzo (Spain) comfortably accounted for Swann and Gillett, and ultimately lost a very close match in the playoff for third place.

Overall, the event was hugely memorable for all those involved. Outside of the tennis, Las Vegas was a great opportunity to relax and mingle with players from all countries, and many friendships were formed or renewed. Most players left in a highly motivated frame of mind, keen to work on their tennis and fitness with the aim of competing at the next international deaf tennis event in Izmir, Turkey 2011.