Jenny, Vicki & Steve and I left our hotel to go to the one hosting the world championships…but world affairs have intervened (yes, there are way more important things going on here than a mere tennis tournament)…and just after 8pm the world championships were cancelled, just as the UK staff landed.
We had a good day till then…left our hotel around 10:15, arrived in the new one around 10:45, first guests. We had drinks (coffee and Coke Zero) while waiting for our rooms to be ready, ate some lunch, practiced on the very soft red clay, hint the gym, then convened at the restaurant.
Christina Kaus joined us around 7:30 or so, and many other players from the USA arrived around 9pm. Some, who were in Istanbul, just made arrangements to return home. Tomorrow we’ll figure out our options and fit in some tennis.
The worlds may or may not be rescheduled…this is not the first time the world championships have been cancelled and then rescheduled (see Turkey, 2016), but who knows what the options are.
It’s calm here, seems very safe, guards at the gate and the people here are so very nice. This has to be disaster for the people working here too, as the hotel was probably otherwise empty except for the players. I hope everyone gets home or elsewhere in Europe safely soon.