Danielle Letourneau

The past few months have flown by! I played a lot of tournaments and have felt that I’ve gotten better with each one. Really excited because my ranking has jumped from 54 up to 45! Below I have briefly summarized all my PSA events from January to March.

Tournament of Champions World Series: Result: First Round Qualifying:

I played Sam Teran in my first round of qualifying and unfortunately lost 3-0. It wasn’t my best squash but it helped me get back into tournament mode.

Delaware Open 10k. Result: Quarterfinals

I won my first round against a local player in 3 straight games, then I played Sam Cornett in the quarterfinals. For the first time in months I felt great on court and won the first two games. Unfortunately I started to self implode and she picked up her game and I lost in 5… frustrating! Fortunately my next tournament was only a week away so I couldn’t dwell on the loss for long.

Winnipeg Open 10k. Result: Semifinals

I won my first round match against another local player in 3 games. The following day I played Nikki Todd and that was one of the toughest mental matches I’ve played. We are really good friends and I found it hard to focus on the game. Fortunately I won in 5 after a long hard match. Onto the semis against Sam. I felt a little flat during the match but was able to adapt my game to lengthen the rallies and make her work harder; however, she beat me again, this time in 4.

Windy City Open World Series. Result: First Round Qualifying

In the first round of qualifying I played Nadine Shahin from Egypt. She won the first two games, then I won the third and fourth. In the fifth game I had a VERY slow start. I was down 8-0, but somehow I managed to tie the game up at 9-9, but went on to lose 11-9. Almost completed the comeback! Even though I lost, it helped me build confidence going into my next event.

Texas Open 35k. Result: Quarterfinals 

Very please with my performance in Dallas. I won my first two rounds of qualifying- first round against Sachika Ingale and the second against Tamika Saxby. I felt great on court in both of the matches and was confident going into the main draw. In the round of 16 I played Line Hansen and had the biggest win of my career to date, winning the match in 4 games. Everything was clicking and I felt invincible on court. In the quarterfinals I played Annie Au (world ranked #12). She is the highest ranked player I have ever played in PSA and I noticed the difference in her level relative to mine. She was more consistent and precise. I lost in 4 games, but was really happy with how I played and enjoyed having the opportunity to play her.

Calgary CFO Open 15k. Result: Finalist 

This is probably my favourite tournament of the year because I get to play at home in front of a home crowd! In my first round I played Sachika and won in 4 games. In the quarterfinals I played Tong Tsz-Wing and won in a tough 4 games. In the semifinals I played Rachel Grinham. It is always a pleasure to play Rachel because she is so creative on court, but that also makes her very difficult to beat. We had very dynamic rallies that were exhausting! She let me off the hook and started making errors towards the end of the match which helped me win in 4 games. Really happy with how I performed and was excited to play in the finals against Sam. Unfortunately I didn’t perform to the best of my abilities in the final. Sam completely outplayed me- she had a great game plan and was more pumped up and focused than I was. It was disappointing to feel flat and unfocused in such an important match. I wish I could have pushed her a harder. Overall it was a good week and can’t be too disappointed with my match against Sam.

Each of my “short” summaries got longer as I went. If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

While these past three months have been a rollercoaster, I sure have learned a lot! To anyone who reads my updates thanks for being patient because it has taken a while to update my blog. It’s taken longer than normal because I have been trying to reflect upon my last four tournaments and learn what I need to work on to improve my performance and become more consistent.

After my win at Nash Cup and great performance at Trials, I hit an emotional and physical wall. In the past, after a couple of big events, I have felt tired for a week, but then I’ve bounced back. However, throughout the entire month of October, I struggled to get myself energized and excited to compete. While I tried my hardest at both the Granite Open and the Nicola Wealth Open in Toronto and Vancouver respectively, I didn’t perform as well as I would have liked and was outplayed by two tough competitors (Hollie Naughton and Zeina Mickawy). While I was disappointed with those two tournaments, they helped me find large gaps in my game that I have been working on since then.

After a couple weeks of training with Jon and playing practice matches in Calgary, I felt ready for my next two, larger events. The first tournament was the Monte Carlo Open in Monaco, and the second was World Team Championships in Paris. Before the tournament started, I spent a day exploring Monaco! While I will never be able to afford to live there, (let alone do laundry….learned through mistake), I definitely want to go back! It was absolutely incredible!

In Monaco and I played against Maria Toorpakai in the first round of qualifying and managed to win 3-0. I felt great on court and was able to attack the ball and keep control of the T. Later that evening, I played my second round qualifying match against Hania El Hammamy. I had a rough start to the match and couldn’t figure out which game plan to use against her, but partway through the second game I used a different tactic that was working well. Even though I lost in 4 games, I was proud of my ability to relax, change my game plan, and fight hard. I felt that the main issue was execution and consistency.

The following week I met up with Nikki Todd, Sam Cornett and Hollie Naughton in Paris for World Team Championships. In our preliminary pool, we competed against England, Whales, and the USA.

In the England matchup,Sam and Nikki both had some close games against Laura Massaro and Sarah Jane Perry respectively. They set up the rallies well and it was exciting to watch! After their games, I played Alison Waters and boy was it eye opening! She was consistently attacking and applying pressure against me. Despite my best efforts to contain her strengths and attack back, she was too experienced and tough. However, since my goal is to reach the top 10 one day, it was a great to play against her and see what level I need to reach.

The following day, we played Whales. Sam and I were able to attack and move the ball around the court. We both won our matches fairly comfortably. In the third match, Hollie played incredibly and gained a 2-0 lead against Tesni Evans, but unfortunately wasn’t able to maintain her lead and lost in 5.

After the win against Whales, our team was feeling confident and ready to compete against the USA for a place in the top-8 draw. Sam played against Olivia Blatchford and pulled off a massive win! She had great length and stayed focused throughout the entire game. It was really motivating and inspiring! Hollie then played Amanda Sohby and lost in 3. Amanda applied a lot of pressure and didn’t give Hollie and openings to work with. The overall match was then tied 1-1, and it came down to my match against Sabrina Sohby. To this day, my match against Sabrina hits a nerve. Throughout the match I struggled to overcome my nerves, relax and just enjoy the match and the pressure. She was attacking, hitting great shots, and retrieving every ball I hit and it rattled me. In the third game I managed to turn the match around, change my game plan and win that game. Unfortunately I couldn’t keep my momentum going into the fourth game. It was frustrating to be in that situation and not perform to the best of my ability and to let down my team. Wish I could go back and play that match again.

However, despite that loss, the tournament was far from over. Our team was placed into a 9-12 round robin against Japan, the Netherlands, and India.

We played Japan first. Sam won her match in 4 games and then Hollie lost hers in 4 against Misaki Kobayashi. Once again I was playing the deciding match. However, after reflecting and learning from my match against Sabrina and realizing that I needed to relax to play well, I went into this match much more calm and ready to compete. We played four tough games and fortunately, I managed to come out on top. While I am still replaying my match against Sabrina in my head, I am happy that I could bounce back quickly and play with confidence the following day.

I sat out in our match against the Netherlands, but I think I was more nervous than I had been throughout the entire event! Hollie, Nikki, and Sam all played close, intense five game matches, and I think each one ended 11-9 or 11-8 in the fifth! Good news! They all won their matches and put us into the 9/10 playoff against India.

Hollie played against Joshna Chinappa first. She fought hard, winning the third game after being down 2-0. Unfortunately she couldn’t win the fourth and our team went down 1-0. Sam was up next against Dipika Pallikal and, while she tried her hardest, her body wasn’t cooperating with her and she lost 3-0.

While we didn’t meet our teams goal for the event, we all learned a lot from the event and had a blast competing alongside one another and also exploring Paris! We were able to check out the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notredame, and a Christmas market along the Champs d’Elysees. If you ask Nikki and Sam, I also had a great view of them riding away in the Subway during rush hour when they managed to get on the train and I did not.

Since those tournaments I have been working hard on specific areas of my game, and reflecting upon my experience so I can perform better in my upcoming events in January.

Trials were held in Windsor and the round robin consisted of 5 women (Sam Cornett, Nicole Bunyan, Jackie Moss, Miccala Seth and myself). Two players would qualify for the Women’s World Team Championships in Paris, France.

One day after the final of the Nash Cup, I drove to Windsor with Sam and Nicole. I was dead and completely drained from the tournament. I went to bed early so I could rest up for my match the following day against Miccala Seth. Before we started playing I was nervous that I hadn’t recovered from the week prior and would be slow on court. To my relief, once the match started I became extremely focused and relaxed. I felt great on court and won 3-0.

The following morning I had a battle with Nicole Bunyan (14-12, 11-5, 14-12). During the match, I couldn’t focus as well as I had against Miccala, but when the games went to extra points and we were having long rallies, I remembered that I had been in this situation many times in my final against Misaki and grew confident from my experience that I could win these close games.

At night, I played Jackie Moss. Since I have trained with Jackie for years and have seen her play, I knew not to take her lightly because she is strong and consistent. Fortunately, I was able to buckle down, focus and play well. I won 3-0.

I had a rest day on Wednesday and decided to make the most of it. Sam, Miccala, Jackie, Nicole and I went out for a nice lunch at a local cafe and were able to catch up and put competition aside for a couple hours. It was great. That evening, I watched the other girls play their matches before going home to relax.

By Thursday morning, the team had already been decided. Sam and I had made it!! But, we still had to play our match. While I had trouble focusing and relaxing on court, I have to give it to Sam; Compared to our match the week before, she was more consistent, aggressive and confident on court. She outplayed me and won the match 3-0.

So happy to make the team and can’t wait to represent Canada in November with Nikki Todd, Hollie Naughton, and Sam.

 

This tournament has been one of the most memorable events in my entire squash career. My goal was to win the tournament, and after four tough matches, I managed to do it! While the result is my best to date, the sponsors, billets, and spectators in London made this tournament truly special.

My first match was against Miccala Seth (CAN). She is a tough opponent to play because she always gives 100% and can handle fast pace well. Going onto court, and even through the entire match, I was really nervous and was struggling to get into a rhythm. She took the first game. Fortunately, I found a new game plan that worked against her and I won the next three games to advance to the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinals I had the opportunity to get revenge against Hollie Naughton (CAN) after our 5-game match at Nationals. Going into this match I felt better prepared then I did the day before and was focused on my game plan. Everything fell into play during the match and I was more confident on court than I had been in a while. I was ecstatic when I won 3-0.

Unlike most tournaments there was a rest day in the middle of the event. I had a light hit in the morning then participated in a hardball doubles Pro-Am tournament all afternoon. It was a lot of fun! By the end of the day I was really tired mentally and physically, so I went home and relaxed for the evening.

Since I was tired from the day before and my match was in the early afternoon, I decided to skip my regular morning hit relax instead. I spent the day watching movies and then mentally preparing for my semifinal against Sam Cornett (CAN). It was Sam’s first tournament back since she got injured over a year ago so I didn’t know what to expect from her. She has always been very mentally strong and fit so I knew I’d have to be ready for a battle. Similar to my match against Hollie, I felt very confident and comfortable on court. We had a high paced match, but I was able to remain calm, play my game, and win the match 3-1. To celebrate I went to a London Knights game with my billets where we got to see the Memorial Cup presentation!

Final day!

I started my day early with an 8am solo. After watching a couple of matches in the amateur draw, I went home to relax and mentally prepare for my match that evening. I had never played Misaki Kobayashi before but knew she would be consistent, fast, and tough! In the first game, I had a slow start. My drops, length and movement were not executed as well as the days prior and she was able to gain a  lead in the first game. She was up 10-5, but i managed to put my head down and keep the ball in play to come back to 9-10. While I was close, she won the first game. In the next four games, we would battle into extra points. The fifth game was the ultimate battle, ending 18-16. The crowd was loud and full of energy and I was able to feel that on court. It helped me push harder and stay focused as the match went on. I was very relieved and happy at the end of the match when I pulled out the win, and couldn’t wait to celebrate!

After a long summer of training I was ready to start my season with two events in Melbourne, Australia. It was a big risk price wise to fly down and play two events there but I wanted to have some tournament matches before playing the Nash Cup and Women’s World Team Trials in September.

In my first tournament, the Victorian Open, I played Jasmine Chan (AUS) in the first round of qualifying and won 3-0. It was a relief to win my first match and get rid of all of my nerves. In the second round of qualifying, I settled down and beat Sachika Ingale (IND) in three straight games to reach the main draw! My first round match was a tough one. I played against Mayar Hany (EGY). I was extremely disappointed with the first two games of the match because I had an extremely slow start and was distracted by outside factors. Luckily, I managed to relax and regain control and start playing my game in the next two games. While I ended up losing the match 3-1, I was happy with my ability to turn the game around and refocus.

A highlight from the Victorian Open was driving to the club in a limo! My billets were hosting me and five other players. Since they lived far from the club and there weren’t enough car seats for players, our billet contacted his friend who owns a limo company. He cut us a deal and let us show up for our matches in style!

In the days following the Victorian Open, I trained at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre and tried to adjust to the 17″ tin. This was only the second time I had played with a lower tin and it definitely was a change! I had to move quicker to the front, to better pick the times to attack short, and hit tighter length. In my first round of qualifying I played Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) in three straight games. Later that day I would play my second round of qualifying against Amanada Landers-Murphy (NZL). The day before I had played a practice match against her and knew that she had great shots and ball control and that she would be hard to beat. In our match, I surprised myself when I quickly gained a 2-0 lead. I felt quick, smooth and focused. However, the match was far from over. The third game was close, but she pulled it out in extra points. Again, the fourth game was close but I lost. I had started to play more conservatively and hitting length instead of moving the ball around the court. In the fifth game I returned to my original game plan and attacked the ball short. My game plan worked and I won the fifth game 11-4. The following day I would play Mayar Hany in the first round of the main draw. The rallies were longer and closer in this match, but I didn’t feel as great as I did in the last two games of our first match. She won 3-0.

A highlight from the Australian Open was watching Nicol David beat up on two Australian men’s players in exhibition matches. She is a great player and it was really cool to see how she prepared for matches and presents herself on court.

 

Nationals is the most important tournament of the year for me and each year I try to peak for it. This year nationals were held at the Mayfair Lakeshore Club in Toronto, ON from May 4-8. Leading up to this event I spent a solid six weeks in the gym improving my fitness with my trainer Richard Gibney and on court with my new coach Jonathan Hill. It was great to spend some time training, away from competition, to clear my mind and prepare properly for this event.

By the time May 3rd flew around and I was on the plane heading to Toronto, I felt very excited and confident and also lucky. It was my birthday and to my surprise my boyfriend was coming to watch my play at Nationals. Since there weren’t many people from Alberta competing at Nationals, it was especially nice to have someone in my corner during such an important event.

In my first round match, I played Margo Dewsnap and won 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-9). While I managed to win comfortably, I still felt extremely nervous during the match and was relieved when it was done. To celebrate, I went to a Jays game 🙂

After having a practice session in the morning and going to the Hockey Hall of Fame, I relaxed and visualized the match I was going to play later that evening against Giselle Delgado. I played her earlier in the year in Seattle and knew that she would be a tough opponent since she had good ball control and shots. Going onto the court, I felt very comfortable, focused and relaxed and played really well. I advanced to the semis after winning 3-0 (11-2, 11-6, 11-4).

Before coming to this event I had heard that Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) was competing since she had Canadian citizenship. At the time of the tournament, Nicolette was ranked #24 in the world and I was #67. Knowing that she is a great player, I knew that I would have to play the best squash of my life to have a chance at beating her. Fortunately, I did. I was focused, relaxed and moving great. It’s the best I have ever played in a tournament and I was extremely happy and surprised when I beat her 3-1 (11-6, 11-13, 11-4, 11-4).

After having the huge upset that I did, I had to calm down and refocus on my final against Hollie. However, it wasn’t that easy. I felt extremely nervous as I stepped on to the court for the first game. While I tried to relax I wasn’t able to do it in time and I lost the first game 11-7. However, I managed to regain control and win the next two games 12-10 and 13-11. I finally managed to relax once I took a 2-1 lead, but I relaxed too much. She crushed me in the fourth game 11-5. In the fifth game, I took a 6-3 lead and then let it slip. Hollie hit some amazing drops and took advantage of my length that had started to fall a bit short and won the match 11-8.

It was a close but frustrating match since I was playing well, but wasn’t quite as focused as I was the day before. It was a disappointing way to end the season since I was just short of my goal, but there are many positives to take away from my tournament overall.

Thank you to everyone who supported me during this event. It meant the world to me.

Due to some technical difficulties, I didn’t realize that my website was still up and running, but now that I do- I will be updating it more regularly! But, here’s what you missed!

At the beginning of October, I reached my first PSA final! In the first round I played #1 seed Catalina Palaez (COL) in three games. While she wasn’t in her best form due to an injury I felt great on court and was hitting great drops. After a straight forward second match against Melissa Alves (FRA), I played fellow Canadian Hollie Naughton. After being down 2-0, I managed to regain focus and composure and battle back to win the match 3-2. I was ecstatic to reach the final and play Nele Gillis (BEL). Despite having a 1-0 lead, she was more consistent on the day and took the title. While I was disappointed to lose at the time, it was reassuring to finally make some progress and go further into the draw.

In January, in the middle of a 5 tournament stint, I claimed my first PSA title in Berwyn, USA! It was a memorable tournament, not just because of the result, but from the large snowstorm that hit the eastern USA and affected the tournament schedule. After having a practice session Friday morning in preparation for my match that evening, I found out that my opponent dropped out of the tournament. The next morning I woke up excited to start the tournament and play my first round match against No. 1 seed Millie Tomlinson. However, after looking outside the window and seeing 35 inches of snow outside and receiving a message that the tournament would be pushed back at least a day, I relaxed, ate, and watched netflix for the day. On Sunday morning, we heard the tournament was back on! I was nervous because I hadn’t been on court and knew I’d have to play my best to beat Millie. After being down 2-0, I somehow battled back to win the match. It was one of my most memorable wins of the season. Later that day I won my semifinal against Thaisa Serafini (BRA) 3-0. Due to the storm and change of schedule, my Monday morning flight was rebooked so I could compete in the final against Georgina Stoker (USA). I was super nervous and feeling on edge throughout the match, but with some coaching from my family via Skype, I managed to pull out the match and walk away with the title.

One of my favourite tournaments of the year is the 15k CFO Calgary Consulting Services Women’s Week Open that is played at the Winter Club. It is such a privilege to play in front of a home crowd, have your coach there, sleep in your own bed, and have your friends and family supporting you in person. The atmosphere and support helped me stay positive and focused throughout my matches. After two three-game matches against Lee Ka Yi (HKG) and Sachika Ingale (IND), I played Christine Nunn (AUS)  in the semifinals. We had some long rallies and it was a battle, but she was more consistent than I was that day. To this day, its the best result I have had in a tournament that big and I am very happy with how I performed.

While I have showcased my best results, there were some losses along the way, but after finishing my first season on tour, I am very proud of the progress I have made and am feeling optimistic about the upcoming season.

For a more in-depth, full view of my PSA results last season, please check out the results page 🙂

 

So far I am having an amazing time at the Nash Cup. The atmosphere is incredible– everyone at the club is very welcoming, social, and supportive of squash! It has also been great to see some familiar faces. Today I played my first round match against Alison Thomson (ENG) and won 3-0. I felt calm and in control for the majority of the match. Tomorrow I am playing Maria Toorpakai Wazir (PAK). After my match today I am feeling more confident and very excited to play Maria for the first time. For anyone who wants to watch, there is live streaming at nashcup.com. Our battle begins at 4 PM eastern time. Wish me luck!

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I lost my match to Maria 3-1. Overall I am happy with how I played– I moved well, chose the right shots, and stayed focused throughout the match despite the physical and pushy nature of our games. The times I ran into trouble were when my x-courts weren’t wide enough or when I moved her short prematurely. Throughout the rest of the week. I continued training hard; I played a couple practice matches, drilled, and worked out. Thank you Nikki Todd (CAN), Melina Turk (CAN), Millie Tomlinson (ENG), and Cyrielle Peltier (FRA) for the hits!

My next event is the LiveStuff Open that is running between Oct 4-6,  in Tuxedo Park, NY.

Days 1-4:

Early Sunday morning, I travelled to Sydney where one of my close friends picked me up and brought me home to stay with her and her family for the night. Even though it has only been a week away from home, it was wonderful to see familiar faces. They showed me the beach, and an amazing view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Oprah House. Afterwards, we relaxed, ate dinner, and watched some Australian T.V. It was a great way to spend my rest day!

However, after saying my goodbyes the following morning, it was back to business! I drove to the Thornleigh Squash Centre, soloed, did court sprints, movement, and a few other exercises. The courts and the facility are great! They have nine courts, all of which are warm and bouncy, a T.V that only plays squash videos, massage chairs, and a ping pong table. After relaxing on the massage chairs for a couple hours I went to my billets house.

Yesterday, due to a High School squash round robin, there were no courts available until the afternoon, ergo I went for a walk around the neighbourhood and skyped with family. In the afternoon, Ruan shocked me out of my relaxed state during our hit. We drilled and then played a condition match where I was allotted 5 points at the start of each game. At first I couldn’t find my swing or movement; however, towards the end of the hit I felt comfortable, confident, and fast on court.

Today was an enjoyable day. Since the round robin was still on, I took the train downtown and tried to play at the City Tattersalls Club. Unfortunately, after a long train ride, I discovered that the court was in the men’s section of the club and that I couldn’t play squash. Consequently, I sprinted on the treadmill, ripped my core apart, then stretched. Even though I was unable to hit, I enjoyed being downtown. Sydney is a beautiful city and I wish I could stay longer to explore every part of it! In the afternoon, I went back to Thornleigh and had a great hit with Milou and Cyrielle Pelletier (FRA). We drilled and played games. Thank you both for the hit!!

Tomorrow I am playing Stephanie Wighton (AUS) in the qualifying draw. Our match is at 3:00pm AEST (11:00pm MST, 1:00am EST). Here is a link to the qualifying and main draws.. https://psaworldtour.com/tournaments/view/6141

Fingers are crossed for a good match!

Days 5-6

Preparing for my match on Thursday felt different from any other match I’ve played. Stephanie and I were coincidentally billeting at the same house, so after eating breakfast, hitting, grabbing lunch, and hanging out all day, we played our match. To my delight, I advanced to the main draw with a 3-0 win. Similar to my match the previous week, I was unsettled throughout the match; however, I buckled down, focused on my length, and stayed composed during critical points. After our match, the drew names to see who I would play next. To my luck, I drew Milou again. For the third tournament in a row I was playing the first seed in the first round. While my draw placement could have been disheartening, I saw the matchup as an opportunity to get revenge.

I felt better prepared for my match today then I did last week. Due to a long five-game match before mine, I had an hour long warm up. Before stepping on court I felt focused and relaxed. Unfortunately, once I stepped onto court I tightened up. First game was very rough. In the second I attacked and moved the ball around the court more. Even though I had a 9-5 lead, and a game ball at 12-11, I lost the game. Right now I’m kicking myself for making errors at critical points because the game could have gone either way. The third game was similar. Hopefully I can reduce these errors and play more confidently and consistently as I gain experience. Learned a lot from this match and tournament. On to the next one.

Huge thank you to the Black family for letting me stay with you this week! Your company and support made me feel more relaxed and comfortable both on and off court. Also thank you Rex, Dawn, and Ryan for the tournament!

Days 7-8

In my last two days in Sydney, I played practice matches, went sight seeing downtown, hung out with the friends I made during these two weeks, and watched Sophie’s field hockey match. It was a great way to end my trip. Looking forward to seeing everyone back home and to play on the new doubles court at the Glencoe!