Nonthaburi, Thailand, 16 March 2012 | Storm Sanders

The team met up at Sydney International airport for our flight to Bangkok. There were over 20 Australians on the trip, which is by far the biggest tour I have ever been on.

We arrived into Bangkok at midnight after a bumpy nine-hour flight and as soon as we stepped out of the airport, we could already feel the heat and the humidity which somewhat intimidated us about how the conditions were going to be when we were playing during the middle of the day.

We spent a few days training, adjusting to the quick courts, the lightness of the balls and the constant wringing out of our sweaty shirts. I have never seen so many Australians in the gym, not just working out but because it was the only place that had air-conditioning!!

We started off with a bang with five girls winning their first round matches, which was a quality birthday present for Pratty (National Women’s Coach Nicole Pratt). Unfortunately Georgiana Ruhrig was forced to retire due to a shoulder injury.

We continued the birthday celebrations with the nightly visits to Scoozis for dinner and Starbucks for coffee. Our hotel was in the backstreets of Thailand so we had to learn the route to the courts quickly because the taxi drivers had no idea where they were going.

In the second round we weren’t so lucky with only Abbie Meyers and I going through to the round of 16. In the end, we had Daniel Guccione win the boys’ doubles title, Naiktha Bains, Danni Wagland, Brooke Rischbieth and I making the girls’ doubles semifinals, and Jordan Thompson make the boys’ singles quarterfinals.