Post by annie on Jul 18, 2005 12:05:19 GMT 3
From Heaven to Hell and Back in 72 hours
Well, my dearest friends, sit down, fasten your seatbelts and we're off to re-live last weekend at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow. This is part 2 of my DC report and I apologise from the start if it may come too long, but God knows how many feelings and emotions I have piled up inside of me ;D I also apologise for the quality of photos I am going to post a bit later, but the lighting in that place is awful for taking photos and my camera is not a professional or a big one, so some are not too good.
I am going to scatter them around the message board. Group photos I will post them here, photos of separate players alone I shall post in their respective threads in Dinara and Other Players. Enjoy!!!! 
Saturday, July 16. Hell breaks lose
Woke up in the morning in a brilliant mood, sun was shining, birds were singing, I got up, had my breakfast, got dressed, got my camera (!!! yay!!!!) and off I went. The score was 1:1 and I had all the reasons in the world to be optimistic.
So I got to the Stadium, went to my seat, the madness started. Teams came out and the crowd went wild. Tension was very high, you could see Igor being on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Poor thing, I mean he played his first match ever for Russia on Friday and lost, so I think he was really determined not to let the team down again. My Teddy Bear Misha was his usual self. Confident, serious and always having conversations...with himself LOL or with Igor. I must say that this is not the first time I watched Misha play doubles live and I must absolutely certainly say that in doubles he is really something. The way he winds himself and his partner up is incredible, if his partner makes a mistake, he is always cheering him up, always talking to his partner....marvellous...a real character
At a certain point the game got a bit ugly, it is inevitable in doubles I guess, but you should have seen the atmosphere...Llodra made a few shots and they all went straight into Misha's body (once a bit below the waist actually and I was getting VERY worried there), poor thing apologised about 600 times but Misha won't be Misha if it didn't drive him insane. For about half an hour after that Teddy Bear performed miracles....smashes one after another, into feet of Frenchmen, their bodies, everywhere...the guy was on a roll!!!!!!! Too bad it ended quickly and he calmed down, because at one point I thought he was going to kill them lol....WELL you all know the result of that one...it was soooooo sad. Misha was shattered, Igor just tried too hard to do well and....mistakes...quite too many...BUT the public was grateful. Noone could have said they didn't do their best or they didn't play full strength...it's just that Llodra and Clement are much better doubles players and Russia for many years now haven't had a stable doubles pair, but the boys were great.....it was indeed a sad sad day. 
Sunday, July 17. Back to Heaven we go ;D or Who Is Gasquet Again?
I went to bed at 1am on the night from Saturday to Sunday. I woke up at 5am and that was it, didn't sleep for a split second. I was feeling so sick with anxiety I didn't know what to do with myself. I got up, made tea and couldn't drink it. Tried to have breakfast and couldn't, tried to watch TV, but ermm don't remember what was showing. I was feeling so sick, I wanted to go to the loo and throw up (I'll be honest with you I tried LOL..didn't work..ewww) Hubby had to work on Sunday so he left early and I started to get ready. I was ironing the DC t-shirt I had bought the day before and I actually realised that I am reminding myself of a warrior getting ready for a battle 
Seriously, I have no idea what on earth was going through Kolya's and Igor's minds that day because me being just a fan....well I don't wish my state upon my worst enemy...
I got to the stadium (don't ask me how, I don't remember) and the worst thing hapenned. I was in my seat and in front of me there were these 2 men, I think one of them was a tennis coach or something, and they started going on and on how they don't see Russia getting a single point today and how both matches would be lost. On any other day I would have kept my mouth shut but not yesterday. I excused myself and told them that I am actually wondering WTF were they doing there in the first place if they were so certain. With an attitude like that, this was not the place to be, and even if they think it is, I asked them to keep their little "I know it all" talk to themselves, because we, the fans are not really amused sitting their listening to their "optimistic" rambles. I think they so didn't expect it that they actually apologised ROTFL
I wished it all stopped there and then but another riot between me and some fans took place later (LMAO I was on a roll!!!!) but I'll get to it later
So Kolya and Gasquet were up first. Half an hour into the match noone had any doubt of who the winner will be. Sickness went in an unidentifiable direction and I was my good old self screaming my gutts out It was a beautiful beautiful match. Kolya's strategic abilities are something out of this world. Gasquet??? The guy who beat Federer in Monte Carlo??? Not anymore...Gasquet is the guy Kolya Davydenko having a wrist injury smashed all over the CLAY court in Moscow ;D ;D Poor Richard looked so lost. He couldn't do anything and I mean anything...Kolya was saving balls, which were out of this world...it was incredible....I haven't seen anything so beautiful on a tennis court for a while now....amazing!!!!! So 4 sets later (6:2, 4:6, 6:2, 6:1 !!!!!!! 
) it was 2:2 and the stadium was going wild......this is when I started to worry again....
I went outside for a ciggie and to call hubby to tell him the good news and as I was coming back I saw Igor in the hall going into the changing room. This was a sight I will never forget. Poor thing...he was green pale and looked sooooo nervous. I mean just think about it. You just turn 22, they tell you that this time you will HAVE to play for Russia and be a no 2 in the team after Kolya because Misha is still recovering from his leg injury and Marat is injured, and now your whole country is waiting for you to perform a miracle. Oh I felt sooooo sorry for him.
A quarter of an hour later he got out of the changing room and we bumped into each other again, I smiled and told him "Good luck Igor. You can do it!", he turned, looked at me, smiled and said "Thank you.I'll do my best" That was a moment when I knew he would win. The amazing makeover that took place in the changing room (ermm a CHANGING room it was indeed) I don't know what it was...I don't know what the guys did to him but that look in his eyes was so devilish and naughty that I just knew he was more than ready for a battle.
When Igor and Matheu got out on court, I cannot tell you what was going on in the Stadium, hell broke lose, the French fans with their drums, songs and cheers wearing the same t-shirts, waving flags, etc. could not be heard for the first time in 3 days, Russians went wild, all you could hear was "Russia!" and "Igor" and that kept going till the match finished. Before I tell you about the match I promised I would tell about that little riot I had. There were these 2 girls sitting next to me for all the 3 days and one of them was telling me how Igor is going to lose now and what an idiot Marat is to have started his knee treatment before DC when he could have easily done it after. Ermm I am not going to tell you my little speech I made but I guess you all have a pretty good idea ROTFL...
So it began...1:0, 2:0, 3:0, 4:0 that boy was unstoppable. He was on such a high that I think if you put a tank in front on him that day he would have moved it. I swear to God I never shouted so loudly in my entire life, I was up on my feet throughout the whole game and every time he came on the side of the court I was sitting behind, all you could hear was me weeping my lungs out (ermm the screaming story actually has a continuation but this will come later ). Half an hour later 6:0 and the crowd is even wilder than it was before...
Everything went right for Igor, everything!!! No matter what he did, it worked. Paul-Henry was in shatters, he was shocked, pissed off and totally disoriented. He managed to take his serve for the first time when it was 3:1 Igor leading in the second set And another hour later 6:0, 6:2, 6:1. The match point was a beauty...Igor hit an ace right into the line, fell flat on the ground and could not believe what he had done. Misha, Kolya and other boys all ran out on the court and started hugging, jumping and throwing each other in the air LOL....I just sat there motionless...I just felt like a ton fell off my shoulders and for a few seconds I couldn't move, I was feeling so tired LOL....then I got up on my chair with my feet and jumped and screamed and shouted like mad.... It was one of the brightest moments of my life. They have proved to themselves that they are worth something even without their number 1, they were so happy, and so were the fans.
I stayed behind after everyone had gone with a few other fans and it was great. I got autographs of Misha and Kolya and Igor. Kolya was in a real rush though and left straight after, Misha stayed roaming around for a while and I chatted to him a little, then we all waited for Igor to come out and when he did, I went to get my autograph and tell my congrats, I went up to him and told him "Well done!!! This really was something. You are our hero and we are really proud of you". He looked at me and said "God, I recognise your voice, you were cheering behind me throughout the whole game. You were incredible and a great help. Thank you".
It is moments like these tennis fans should live for ;D
Throughout the whole weekend I thought about Marat, how great it would have been if he was there even as just a spectator and support, but the thing is I know he WAS there, in his spirit he was always there....
I was going home with a massive grin on my face, with my autographs, photos and memories stuck in my bag and my head and I thought of Marat's comments after Misha's win in Bercy 3 years ago and I must say I totally agree....it was indeed better than sex LMAO
OK, my darlings, this is it I think. I am off to play about with the photos and they will be posted shortly. Lookout for this thread, Kolya's, Misha's, Richard's and others in Dinara and Other Players ;D
Well, my dearest friends, sit down, fasten your seatbelts and we're off to re-live last weekend at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow. This is part 2 of my DC report and I apologise from the start if it may come too long, but God knows how many feelings and emotions I have piled up inside of me ;D I also apologise for the quality of photos I am going to post a bit later, but the lighting in that place is awful for taking photos and my camera is not a professional or a big one, so some are not too good.
I am going to scatter them around the message board. Group photos I will post them here, photos of separate players alone I shall post in their respective threads in Dinara and Other Players. Enjoy!!!! 
Saturday, July 16. Hell breaks lose
Woke up in the morning in a brilliant mood, sun was shining, birds were singing, I got up, had my breakfast, got dressed, got my camera (!!! yay!!!!) and off I went. The score was 1:1 and I had all the reasons in the world to be optimistic.
So I got to the Stadium, went to my seat, the madness started. Teams came out and the crowd went wild. Tension was very high, you could see Igor being on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Poor thing, I mean he played his first match ever for Russia on Friday and lost, so I think he was really determined not to let the team down again. My Teddy Bear Misha was his usual self. Confident, serious and always having conversations...with himself LOL or with Igor. I must say that this is not the first time I watched Misha play doubles live and I must absolutely certainly say that in doubles he is really something. The way he winds himself and his partner up is incredible, if his partner makes a mistake, he is always cheering him up, always talking to his partner....marvellous...a real character
At a certain point the game got a bit ugly, it is inevitable in doubles I guess, but you should have seen the atmosphere...Llodra made a few shots and they all went straight into Misha's body (once a bit below the waist actually and I was getting VERY worried there
), poor thing apologised about 600 times but Misha won't be Misha if it didn't drive him insane. For about half an hour after that Teddy Bear performed miracles....smashes one after another, into feet of Frenchmen, their bodies, everywhere...the guy was on a roll!!!!!!! Too bad it ended quickly and he calmed down, because at one point I thought he was going to kill them lol....WELL you all know the result of that one...it was soooooo sad. Misha was shattered, Igor just tried too hard to do well and....mistakes...quite too many...BUT the public was grateful. Noone could have said they didn't do their best or they didn't play full strength...it's just that Llodra and Clement are much better doubles players and Russia for many years now haven't had a stable doubles pair, but the boys were great.....it was indeed a sad sad day. 
Sunday, July 17. Back to Heaven we go ;D or Who Is Gasquet Again?
I went to bed at 1am on the night from Saturday to Sunday. I woke up at 5am
and that was it, didn't sleep for a split second. I was feeling so sick with anxiety I didn't know what to do with myself. I got up, made tea and couldn't drink it. Tried to have breakfast and couldn't, tried to watch TV, but ermm don't remember what was showing. I was feeling so sick, I wanted to go to the loo and throw up (I'll be honest with you I tried LOL..didn't work..ewww) Hubby had to work on Sunday so he left early and I started to get ready. I was ironing the DC t-shirt I had bought the day before and I actually realised that I am reminding myself of a warrior getting ready for a battle 
Seriously, I have no idea what on earth was going through Kolya's and Igor's minds that day because me being just a fan....well I don't wish my state upon my worst enemy...I got to the stadium (don't ask me how, I don't remember) and the worst thing hapenned. I was in my seat and in front of me there were these 2 men, I think one of them was a tennis coach or something, and they started going on and on how they don't see Russia getting a single point today and how both matches would be lost. On any other day I would have kept my mouth shut but not yesterday. I excused myself and told them that I am actually wondering WTF were they doing there in the first place if they were so certain. With an attitude like that, this was not the place to be, and even if they think it is, I asked them to keep their little "I know it all" talk to themselves, because we, the fans are not really amused sitting their listening to their "optimistic" rambles. I think they so didn't expect it that they actually apologised ROTFL
I wished it all stopped there and then but another riot between me and some fans took place later (LMAO I was on a roll!!!!) but I'll get to it later
So Kolya and Gasquet were up first. Half an hour into the match noone had any doubt of who the winner will be. Sickness went in an unidentifiable direction and I was my good old self screaming my gutts out
It was a beautiful beautiful match. Kolya's strategic abilities are something out of this world. Gasquet??? The guy who beat Federer in Monte Carlo??? Not anymore...Gasquet is the guy Kolya Davydenko having a wrist injury smashed all over the CLAY court in Moscow ;D ;D Poor Richard looked so lost. He couldn't do anything and I mean anything...Kolya was saving balls, which were out of this world...it was incredible....I haven't seen anything so beautiful on a tennis court for a while now....amazing!!!!! So 4 sets later (6:2, 4:6, 6:2, 6:1 !!!!!!! 
) it was 2:2 and the stadium was going wild......this is when I started to worry again....I went outside for a ciggie
and to call hubby to tell him the good news and as I was coming back I saw Igor in the hall going into the changing room. This was a sight I will never forget. Poor thing...he was green pale and looked sooooo nervous. I mean just think about it. You just turn 22, they tell you that this time you will HAVE to play for Russia and be a no 2 in the team after Kolya because Misha is still recovering from his leg injury and Marat is injured, and now your whole country is waiting for you to perform a miracle. Oh I felt sooooo sorry for him. A quarter of an hour later he got out of the changing room and we bumped into each other again, I smiled and told him "Good luck Igor. You can do it!", he turned, looked at me, smiled and said "Thank you.I'll do my best" That was a moment when I knew he would win. The amazing makeover that took place in the changing room (ermm a CHANGING room it was indeed) I don't know what it was...I don't know what the guys did to him but that look in his eyes was so devilish and naughty that I just knew he was more than ready for a battle.
When Igor and Matheu got out on court, I cannot tell you what was going on in the Stadium, hell broke lose, the French fans with their drums, songs and cheers wearing the same t-shirts, waving flags, etc. could not be heard for the first time in 3 days, Russians went wild, all you could hear was "Russia!" and "Igor" and that kept going till the match finished. Before I tell you about the match I promised I would tell about that little riot I had. There were these 2 girls sitting next to me for all the 3 days and one of them was telling me how Igor is going to lose now and what an idiot Marat is to have started his knee treatment before DC when he could have easily done it after. Ermm I am not going to tell you my little speech I made but I guess you all have a pretty good idea ROTFL...
So it began...1:0, 2:0, 3:0, 4:0
that boy was unstoppable. He was on such a high that I think if you put a tank in front on him that day he would have moved it. I swear to God I never shouted so loudly in my entire life, I was up on my feet throughout the whole game and every time he came on the side of the court I was sitting behind, all you could hear was me weeping my lungs out (ermm the screaming story actually has a continuation but this will come later ). Half an hour later 6:0 and the crowd is even wilder than it was before...Everything went right for Igor, everything!!! No matter what he did, it worked. Paul-Henry was in shatters, he was shocked, pissed off and totally disoriented. He managed to take his serve for the first time when it was 3:1 Igor leading in the second set
And another hour later 6:0, 6:2, 6:1. The match point was a beauty...Igor hit an ace right into the line, fell flat on the ground and could not believe what he had done. Misha, Kolya and other boys all ran out on the court and started hugging, jumping and throwing each other in the air LOL....I just sat there motionless...I just felt like a ton fell off my shoulders and for a few seconds I couldn't move, I was feeling so tired LOL....then I got up on my chair with my feet and jumped and screamed and shouted like mad.... It was one of the brightest moments of my life. They have proved to themselves that they are worth something even without their number 1, they were so happy, and so were the fans.I stayed behind after everyone had gone with a few other fans and it was great. I got autographs of Misha and Kolya and Igor. Kolya was in a real rush though and left straight after, Misha stayed roaming around for a while and I chatted to him a little, then we all waited for Igor to come out and when he did, I went to get my autograph and tell my congrats, I went up to him and told him "Well done!!! This really was something. You are our hero and we are really proud of you". He looked at me and said "God, I recognise your voice, you were cheering behind me throughout the whole game. You were incredible and a great help. Thank you".
It is moments like these tennis fans should live for ;D
Throughout the whole weekend I thought about Marat, how great it would have been if he was there even as just a spectator and support, but the thing is I know he WAS there, in his spirit he was always there....
I was going home with a massive grin on my face, with my autographs, photos and memories stuck in my bag and my head and I thought of Marat's comments after Misha's win in Bercy 3 years ago and I must say I totally agree....it was indeed better than sex LMAO
OK, my darlings, this is it I think. I am off to play about with the photos and they will be posted shortly. Lookout for this thread, Kolya's, Misha's, Richard's and others in Dinara and Other Players ;D
. I think this victory was so important. Now they know they are all strong guys and the main pressure is not even more only on two shoulder packs (marat and mishas). so lets get ready to rrrrrrrrrrrrumble ;D
about your "riots" with fans..... I couldn´t stop laughing.... And... Can you speak today?? I don´t want to imagine how your throat is today.... 
No comment about my throat ... I feel like I have swallowed a frog or something...but it was worth every second ;D ;D ;D