San Jose - SAP Open 2007

[Joyce]

Thanks everyone for these wonderful pics.

reese said:

Thanks everybody for all the pics and reoprts
I love the blue shirt
Davai Maratik

[Annie]

[justsafin]

Hi, Fee wrote another great report about Marat in MTF again!!
Enjoy!!
www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?p=4868460&posted=1#post4868460

Yeah, Las Vegas is part of his appearance package deal. If it wasn't for that, you can bet Marat would not waste his time with one of these stupid RR tournaments. (LV is RR, look at the fact sheet at Steve G).

Anyway, I can't add anything to the match descriptions since I missed the first set. I will say something that I'm sure you already know if you've seen him in person. Marat can do anything with a racquet and ball that he wants to, I've never seen anyone like that. In practice yesterday, he was flipping the ball around between rallies and it looked odd but the ball always went exactly where he wanted it to. He did a few things like that during the match too. There was a ball on the court after a point and without even looking Marat walked up to and smacked his racquet on it and the ball went behind him and straight to the ball kid! He also did that thing where he caught the ball on his racquet in midair without it bouncing on the strings (right at the end of the match) and the crowd was so impressed they applauded him! He did all of these little tricks non-chalantly, like he wasn't even thinking about it, but every single time the ball did exactly what it was supposed to do. Neat-o.

I spoke to him for a minute after the match, I was sitting near the door when he came to the trans office for his ride. I looked up at him and very quietly said 'you are a meanie' and kind of pouted at him. He looked at his shoes with this priceless look of guilt, so I said 'ah ha, that look of guilt on your face means you know exactly what I am talking about! You hurt my feelings and I cried myself to sleep last night!' He laughed and said 'oh no you didn't' Then he told me he had a doubles match today, stunningly at the other site (which by the way, means its FREE to see Marat play tonight), so I told him that was too bad, he didn't have a day off so he couldn't go anywhere fun. We talked about the court and the practice court (different speeds) and he said he adjusted (shrugged it off, said 'what can you do') and then he was off, but I think he had a little smile on his face.

Now that he's played on the arena court, I think he'll be okay for the rest of the week. It's a shame that the practice courts aren't exactly the same, but since he is one of the top guys, he can get onto the arena court whenever its empty so he should be okay.

If I drive him again, I plan to have my revenge in the form of ABBA's Greatest Hits. Yes, I will sing along...

Marat is already announced as the night match for Thursday on the tournament website.
________________________________________________________________________
I have been feeling so regretful after reading Fee's reports!!
I booked the plane tickets and hotels...called SAP OPEN and they told me I can't watch players practice at all, it's not open to the public !! Since I was spoiled in Cincy by seeing him practice/play everyday, I thought the the big $$ I paid is not worth it cuz I would be flying overseas and not sure how many days I could get to see him.......but now I can't help blaming myself for my stupid decision . How wonderful if I was there to see Marat play and toy with the balls.....
Sorry for whining....I just can't help..........

[Patxy]

[lau]

justsafin said:

I have been feeling so regretful after reading Fee's reports!!
I booked the plane tickets and hotels...called SAP OPEN and they told me I can't watch players practice at all, it's not open to the public !! Since I was spoiled in Cincy by seeing him practice/play everyday, I thought the the big $$ I paid is not worth it cuz I would be flying overseas and not sure how many days I could get to see him.......but now I can't help blaming myself for my stupid decision . How wonderful if I was there to see Marat play and toy with the balls.....
Sorry for whining....I just can't help..........

Well, the best thing you can do in those cases is try to contact someone that went to the tournament before.... You can´t always trust in what is said officially.
Anyway, keep in mind that Fee works for the tournament, that gives her much more access than any person with a ticket

[justsafin]

lau said:

justsafin said:

I have been feeling so regretful after reading Fee's reports!!
I booked the plane tickets and hotels...called SAP OPEN and they told me I can't watch players practice at all, it's not open to the public !! Since I was spoiled in Cincy by seeing him practice/play everyday, I thought the the big $$ I paid is not worth it cuz I would be flying overseas and not sure how many days I could get to see him.......but now I can't help blaming myself for my stupid decision . How wonderful if I was there to see Marat play and toy with the balls.....
Sorry for whining....I just can't help..........

Well, the best thing you can do in those cases is try to contact someone that went to the tournament before.... You can´t always trust in what is said officially.
Anyway, keep in mind that Fee works for the tournament, that gives her much more access than any person with a ticket

I know, i have tried everything in MTF cuz there's this guy claiming he worked as a volunteer last year...but nobody responded and somehow my posts were erased (no idea why...)
Fee is a Roddick fan. I didn't even know her until SAP OPEN with her reports about Marat. So, I had no choice but to call the info line...and the lady got impatient with my questions even though i told her about my concerns and situation......

Thanks lau!

[lau]

well, your posts were probably deleted if you made them in the wrong thread/forum.... I guess....
In the main site of MTF there´s a section with upcoming tournaments, I guess you could post there, or just go to one of the chat threads in the non-tennis section (one active in that moment is better) and ask if they know someone going to the tournament or that went there before. The people there are usually very active members in MTF and they could know someone.

I don´t remember if you did it, but you can post in our "TGFR Members tounament schedule" thread here, in the tournaments forum too. We are not as many as in MTF, but someone who went to the tournament might be around


EDIT: BTW, the people in the info line probably had NO idea whatsoever (LMAO), or were not authorized to give further information.

[doopdeela]

and he wins his doubles match!

[Annie]

A. Fisher
T. Parrott 4 6 6

T. Gabashvili
M. Safin 6 4 10

YAY!!!!!!!!!!! Well done boys

[Joyce]

smile

[SAFINNO1]

Thursday OOP

Centre Court - 9.30
B Becker V B Phau
followed by
S Gruel V H T Lee
Followed by
F Lopez V V Spadea
Followed by
M Fish V S Warburg

4.00PM
I Karlovic V J Blake

7.00PM
M Safin V Y H Lu
Followed by
A Roddick V S Querrey

[safinbgfan]

Congrats,boys ;D

[SAFINNO1]

Eurosport 2 will show coverage of San Jose from tomorrow 20 30 CET all the way to the final on Sunday!

[lau]

So he won the doubles match too! That´s good, considering he flew 15 hours to go there coming from a DC tie on clay...

[lena]

for all who like to have some more pics have a look at this album pages

sports.beimages.net/sr.aspx?md0=0&All=safin&sb=Photos&sm=Basic&mps=-1