Post by Annie on Jun 28, 2005 19:58:02 GMT 3
Davis Cup Final 2002 Russia V France at Bercy.
French report by Aurelie.
English version translated by Ruth.
Please do not use without Aurelie's permission, thank you!
comme promis je te fais le compte rendu du plus beau jour de ma vie!!!:
Je suis donc allee a la finale de la Coupe Davis le samedi, deja c'etait le gros bordel puisque on devait prendre le train le samedi a 6h et arrive a la gare, les trains etaient annules a cause des greves!!!finalement on a du prendre l'avion a 7h du mat' !
On est donc arrive a Bercy a 9h (le temps de de traverser tout paris en metro...), moi evidement la seule chose que j'attendais c'etait bien sure de voir Marat, donc ma soeur a demande a un gars de la securite par quelle porte les joueurs arivaient et il nous a indique la porte 32, arrivees la bas j'ai rencontre des fans de la l'equipe de france et une fan de Marat, on attendait juste devant l'entree quand pleins de CRS sont arrives pour nous dire de partir parce qu"'il ya vait trop de celebriteq" ce jour la pour qu'on puisse s'approcher (je t'en foutrai moi des celebrites!lol) On s'est donc retrouves au moins a 50m de l'entree et on a vu donc de loin Kafel' arrive....mais a force de bassiner un mec de Bercy, comme koi je venais expres de BIarritz pour voir Marat et que ca faisait 3ans que j'attendais,il a dit de dire au CRS que "de la part de Christophe" on pouvait l'attendre devant (merci christophe!lol) et la j'ai eu l'extraordinaire chance d'avoir un autographe de Tarpichev (l'entraineur russe) qui au debut n'a pas volu mais quand je lui ai dit que la russie allait gagnee il a souri et m'a remercie lol, bref je passe les details (...) j'ai aussi eu des photos et des autographes de Clement, Guillaume Roux, Forget... (ils sont d'ailleurs super sympa) mais toujours pas de MARAT SAFIN alors qu'il etait bientot 11h30et que tout le monde etait deja arrive (!) mais un chauffeur nous a dit qu'il etait encore a l'hotel donc on gardait espoir.
Au bout d'un moment , j'ai cru apercevoir ma meilleure amie, Mel qui m'avait appelee de l'entree principale pour savoir ou on etait et je l'ai donc appelee mais elle ne repondait pas, jusqu'a ce que ma soeur me dise "y'a Marat!" alors la....j'ai leve les yeux et effectivement Marat etait en train de sortir son sac du coffre, alors j'ai vite pris mon classeur et lui ai demande un autographe, et il a dit en angalis "oui bien sure" (!) mais y'avait peins de fans qui lui demandait et aussi quelqu'un qui lui a demande une photo et il a repondu qu'il ne pouvait pas, qu'il etait presse,je lui ai donc donne ma lettre et il m'a dit d'un air surpris "oh! thank you" je lui ai demande si je pouvais prendre une photo avec lui (plutot ma soeur a demande parce que moi, j'en croyais pas mes yeux!lol) et il a dit "oui oui 2sec" '(il etait encore en train de signer des autographes), et la il m'a pris pas la taille (!) m'a recule de 3 ou 4 pas et ma soeur a donc pris la fameuse photo,la je me suis lache je lui ai "u are the best, i love u, good luck, i'm a big fan..." et il m'a repondu "merci bcp" et il est parti . En le voyant s'eloigner j'ai crie Allez Marat et il s'est retourne et a leve MA lettre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! j'etait telllement excitee, que j'ai meme marche dans une merdre de chien!lol IL sent vraiment trop trop trop bon!ma soeur m'a dit "putain comme il est impressionant" et moi je n'avais meme pas remarque jusqu'a ce que je vois la photo et efectivement il est super grand et encore plus beau qu'a la tele!lol
Et c'etait pas fini! Je retouve donc mel qui elle n'avait pas pu l'approcher car les CRS lui avait interdit de passer et arrive dans la salle de Bercy on a vu Dinara (sa soeur) donc on est parti lui demande un autographes, enfin plutot 3 (1 pour moi, 1pour mel et une sur ma balle!lol) et elle a fait des photos avec nous. Puis on est remonte et avant le match on a vu sa mere et son manager donc on est redescendu (merci d'ailleurs aux Hotesses et aux gardes qui verifiaient les billets car normalement on avait pas le droit d'aller ds les tribunes de la categorie 1)et j'ai demande a sa mere un autogrpahe en lui disant que j'adorais son fils qu'il etait genial...et elle a souri et tres gentillement m'a signe un auto. puis j'ai voulu faire pareil a son manager, qui a du remarquer que j'etait francaise, et il m'a repondu en francais "tu sais qui je suis?" moi genee j'ai repondu "euh oui vous etes le manager de Marat" et il m'a dit mais pq tu veux un autgr. de moi? moi j'ai dit "ben parce que j'arrive pas a avoir celui de marat" il a rigolait et m'a dit ben elle elle arrivee bien en me montrant une fille a cote d'elle je lui ai "ben oui mais elle elle le connait"il a rigole m'a pris mon stylo et c retourne pour ecrire "merci pour les encouragements" et a signe, alors moi evidement je n'ai pas loupe l'occasion de lui demande si il pouvait avoir moyen de pouvoir rencontre Marat et il m'a dit qu'il ne pouvait pas pdt ce tournoi parce que c'etait une equipe et qu'il n'ya avait pas que Marat mais que au masters series de Bercy ou quand il est chez lui y'avait pas de probleme (il est marrant plus facile a dire qu'a faire!lol),mel lui a dit que de toute facon j'avais deja reussi a lui parler a lui donner une lettre et meme a prendre une photo avec lui et un autographe.donc il a dit ah mais c bon ta pas a te plaindre! (rrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!lol) comme on parlait en francais sa mere lui a demande de traduire et il lui a montre la banderolle (MARAT/KAFEL THE FRENCH LOVE U) et lui a dit que c'etait moi qui l'avait faite elle a souri, m'a pris pas la main et m'a donne une peitit drapeau russe et un sifflet que les supporters russes avaient, j'etais trop contente, mais le match allait commencer et une hotesse nous a dit de reapartir a nos places. donc bien sagement on les a remercie et on est reparti a nos places, l'ambiance etait vraiment extra meme si les russes ont perdu ce match, le niveau etait super.
Apres le match on est alle attendre devant son hotel mais malheureusement je devais aller a l'aeroport..donc je n'ai pas pu savoir ce qu'il avait pense de ma lettre, mais de toute facon mel qui etait restee a l'hotel puisqu'elle restait aussi le dimanche, ma appele et m'a dit qu'il etait arrive 20min apres que je sois partie et qu'il avait dit qu'il etait trop fatigue donc personne n'a pas pu avoir de photos ni d'aurographe sauf moi!lol
Ah oui j'oubliais Marat est parti avec mon stylo et le soir j'ai retrouve le bouchon ds ma poche, on peut dire qu'on est complementaire!lol
Le dimanche mel n'a pas pu avoir de photo avec lui mais a reussi a regarder tous les matchs a cote des ses parents et des on manager! sniff!! (j'aurai bien aime etre la moi aussi!)
(
Enfin c'etait vraiment le plus beau jour de ma vie, et je depuis ce fameux samedi 30novemebre 2002 je suis sur mon nuage!lol
Vous rendez compte j'ai pu lui parler, le voir, le toucher....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!toute sa famille est vraiment super simple et super genereuse, il est encore plus extraordinaire que je pensais!Et j'ai egalement pu voir pour la 1ere fois ma meilleure amie (mel pour ceux qui n'avaient pas compris lol), meme si on a vraiment pas pu bcp parler a cause de tout ce qui nous etait arrive ce jour la, ca reste quand meme unique!
By Aurelie
As I promised, I've made a report about the most beautiful day of my life!!!
I went to the Davis Cup final on the Saturday, and we were going to travel by train, which arrived at the station at 6am, but all the trains were cancelled due to the strikes!! Finally we managed to get a plane at 7am! So, we arrived at Bercy at 9am (by the time we'd crossed Paris on the metro), well this was my only chance to see Marat, so my sister asked a security guard where the players arrived, and he pointed us towards door 32, where fans of the french team and one Marat fan were waiting right infront of the entrance. But then the CRS (official security?) asked us to move because "There were going to be too many celebrities" today to approach them (We had to stand 50metres away and saw Kafel arrive at this distance....)so I said to a Bercy official that I'd come express from Biarritz to see Marat and I'd waited 3 years to see him, so the guy told me to say to the CRS that "on behalf of Chrisophe" I could wait infront of the entrance (Thank you Christophe, LOL!) And I had an extraordinary chance to get Tarpischev's autograph (the Russian captain) who at first wouldn't sign, but when I said to him Russia would win, he smiled and thanked me LOL. In short, I got the autographs of Clement, Guillame Roux, Forget..... (they are all super nice as well) but still no MARAT SAFIN. Soon it was 11:30am and everyone had arrived (!) But a driver said to us that one more person was still at the hotel, so we had that one hope. A moment later, my best friend, Mel, had just called to me and asked what I knew, and I answered but she didn't respond, when my sister said "There's Marat!" I had to look twice and indeed, Marat was getting his bag from the trunk, so I quickly got my diary and asked him if I could have an autograph and he said in english "Yes, of course" (!) But he had many fans wanting autographs and someone else wanted a photograph with him, but he said he couldn't do photos because he was in a rush. He saw me, and so I gave him my letter and he said "oh, thank you!" in a surprised voice. Then I asked him if I could have a photo (well, my sister asked for me because I still couldn't believe my eyes!) And he said "yes, yes, 2 seconds" (he was still signing autographs). We moved back 3 or 4 steps and my sister took the famous photograph. As I let go, I said to him "You are the best, I love you, good luck, I'm a big fan......" and he replied "Thank you". As he walked away, I shouted ‘Allez Marat' and then I saw he had opened my letter!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited that I walked into some dog poo! Lol! But it really felt too too good! My sister said to me ‘he is f****** impressive', and I didn't realize that until I saw the photo and that he was indeed very tall and even cuter than he is on tv.
And that's not all! I went back to Mel, who hadn't been allowed to approach the players because the CRS wouldn't allow her, and went inside Bercy stadium. We saw Dinara (his sister) and asked her for an autograph, and actually got 3 (one for me, one for Mel and one on my tennis ball! LOL!) And she had photos with us.
Before the match I saw his [Marat's] mother and his manager, so I went down again to them (thank you to the officials and the guards who verify the tickets, because normally I wouldn't have been allowed into that part of the stadium) I said to her [Rausa] that I adored her son and he was a lovely guy and she smiled and very kindly signed an autograph for me.
Then I wanted to do the same with his manager, who noticed I was French, and asked me in French "Do you know who I am?" and I answered "er, yes, you are the manager of Marat" and he said to me "So why do you want my autograph?" I replied "Because I couldn't get one from Marat" and he laughed and said to me "This girl succeeded" pointing to someone next to him (probably Rausa) and I said "Yeah, but she knows him!" He laughs and takes my pen , and wrote "Thanks for the support" . In the heat of the moment I asked him if he could arrange for me to meet Marat and he said to me that he couldn't at this tournament because it was a team event, but if I went to something like the Masters Bercy, where Marat was playing alone, I wouldn't have a problem. (Which is easier said than done!) Mel said to him that I had already spoken to him anyway and given him a letter, had a photo with him and got his autograph and he said ‘ah, and I was feeling sorry for you!" (Rrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!! lol!!) As I spoke in French, Rausa asked him to translate, and she saw the banner MARAT/KAFEL THE FRENCH LOVE U and when he said to her that I had made the banner, she smiled and gave me a small Russian flag and one of the whistles that the Russian fans had and I was so happy! But the match was about to start and the official asked us to take our seats, so we kindly thanked them and went back to our seats. The atmosphere was really amazing, and even though Russia lost the match, it was still incredible. After the match I wanted to wait infront of his hotel but unfortunately, I had to go to the airport, so I never found out what he thought of my letter, but anyway, Mel, who was staying at the hotel until Sunday, called and said that he arrived back 20minutes after I would have left and she said he was too tired to do autographs and photographs....so no-one got autographs or photos except me! Ah yes, I'd forgotten that I'd left Marat with my pen, and that evening I found the lid in my pocket! You could say it was complementary! On the Sunday, Mel couldn't have a photo with him, but she did see all the matches and his parents as well as his managers! Sniff! (I wish it had been me as well!) Lastly, it was the most beautiful day of my life, this famous Saturday November 2002.
I have been able to speak to him, see him, touch him!!!!!!! All his family were really lovely and very generous and it was even more extraordinary than I thought it would be! And I also for the first time I have been able to meet my good friend (Mel, incase you didn't realise lol!) I really can't say everything because so much happened to us that day, but I can say it was all unique!
By Aurelie
Translated by Ruth
French report by Aurelie.
English version translated by Ruth.
Please do not use without Aurelie's permission, thank you!
comme promis je te fais le compte rendu du plus beau jour de ma vie!!!:
Je suis donc allee a la finale de la Coupe Davis le samedi, deja c'etait le gros bordel puisque on devait prendre le train le samedi a 6h et arrive a la gare, les trains etaient annules a cause des greves!!!finalement on a du prendre l'avion a 7h du mat' !
On est donc arrive a Bercy a 9h (le temps de de traverser tout paris en metro...), moi evidement la seule chose que j'attendais c'etait bien sure de voir Marat, donc ma soeur a demande a un gars de la securite par quelle porte les joueurs arivaient et il nous a indique la porte 32, arrivees la bas j'ai rencontre des fans de la l'equipe de france et une fan de Marat, on attendait juste devant l'entree quand pleins de CRS sont arrives pour nous dire de partir parce qu"'il ya vait trop de celebriteq" ce jour la pour qu'on puisse s'approcher (je t'en foutrai moi des celebrites!lol) On s'est donc retrouves au moins a 50m de l'entree et on a vu donc de loin Kafel' arrive....mais a force de bassiner un mec de Bercy, comme koi je venais expres de BIarritz pour voir Marat et que ca faisait 3ans que j'attendais,il a dit de dire au CRS que "de la part de Christophe" on pouvait l'attendre devant (merci christophe!lol) et la j'ai eu l'extraordinaire chance d'avoir un autographe de Tarpichev (l'entraineur russe) qui au debut n'a pas volu mais quand je lui ai dit que la russie allait gagnee il a souri et m'a remercie lol, bref je passe les details (...) j'ai aussi eu des photos et des autographes de Clement, Guillaume Roux, Forget... (ils sont d'ailleurs super sympa) mais toujours pas de MARAT SAFIN alors qu'il etait bientot 11h30et que tout le monde etait deja arrive (!) mais un chauffeur nous a dit qu'il etait encore a l'hotel donc on gardait espoir.
Au bout d'un moment , j'ai cru apercevoir ma meilleure amie, Mel qui m'avait appelee de l'entree principale pour savoir ou on etait et je l'ai donc appelee mais elle ne repondait pas, jusqu'a ce que ma soeur me dise "y'a Marat!" alors la....j'ai leve les yeux et effectivement Marat etait en train de sortir son sac du coffre, alors j'ai vite pris mon classeur et lui ai demande un autographe, et il a dit en angalis "oui bien sure" (!) mais y'avait peins de fans qui lui demandait et aussi quelqu'un qui lui a demande une photo et il a repondu qu'il ne pouvait pas, qu'il etait presse,je lui ai donc donne ma lettre et il m'a dit d'un air surpris "oh! thank you" je lui ai demande si je pouvais prendre une photo avec lui (plutot ma soeur a demande parce que moi, j'en croyais pas mes yeux!lol) et il a dit "oui oui 2sec" '(il etait encore en train de signer des autographes), et la il m'a pris pas la taille (!) m'a recule de 3 ou 4 pas et ma soeur a donc pris la fameuse photo,la je me suis lache je lui ai "u are the best, i love u, good luck, i'm a big fan..." et il m'a repondu "merci bcp" et il est parti . En le voyant s'eloigner j'ai crie Allez Marat et il s'est retourne et a leve MA lettre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! j'etait telllement excitee, que j'ai meme marche dans une merdre de chien!lol IL sent vraiment trop trop trop bon!ma soeur m'a dit "putain comme il est impressionant" et moi je n'avais meme pas remarque jusqu'a ce que je vois la photo et efectivement il est super grand et encore plus beau qu'a la tele!lol
Et c'etait pas fini! Je retouve donc mel qui elle n'avait pas pu l'approcher car les CRS lui avait interdit de passer et arrive dans la salle de Bercy on a vu Dinara (sa soeur) donc on est parti lui demande un autographes, enfin plutot 3 (1 pour moi, 1pour mel et une sur ma balle!lol) et elle a fait des photos avec nous. Puis on est remonte et avant le match on a vu sa mere et son manager donc on est redescendu (merci d'ailleurs aux Hotesses et aux gardes qui verifiaient les billets car normalement on avait pas le droit d'aller ds les tribunes de la categorie 1)et j'ai demande a sa mere un autogrpahe en lui disant que j'adorais son fils qu'il etait genial...et elle a souri et tres gentillement m'a signe un auto. puis j'ai voulu faire pareil a son manager, qui a du remarquer que j'etait francaise, et il m'a repondu en francais "tu sais qui je suis?" moi genee j'ai repondu "euh oui vous etes le manager de Marat" et il m'a dit mais pq tu veux un autgr. de moi? moi j'ai dit "ben parce que j'arrive pas a avoir celui de marat" il a rigolait et m'a dit ben elle elle arrivee bien en me montrant une fille a cote d'elle je lui ai "ben oui mais elle elle le connait"il a rigole m'a pris mon stylo et c retourne pour ecrire "merci pour les encouragements" et a signe, alors moi evidement je n'ai pas loupe l'occasion de lui demande si il pouvait avoir moyen de pouvoir rencontre Marat et il m'a dit qu'il ne pouvait pas pdt ce tournoi parce que c'etait une equipe et qu'il n'ya avait pas que Marat mais que au masters series de Bercy ou quand il est chez lui y'avait pas de probleme (il est marrant plus facile a dire qu'a faire!lol),mel lui a dit que de toute facon j'avais deja reussi a lui parler a lui donner une lettre et meme a prendre une photo avec lui et un autographe.donc il a dit ah mais c bon ta pas a te plaindre! (rrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!lol) comme on parlait en francais sa mere lui a demande de traduire et il lui a montre la banderolle (MARAT/KAFEL THE FRENCH LOVE U) et lui a dit que c'etait moi qui l'avait faite elle a souri, m'a pris pas la main et m'a donne une peitit drapeau russe et un sifflet que les supporters russes avaient, j'etais trop contente, mais le match allait commencer et une hotesse nous a dit de reapartir a nos places. donc bien sagement on les a remercie et on est reparti a nos places, l'ambiance etait vraiment extra meme si les russes ont perdu ce match, le niveau etait super.
Apres le match on est alle attendre devant son hotel mais malheureusement je devais aller a l'aeroport..donc je n'ai pas pu savoir ce qu'il avait pense de ma lettre, mais de toute facon mel qui etait restee a l'hotel puisqu'elle restait aussi le dimanche, ma appele et m'a dit qu'il etait arrive 20min apres que je sois partie et qu'il avait dit qu'il etait trop fatigue donc personne n'a pas pu avoir de photos ni d'aurographe sauf moi!lol
Ah oui j'oubliais Marat est parti avec mon stylo et le soir j'ai retrouve le bouchon ds ma poche, on peut dire qu'on est complementaire!lol
Le dimanche mel n'a pas pu avoir de photo avec lui mais a reussi a regarder tous les matchs a cote des ses parents et des on manager! sniff!! (j'aurai bien aime etre la moi aussi!)
(Enfin c'etait vraiment le plus beau jour de ma vie, et je depuis ce fameux samedi 30novemebre 2002 je suis sur mon nuage!lol
Vous rendez compte j'ai pu lui parler, le voir, le toucher....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!toute sa famille est vraiment super simple et super genereuse, il est encore plus extraordinaire que je pensais!Et j'ai egalement pu voir pour la 1ere fois ma meilleure amie (mel pour ceux qui n'avaient pas compris lol), meme si on a vraiment pas pu bcp parler a cause de tout ce qui nous etait arrive ce jour la, ca reste quand meme unique!
By Aurelie
As I promised, I've made a report about the most beautiful day of my life!!!
I went to the Davis Cup final on the Saturday, and we were going to travel by train, which arrived at the station at 6am, but all the trains were cancelled due to the strikes!! Finally we managed to get a plane at 7am! So, we arrived at Bercy at 9am (by the time we'd crossed Paris on the metro), well this was my only chance to see Marat, so my sister asked a security guard where the players arrived, and he pointed us towards door 32, where fans of the french team and one Marat fan were waiting right infront of the entrance. But then the CRS (official security?) asked us to move because "There were going to be too many celebrities" today to approach them (We had to stand 50metres away and saw Kafel arrive at this distance....)so I said to a Bercy official that I'd come express from Biarritz to see Marat and I'd waited 3 years to see him, so the guy told me to say to the CRS that "on behalf of Chrisophe" I could wait infront of the entrance (Thank you Christophe, LOL!) And I had an extraordinary chance to get Tarpischev's autograph (the Russian captain) who at first wouldn't sign, but when I said to him Russia would win, he smiled and thanked me LOL. In short, I got the autographs of Clement, Guillame Roux, Forget..... (they are all super nice as well) but still no MARAT SAFIN. Soon it was 11:30am and everyone had arrived (!) But a driver said to us that one more person was still at the hotel, so we had that one hope. A moment later, my best friend, Mel, had just called to me and asked what I knew, and I answered but she didn't respond, when my sister said "There's Marat!" I had to look twice and indeed, Marat was getting his bag from the trunk, so I quickly got my diary and asked him if I could have an autograph and he said in english "Yes, of course" (!) But he had many fans wanting autographs and someone else wanted a photograph with him, but he said he couldn't do photos because he was in a rush. He saw me, and so I gave him my letter and he said "oh, thank you!" in a surprised voice. Then I asked him if I could have a photo (well, my sister asked for me because I still couldn't believe my eyes!) And he said "yes, yes, 2 seconds" (he was still signing autographs). We moved back 3 or 4 steps and my sister took the famous photograph. As I let go, I said to him "You are the best, I love you, good luck, I'm a big fan......" and he replied "Thank you". As he walked away, I shouted ‘Allez Marat' and then I saw he had opened my letter!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited that I walked into some dog poo! Lol! But it really felt too too good! My sister said to me ‘he is f****** impressive', and I didn't realize that until I saw the photo and that he was indeed very tall and even cuter than he is on tv.
And that's not all! I went back to Mel, who hadn't been allowed to approach the players because the CRS wouldn't allow her, and went inside Bercy stadium. We saw Dinara (his sister) and asked her for an autograph, and actually got 3 (one for me, one for Mel and one on my tennis ball! LOL!) And she had photos with us.
Before the match I saw his [Marat's] mother and his manager, so I went down again to them (thank you to the officials and the guards who verify the tickets, because normally I wouldn't have been allowed into that part of the stadium) I said to her [Rausa] that I adored her son and he was a lovely guy and she smiled and very kindly signed an autograph for me.
Then I wanted to do the same with his manager, who noticed I was French, and asked me in French "Do you know who I am?" and I answered "er, yes, you are the manager of Marat" and he said to me "So why do you want my autograph?" I replied "Because I couldn't get one from Marat" and he laughed and said to me "This girl succeeded" pointing to someone next to him (probably Rausa) and I said "Yeah, but she knows him!" He laughs and takes my pen , and wrote "Thanks for the support" . In the heat of the moment I asked him if he could arrange for me to meet Marat and he said to me that he couldn't at this tournament because it was a team event, but if I went to something like the Masters Bercy, where Marat was playing alone, I wouldn't have a problem. (Which is easier said than done!) Mel said to him that I had already spoken to him anyway and given him a letter, had a photo with him and got his autograph and he said ‘ah, and I was feeling sorry for you!" (Rrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!! lol!!) As I spoke in French, Rausa asked him to translate, and she saw the banner MARAT/KAFEL THE FRENCH LOVE U and when he said to her that I had made the banner, she smiled and gave me a small Russian flag and one of the whistles that the Russian fans had and I was so happy! But the match was about to start and the official asked us to take our seats, so we kindly thanked them and went back to our seats. The atmosphere was really amazing, and even though Russia lost the match, it was still incredible. After the match I wanted to wait infront of his hotel but unfortunately, I had to go to the airport, so I never found out what he thought of my letter, but anyway, Mel, who was staying at the hotel until Sunday, called and said that he arrived back 20minutes after I would have left and she said he was too tired to do autographs and photographs....so no-one got autographs or photos except me! Ah yes, I'd forgotten that I'd left Marat with my pen, and that evening I found the lid in my pocket! You could say it was complementary! On the Sunday, Mel couldn't have a photo with him, but she did see all the matches and his parents as well as his managers! Sniff! (I wish it had been me as well!) Lastly, it was the most beautiful day of my life, this famous Saturday November 2002.
I have been able to speak to him, see him, touch him!!!!!!! All his family were really lovely and very generous and it was even more extraordinary than I thought it would be! And I also for the first time I have been able to meet my good friend (Mel, incase you didn't realise lol!) I really can't say everything because so much happened to us that day, but I can say it was all unique!
By Aurelie
Translated by Ruth
