Post by Annie on Jun 28, 2005 20:16:16 GMT 3
Dubai Report 2004
By Vassily
Please do not reproduce these elsewhere without Vassily's permission.
Two days ago (29 Feb) I came to the club and walked around the courts. There were only qualifying non-inetresting matches so I decided to go to the swimming pool. While going around I noticed a guy (looking like a player) from behind (at a distance) with "SWAT" printed on the back og his blue sweter. In the pool I again saw him with a blode in sun-glasses walking around. I was looking at them from behind again... For a brief moment the blode turned in my direction and I thought that her face is somethat familiar to me... Trying to remember where I saw her the SWAt guy's shorts cought my attention: their texture had a zillion of 1 cm squares of different colours. Suddenly I knew who I was looking at... You probably know whose shorts are his trade mark, right? Who else if not Denis.
That's how I knew that HE was around someplace. I was in the pool for half an hour, while the blode,who was "ordered' to sit alone at a cocktail table by her boyfrined, was resting. I dived and when i surfaced i noticed another tall figure waking away. I wasn't sure that was him, but the blode stood up and went away to the clubhouse -layer's lounge. I immediately went to the dressing room, which was full of celebs like Srichipan, Robredo, Nadal, Henman and Coria by the way and dressed. When I was on my way out i was right behing Nadal who held the door open for me... Anyway I wasn't thinking of this at all.
In the corridor i found myself walimg towards the 'Swat man' his gf and someone awfully familiar to a guy called Marat Safin, which included Adidas clothes and head racket bag.
Anyway i passed them and then did a turn og 180 deg. I guess I was following the three to the practice court.
On court 1, where Marat's practice was scheduled Lopez was practicing, so Marat greeted and chated a bit with him in Spanish. Looks like they are friends. When he left with his partner, Marat and Denis took off their shirts and started practicing... Marat didn't wear any bandage on his legs, so his injury in france wasn't serius, but the wrist band was in place.
Marat looked sleepy actually but was in a great mood anyway.
Serius analysis of practice:
Marat was not able to hit much hard balls, because of Denis, who could not return them...I don't know what kind of coach he is if Marat shouts at him during practice: "come one move! Why are you standing on one place" refering to Denis's poor foot work, as a result of which half of the balls didn't return to Marat. I saw more recomendations from Marat to denis than Denis to Marat ( Denis didn't do one).
Anyway Marat joked a lot during practice and I was constantly smiling.
What I didn't like about the practice was the fact that denis is NOT a coach and that a practice with him is just a pre match warm-up. Marat also does not care about his feet during practicing the serve: he had footfoults (1 to 6 cm deep) 75% of the time. I even shouted it to him.
Anyway during the practiced the ball kids who have radios informed me that Marat is playing against Fed and everyone was so shocked and excited that we shouted it to huim. But I think he didn't hear. In the end of the practice he signed about 15 autographs and I spoke two sentances to him...
March 1: When I came to the club I didn't watch any tennis, but watched players practice. Marat was practicing at court 4, which is all surrounded with a stupid cloth. Because of this I could only take 4 pics, 3 from behind. Marat was in some mixed mood and DID NOT HIT THE BALL WELL. This is not good especially before the match. He was screaming with anger sometimes , but he smiled during the practice too.
When the practice was over he put on that light green shirt , which we saw before this year and walked into the dressing room. I did not follow because I don't feel comfortable in a role of a stalker. By the way: that shirt does not look bad on him in real life.
Later that evening I also watched Federer practice. He wasn't at his best as well, atleast in my opinion, but he wasn't too bad either. After the practice about 10 fans (including me) asked for an autograph. His bench was on the opposite side of the court (along the net I mean) and he almost walked away although we shouted for him for 5 minutes. he finally came, but the effect was not like Marat signing...(when Marat left the practice courts there were people waiting for him near the exit. He signed for them and walked for 20 when another fan cried his name. Marat stoped and patiently waited until that guy approached him. he even gave him a warm look.)
Anyway, that day i took a few pics of Nalbandian and Nadal while their practice together. Also I took a pic of Paradorn and Nadal playing golf (there's a 9 hole par-1 pitch in the club).
In late evening I was in the relaxation room near the sauna watching TV with Mark Philippousis and his coach. Mark was watching Henman's match while waiting for his. I even chated with his coach and it turned out that he spoke a little Russian as his wife is from Nizhny Novgorod Russia (tell me if you knew that). Then Tim came in after his loss he asked me to switch off the TV, so I had to go to the studium to watch Mark's match. I was fortunate enough to see another giant losing to Olevier Rochus, although I did cheer for Mark. Can you beleive it: Scud played so badly that he was OUT-ACED!!!!!!! Now I remember that before the match he did say to another player that he was tired and all ( the match started later than 9:30).
After the SINGLES: "Phew" was the first word I said when I got to the studium yesterday. During the last week I was around so often that the ushers remembered me enought to let me in without the ID (which I forgot) On the studium there were about 4700 people (max capacity is 5000) and the manager said afyter the match that it was the all time record for one match in Dubai (another record by Marat if you will). Abot 500 (max 1000) were for Fed, but the rest came to watch the you-know-who. This is realy spectacular, and I'm proud to say that out of this whole lot I was the first to yell "MARAT!!!!!!!" The spectators were very funny this time ( I think it's always true when Marat is there). There Fed-cheerers often started to shout Fed'd name and clap in rhythm, but WE found a way to fight that. WE let them say "Roger!" ones and the next time when they said it WE shouted "MArat". As a result rOGER'S made a smooth transition into Marat's.
Marat came to the club around an hour before the match. He stretched a bit in the dressing room and then went on to the practice courts. I went out before him and told the fans not to bother him before the match. He looked both nervous and concentrated and I didn't want him getting worse. His nerves realy showed on the practice and I was afraid that if he continued like that he'll lose 6-0 in bothe sets. Fortunately that wasn't to be. Warmed up for 20 minutes and returned to the dressing room. I didn't follow because I was more nervous than him.
When he came oncourt there was almost a standing ovation. Not standing, but the one right before it I must say. I don't know for sure but he was already calmer during the warm-up on centre court. But he wasn't at his best.
I don't want to describe how the match went here, I just want to say that Marat wasn't at his best there. I think his serve could have been better, and ofcourse the ground strokes. He wasn't all that aggressive (ofcourse Fed wasn't to realy- nerves). I don't remember how many times (nerves again), but he was 0-30 up on Feds serve very often and a;ways he flushed it down the toilet with his nervous play. Very often he missed the easiest shots ( long, wide, net). Everyone on the studium knew that the match could have been atleast 6-4 6-4 in Marat's favour. He wasn't at his best, but as always there where sparks of brilliance. Anumber of times (it seems) he hit a sprint along the line fore-hands down the line with so much power (all on Fed's smashes).
After he lost he didn't seem very disturbed (thank God). I saw him talk with Denis after he took a shower (from the back though) and I think I heared a smile in his voice. I hope you know what I mean.
PS: I heared him talk to Davydenko and I think he said that he will go to LA and Santa Barbara. Anyway that's what I heared. (He travels through Frankfurt, if that helps).
DOUBLES: Before the game I went to the locker room and sat down there, on a long bench along the lockers. I was waiting for Marat ofcourse but as had not much to do I grabbed a newspaper. Soon enough Davydenko came into the room and sat approximately opposite to me, and began dojng something with his racket. I tried not to stare (like I laways try not to do), ofcourse it was easy because: who cares about Davydenko?
The interesting stuff began a minute later when Denis ran in and began saying how he " fu...-ed them up" in a game of golf (the cub has 9 Par-1 pitches). He was realy excited. From what I've heared he got the ball into the hole on 3 hits and only a few on 4. Davydenko replied saying that he did almost the same thing when he played it.
Walt also appeared and talked to Nicolai about his contact, which as it turned out was due to expire. Davydenko doesn't know who he's going to be with next, so Walt offered Adidas and Nike (as he thinks they are the best, not Reebok)( I hope this isn't confidential info).
Denis and Walt diappeared and instead of him Marat finally entered the room. He looked at Rochus as he stretched and sat down opposite Nicolai (that is 1 meter away from me on the same bench as me). He also took out his rackets and kept adjusting the strings. He talked with Davydenko about going to LA (that's what I heared). In addition I heared him asking Nicolai about those metal things players but on the racket frame to add weight and stability: "Do you have extra....uhm...12 pieces?" "I think yes, I'll see" Davydenko replied, "I ordered them in those in, you know, rolls...."
All this time I was 'reading' the tabloids. I don't know what they were about, but they must have been about power-boats or something, if the picture matched the article ofcourse. Althogh the only comic I actually read was pretty funny.
The guys talked for about 3 minutes and then went to the court. Usually nothing but the centre court is full, but boy is Marat popular. Although Davy and Lopez showed their faces first, when people saw someone entering the small court they shouted "Marat!"
My first thought on seeing Rochus and Marat together was: "oh boy I have to take a pic!". The number of thoughts of similar/same content increased gradually when Marat sat down and Olivier stood next to him. Beleive it or not Marat was just a centimeter shorter while sitting next to a guy in full height.
The actuall match wasn't great. Marat didn't make an effort until it was too late. When he started trying in second set he was angry, which doesn't affect the game in a good way. Only his partner was playing all the while. Ofcourse maybe Marat did play as good as he can, only he didn't know how to play doubles properly, I don't know. I don't know, but the two fans who were sitting behind me and cheered for Marat the most agreed with me. Also as it turned out the Greek fans are the best there are in Dubai.
During the match whne Marat was accepting Davydenko's serve (which for some weird reason looked better than Marat's [ maybe because Marat had a VERY low first serve in %]), the ball flew from Marat's racket frame right into a spectator next to me. As the seats on that court are very close to the lines of the court Marat came to get the ball himself and although everyone was laughing said "I'm sorry" to the guy he hit".
Later in the match Marat comming from his bench faced the stands and talked to someone there (I don't know who), saying something about "getting fu...-ed when he tries to attack". This is one thing I learnet about Marat during the tournament like many Russians he swears very often, even when he is calm and speaking about funny stuff. I hope that doesn't make you like him less guys. He smiled after he said that, if I remember it correctly.
No matter how badly he played he did win some great shots during the match. he did serve 'unreturnables' during the match, including on backhand and forehand returns. He made everyone laugh when he hit an over-head smash so hard that the ball flew into the adjacent court upon bouncing.
After the match Marat sat on the bench for some time, I think talking on the phone and than walked up to the fans to sign autographs. Lopez and Davydenko actually didn't sign anything as they took a shrt-cut exit, but could our Marat do it to his fans? Nope. He went to the fans, signed an endless number of autographs answered soem questions (I think) and only then waked away. This was the last I saw of him in Dubai.
By Vassily
Please do not reproduce these elsewhere without Vassily's permission.
Two days ago (29 Feb) I came to the club and walked around the courts. There were only qualifying non-inetresting matches so I decided to go to the swimming pool. While going around I noticed a guy (looking like a player) from behind (at a distance) with "SWAT" printed on the back og his blue sweter. In the pool I again saw him with a blode in sun-glasses walking around. I was looking at them from behind again... For a brief moment the blode turned in my direction and I thought that her face is somethat familiar to me... Trying to remember where I saw her the SWAt guy's shorts cought my attention: their texture had a zillion of 1 cm squares of different colours. Suddenly I knew who I was looking at... You probably know whose shorts are his trade mark, right? Who else if not Denis.
That's how I knew that HE was around someplace. I was in the pool for half an hour, while the blode,who was "ordered' to sit alone at a cocktail table by her boyfrined, was resting. I dived and when i surfaced i noticed another tall figure waking away. I wasn't sure that was him, but the blode stood up and went away to the clubhouse -layer's lounge. I immediately went to the dressing room, which was full of celebs like Srichipan, Robredo, Nadal, Henman and Coria by the way and dressed. When I was on my way out i was right behing Nadal who held the door open for me... Anyway I wasn't thinking of this at all.
In the corridor i found myself walimg towards the 'Swat man' his gf and someone awfully familiar to a guy called Marat Safin, which included Adidas clothes and head racket bag.
Anyway i passed them and then did a turn og 180 deg. I guess I was following the three to the practice court.
On court 1, where Marat's practice was scheduled Lopez was practicing, so Marat greeted and chated a bit with him in Spanish. Looks like they are friends. When he left with his partner, Marat and Denis took off their shirts and started practicing... Marat didn't wear any bandage on his legs, so his injury in france wasn't serius, but the wrist band was in place.
Marat looked sleepy actually but was in a great mood anyway.
Serius analysis of practice:
Marat was not able to hit much hard balls, because of Denis, who could not return them...I don't know what kind of coach he is if Marat shouts at him during practice: "come one move! Why are you standing on one place" refering to Denis's poor foot work, as a result of which half of the balls didn't return to Marat. I saw more recomendations from Marat to denis than Denis to Marat ( Denis didn't do one).
Anyway Marat joked a lot during practice and I was constantly smiling.
What I didn't like about the practice was the fact that denis is NOT a coach and that a practice with him is just a pre match warm-up. Marat also does not care about his feet during practicing the serve: he had footfoults (1 to 6 cm deep) 75% of the time. I even shouted it to him.
Anyway during the practiced the ball kids who have radios informed me that Marat is playing against Fed and everyone was so shocked and excited that we shouted it to huim. But I think he didn't hear. In the end of the practice he signed about 15 autographs and I spoke two sentances to him...
March 1: When I came to the club I didn't watch any tennis, but watched players practice. Marat was practicing at court 4, which is all surrounded with a stupid cloth. Because of this I could only take 4 pics, 3 from behind. Marat was in some mixed mood and DID NOT HIT THE BALL WELL. This is not good especially before the match. He was screaming with anger sometimes , but he smiled during the practice too.
When the practice was over he put on that light green shirt , which we saw before this year and walked into the dressing room. I did not follow because I don't feel comfortable in a role of a stalker. By the way: that shirt does not look bad on him in real life.
Later that evening I also watched Federer practice. He wasn't at his best as well, atleast in my opinion, but he wasn't too bad either. After the practice about 10 fans (including me) asked for an autograph. His bench was on the opposite side of the court (along the net I mean) and he almost walked away although we shouted for him for 5 minutes. he finally came, but the effect was not like Marat signing...(when Marat left the practice courts there were people waiting for him near the exit. He signed for them and walked for 20 when another fan cried his name. Marat stoped and patiently waited until that guy approached him. he even gave him a warm look.)
Anyway, that day i took a few pics of Nalbandian and Nadal while their practice together. Also I took a pic of Paradorn and Nadal playing golf (there's a 9 hole par-1 pitch in the club).
In late evening I was in the relaxation room near the sauna watching TV with Mark Philippousis and his coach. Mark was watching Henman's match while waiting for his. I even chated with his coach and it turned out that he spoke a little Russian as his wife is from Nizhny Novgorod Russia (tell me if you knew that). Then Tim came in after his loss he asked me to switch off the TV, so I had to go to the studium to watch Mark's match. I was fortunate enough to see another giant losing to Olevier Rochus, although I did cheer for Mark. Can you beleive it: Scud played so badly that he was OUT-ACED!!!!!!! Now I remember that before the match he did say to another player that he was tired and all ( the match started later than 9:30).
After the SINGLES: "Phew" was the first word I said when I got to the studium yesterday. During the last week I was around so often that the ushers remembered me enought to let me in without the ID (which I forgot) On the studium there were about 4700 people (max capacity is 5000) and the manager said afyter the match that it was the all time record for one match in Dubai (another record by Marat if you will). Abot 500 (max 1000) were for Fed, but the rest came to watch the you-know-who. This is realy spectacular, and I'm proud to say that out of this whole lot I was the first to yell "MARAT!!!!!!!" The spectators were very funny this time ( I think it's always true when Marat is there). There Fed-cheerers often started to shout Fed'd name and clap in rhythm, but WE found a way to fight that. WE let them say "Roger!" ones and the next time when they said it WE shouted "MArat". As a result rOGER'S made a smooth transition into Marat's.
Marat came to the club around an hour before the match. He stretched a bit in the dressing room and then went on to the practice courts. I went out before him and told the fans not to bother him before the match. He looked both nervous and concentrated and I didn't want him getting worse. His nerves realy showed on the practice and I was afraid that if he continued like that he'll lose 6-0 in bothe sets. Fortunately that wasn't to be. Warmed up for 20 minutes and returned to the dressing room. I didn't follow because I was more nervous than him.
When he came oncourt there was almost a standing ovation. Not standing, but the one right before it I must say. I don't know for sure but he was already calmer during the warm-up on centre court. But he wasn't at his best.
I don't want to describe how the match went here, I just want to say that Marat wasn't at his best there. I think his serve could have been better, and ofcourse the ground strokes. He wasn't all that aggressive (ofcourse Fed wasn't to realy- nerves). I don't remember how many times (nerves again), but he was 0-30 up on Feds serve very often and a;ways he flushed it down the toilet with his nervous play. Very often he missed the easiest shots ( long, wide, net). Everyone on the studium knew that the match could have been atleast 6-4 6-4 in Marat's favour. He wasn't at his best, but as always there where sparks of brilliance. Anumber of times (it seems) he hit a sprint along the line fore-hands down the line with so much power (all on Fed's smashes).
After he lost he didn't seem very disturbed (thank God). I saw him talk with Denis after he took a shower (from the back though) and I think I heared a smile in his voice. I hope you know what I mean.
PS: I heared him talk to Davydenko and I think he said that he will go to LA and Santa Barbara. Anyway that's what I heared. (He travels through Frankfurt, if that helps).
DOUBLES: Before the game I went to the locker room and sat down there, on a long bench along the lockers. I was waiting for Marat ofcourse but as had not much to do I grabbed a newspaper. Soon enough Davydenko came into the room and sat approximately opposite to me, and began dojng something with his racket. I tried not to stare (like I laways try not to do), ofcourse it was easy because: who cares about Davydenko?
The interesting stuff began a minute later when Denis ran in and began saying how he " fu...-ed them up" in a game of golf (the cub has 9 Par-1 pitches). He was realy excited. From what I've heared he got the ball into the hole on 3 hits and only a few on 4. Davydenko replied saying that he did almost the same thing when he played it.
Walt also appeared and talked to Nicolai about his contact, which as it turned out was due to expire. Davydenko doesn't know who he's going to be with next, so Walt offered Adidas and Nike (as he thinks they are the best, not Reebok)( I hope this isn't confidential info).
Denis and Walt diappeared and instead of him Marat finally entered the room. He looked at Rochus as he stretched and sat down opposite Nicolai (that is 1 meter away from me on the same bench as me). He also took out his rackets and kept adjusting the strings. He talked with Davydenko about going to LA (that's what I heared). In addition I heared him asking Nicolai about those metal things players but on the racket frame to add weight and stability: "Do you have extra....uhm...12 pieces?" "I think yes, I'll see" Davydenko replied, "I ordered them in those in, you know, rolls...."
All this time I was 'reading' the tabloids. I don't know what they were about, but they must have been about power-boats or something, if the picture matched the article ofcourse. Althogh the only comic I actually read was pretty funny.
The guys talked for about 3 minutes and then went to the court. Usually nothing but the centre court is full, but boy is Marat popular. Although Davy and Lopez showed their faces first, when people saw someone entering the small court they shouted "Marat!"
My first thought on seeing Rochus and Marat together was: "oh boy I have to take a pic!". The number of thoughts of similar/same content increased gradually when Marat sat down and Olivier stood next to him. Beleive it or not Marat was just a centimeter shorter while sitting next to a guy in full height.
The actuall match wasn't great. Marat didn't make an effort until it was too late. When he started trying in second set he was angry, which doesn't affect the game in a good way. Only his partner was playing all the while. Ofcourse maybe Marat did play as good as he can, only he didn't know how to play doubles properly, I don't know. I don't know, but the two fans who were sitting behind me and cheered for Marat the most agreed with me. Also as it turned out the Greek fans are the best there are in Dubai.
During the match whne Marat was accepting Davydenko's serve (which for some weird reason looked better than Marat's [ maybe because Marat had a VERY low first serve in %]), the ball flew from Marat's racket frame right into a spectator next to me. As the seats on that court are very close to the lines of the court Marat came to get the ball himself and although everyone was laughing said "I'm sorry" to the guy he hit".
Later in the match Marat comming from his bench faced the stands and talked to someone there (I don't know who), saying something about "getting fu...-ed when he tries to attack". This is one thing I learnet about Marat during the tournament like many Russians he swears very often, even when he is calm and speaking about funny stuff. I hope that doesn't make you like him less guys. He smiled after he said that, if I remember it correctly.
No matter how badly he played he did win some great shots during the match. he did serve 'unreturnables' during the match, including on backhand and forehand returns. He made everyone laugh when he hit an over-head smash so hard that the ball flew into the adjacent court upon bouncing.
After the match Marat sat on the bench for some time, I think talking on the phone and than walked up to the fans to sign autographs. Lopez and Davydenko actually didn't sign anything as they took a shrt-cut exit, but could our Marat do it to his fans? Nope. He went to the fans, signed an endless number of autographs answered soem questions (I think) and only then waked away. This was the last I saw of him in Dubai.
