Post by avalon on Jan 11, 2007 10:01:04 GMT 3
Day 1
So the day has finally arrived. Two years I have been waiting for the return of Mr Safin and yes, I have been counting down the days. Last year I even put off my travel plans in the slight chance that Marat may make it to the AO. He didn’t, but he or I have made up for it this year taking in both Kooyong and the Australian Open.
I have gone about my preparation with military precision. I’ve charged all 3 of my camera batteries, as you don’t want to come across a classic Safin shirtless photo opportunity only to have your battery go flat
, I have emptied my memory cards for the 100’s of photos [that’s per day 
] I will take and dusted off the my SLR and 330mm zoom to ensure extreme close-ups of players. So off I go.
Other than Australia v Belarus in the Davis Cup, it’s been years since I have been to the Kooyong tournament. Firstly, I found my seat, a couple of rows from the front, sandwiched between the corporate boxes. Got out all my gadgets, smothered myself with sunscreen [it was a stinking hot day] and before I knew it a very fit looking Tommy and Andy made it on court. Andy played brilliantly, better than I have seen him play for a while. Tommy struggled in the heat a little, lingered a bit at the change of ends and bless, he got so hot he had to take his shirt off [thank you God]. My camera went into overdrive at that very moment 
.
Between games I decided to actually take a look around me. Really, I just wanted to see who was in the Corporate boxes and give them filthy looks. Besides the fact I could hear fresh ice being poured into their icebuckets, the clinking of champagne glasses and ice cool beer being drunk, I could also hear mobile phones ringing and ‘Hiiiiiiii, ‘Oh hiiiii’ ‘Hellooooo’ Grrrr. Why is it the most privileged are also the most disrespectful?? I wasn’t the only one who was peeved there were a number of older women sshhhing them everytime they got a bit rowdy. Aside from them, I noticed another, shall we say ‘breed’ of people, well women there. Those were the women wearing hardly anything at all. It was quite funny to watch, because, yes you look good, and yes, you will keep cool wearing hardly anything, but each time you sit down or lean back you are getting 3rd degree burns on your butt and back from the seat. I felt like a nun in comparison [until I gave into the heat and stripped down to my singlet]. What? It was hot! 
Next up Rog and Radek who looked the Martina must have left a green sock in his wash, because it seems his [cack] brown shirt and shorts had green splashes all over them. Not a good look. Rog seemed to be a bit rusty and was missing quite a few shots that would usually come quite easily for him. Radek was playing really well and has a killer serve. Rog took the first set 7-6 and at 5-5 in the 2nd, I decided to head down to the clubhouse.
I thought that I might catch Marat coming in off the courts. The sun must be affecting me. This tournament is hardcourt and the back courts [and usually centre court] are on grass. Grabbing a sandwich and drink I wondered up to near the clubhouse and was busy looking at a sign that said how far Roland Garos, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow was from Kooyong. Head in the clouds as always, I didn’t even notice a Mercedes pulling up and just got out of the way of the opening door when I looked up and went [between a mouthful of my sandwich] ‘that’s Marat’. Juggling my sandwich, drink and cameras I went to take a photo but he was too close that my camera couldn’t/wouldn’t focus. As he headed up he steps to a chorus of ‘Marat we love you’ from about 10 little girls he tried to open the gate but couldn’t. Arh, even top atheletes can get confused by the whole push/pull thing.
Thinking that Rog would finish up soon and believing Marat was arriving quite late for his match, I thought I would sit and wait. Little did I know [it took another set and another tiebreak, which the security guard keep us up to date on]. I was a bit hesitant about hanging around [ie I didn’t want to look like a loser surrounded by 12 year old girls
]. However, on closer look there seemed to be a bit of a gap, young girls and then a bunch of older women and two kind of weird looking men. Then there was me and a group of Argentinian guys. The older women were discussing tactics ‘You got Tommy last time, so let me stand in front this time, near the car, I’ll have your camera and you have mine so we can do a quick swap……….’ Then there was the pushy parent ‘stand there, you have to be prepared, don’t walk away, see, now someone has got your place, make sure you get your pen back…………’ The young girls ‘I want Andy, oh my god, if he stops and talks to me, I think I might faint………’ The Argentinians [wanting to get as close as possible to the steps as possible] stirring things up a little by teasing ‘Isn’t that Andy Roddick getting into the car over there’. The young girls were like ‘oh my god, where, where’. Hehehe.
At that moment Andy walks out, Tommy’s coach not too long after and then Tommy. The young girls don’t faint, but there is lots of squealing, the older ladies get that photo with Tommy, pushy Dad disgusted that his son didn’t get Tommy with ‘I told you just shove your book out so he could sign it’. Me, I am still loitering at the back having a laugh with the Argentians about the ‘Princesses’ 4 girls in heels, low tops, foundation so thick you need a spatula to apply and members passes hanging out for Marat [David is better they tell me. Eager to keep relations between the two nations civil, I kind of, without conviction, agree – my fingers were crossed when I did].
Radek and Rog head up from the court. Rog with a police escort [you never know what a 12 year old girl could be hiding in her pencilcase]. A guy in a Czech football jersey gets knocked out of the way by pushy dad and I nearly loose a toe [who the f%$k wears heels to the tennis!!!
]. With Rog gone the crowd; young girls, old girls, pushy dad and son, weird men [one hovering a little too close to comfort for me], the Czech guy, Argentinians and me get into our places in anticipations of David and Marat walking out.
It doesn't take too long and again, I am stuck in the wrong place, which actually turns out to be the best place. Actually standing in the carpark Marat walks so close that I could reach out and touch him. Seriously, I thought about it but then I thought about the six police and security and thought that I would get hauled off and once they did a psych test locked up for good 
. So I stood mouth agape, camera in hand but all sense of function and co-ordination went out the door and I didn't take any photos. It's ok, to be in the presence of such masculine beauty was enough.
So Marat and David are on court. Marat has such a presence that I never saw David walking out of the clubhouse with him.
What can I say. It was a long wait and definitely worth the while. A bit rusty in the first set, but perfection in the 2nd and 3rd. I was waiting at the end of each set, zoom ready, sending little telepathic messages, in the hope he would change his shirt "it's time to change your shirt Marat", "you are all sweaty, time to put on a clean dry shirt". No such luck. Damn Adidas and there new technology dry, breathable shirts. Bring back the old non-breathing weave .
I don't really know what happened next. Yeah I do, but after watching Marat, Ivan and Andy really didn't do it for me, so I went home. A good nights sleep and ready and raring to go for tomorrow.
So the day has finally arrived. Two years I have been waiting for the return of Mr Safin and yes, I have been counting down the days. Last year I even put off my travel plans in the slight chance that Marat may make it to the AO. He didn’t, but he or I have made up for it this year taking in both Kooyong and the Australian Open.
I have gone about my preparation with military precision. I’ve charged all 3 of my camera batteries, as you don’t want to come across a classic Safin shirtless photo opportunity only to have your battery go flat
, I have emptied my memory cards for the 100’s of photos [that’s per day 
] I will take and dusted off the my SLR and 330mm zoom to ensure extreme close-ups of players. So off I go.Other than Australia v Belarus in the Davis Cup, it’s been years since I have been to the Kooyong tournament. Firstly, I found my seat, a couple of rows from the front, sandwiched between the corporate boxes. Got out all my gadgets, smothered myself with sunscreen [it was a stinking hot day
] and before I knew it a very fit looking Tommy and Andy made it on court. Andy played brilliantly, better than I have seen him play for a while. Tommy struggled in the heat a little, lingered a bit at the change of ends and bless, he got so hot he had to take his shirt off [thank you God]. My camera went into overdrive at that very moment 
. Between games I decided to actually take a look around me. Really, I just wanted to see who was in the Corporate boxes and give them filthy looks. Besides the fact I could hear fresh ice being poured into their icebuckets, the clinking of champagne glasses and ice cool beer being drunk, I could also hear mobile phones ringing and ‘Hiiiiiiii, ‘Oh hiiiii’ ‘Hellooooo’ Grrrr. Why is it the most privileged are also the most disrespectful?? I wasn’t the only one who was peeved there were a number of older women sshhhing them everytime they got a bit rowdy. Aside from them, I noticed another, shall we say ‘breed’ of people, well women there. Those were the women wearing hardly anything at all. It was quite funny to watch, because, yes you look good, and yes, you will keep cool wearing hardly anything, but each time you sit down or lean back you are getting 3rd degree burns on your butt and back from the seat.
I felt like a nun in comparison [until I gave into the heat and stripped down to my singlet]. What? It was hot! 
Next up Rog and Radek who looked the Martina must have left a green sock in his wash, because it seems his [cack] brown shirt and shorts had green splashes all over them. Not a good look. Rog seemed to be a bit rusty and was missing quite a few shots that would usually come quite easily for him. Radek was playing really well and has a killer serve. Rog took the first set 7-6 and at 5-5 in the 2nd, I decided to head down to the clubhouse.
I thought that I might catch Marat coming in off the courts. The sun must be affecting me. This tournament is hardcourt and the back courts [and usually centre court] are on grass. Grabbing a sandwich and drink I wondered up to near the clubhouse and was busy looking at a sign that said how far Roland Garos, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow was from Kooyong. Head in the clouds as always, I didn’t even notice a Mercedes pulling up and just got out of the way of the opening door when I looked up and went [between a mouthful of my sandwich] ‘that’s Marat’. Juggling my sandwich, drink and cameras I went to take a photo but he was too close that my camera couldn’t/wouldn’t focus. As he headed up he steps to a chorus of ‘Marat we love you’ from about 10 little girls he tried to open the gate but couldn’t. Arh, even top atheletes can get confused by the whole push/pull thing.
Thinking that Rog would finish up soon and believing Marat was arriving quite late for his match, I thought I would sit and wait. Little did I know [it took another set and another tiebreak, which the security guard keep us up to date on]. I was a bit hesitant about hanging around [ie I didn’t want to look like a loser surrounded by 12 year old girls
]. However, on closer look there seemed to be a bit of a gap, young girls and then a bunch of older women and two kind of weird looking men. Then there was me and a group of Argentinian guys. The older women were discussing tactics ‘You got Tommy last time, so let me stand in front this time, near the car, I’ll have your camera and you have mine so we can do a quick swap……….’ Then there was the pushy parent ‘stand there, you have to be prepared, don’t walk away, see, now someone has got your place, make sure you get your pen back…………’ The young girls ‘I want Andy, oh my god, if he stops and talks to me, I think I might faint………’ The Argentinians [wanting to get as close as possible to the steps as possible] stirring things up a little by teasing ‘Isn’t that Andy Roddick getting into the car over there’. The young girls were like ‘oh my god, where, where’. Hehehe.At that moment Andy walks out, Tommy’s coach not too long after and then Tommy. The young girls don’t faint, but there is lots of squealing, the older ladies get that photo with Tommy, pushy Dad disgusted that his son didn’t get Tommy with ‘I told you just shove your book out so he could sign it’. Me, I am still loitering at the back having a laugh with the Argentians about the ‘Princesses’ 4 girls in heels, low tops, foundation so thick you need a spatula to apply and members passes hanging out for Marat [David is better they tell me. Eager to keep relations between the two nations civil, I kind of, without conviction, agree – my fingers were crossed when I did].
Radek and Rog head up from the court. Rog with a police escort [you never know what a 12 year old girl could be hiding in her pencilcase]. A guy in a Czech football jersey gets knocked out of the way by pushy dad and I nearly loose a toe [who the f%$k wears heels to the tennis!!!
]. With Rog gone the crowd; young girls, old girls, pushy dad and son, weird men [one hovering a little too close to comfort for me], the Czech guy, Argentinians and me get into our places in anticipations of David and Marat walking out.It doesn't take too long and again, I am stuck in the wrong place, which actually turns out to be the best place. Actually standing in the carpark Marat walks so close that I could reach out and touch him
. Seriously, I thought about it but then I thought about the six police and security and thought that I would get hauled off and once they did a psych test locked up for good 
. So I stood mouth agape, camera in hand but all sense of function and co-ordination went out the door and I didn't take any photos. It's ok, to be in the presence of such masculine beauty was enough.So Marat and David are on court. Marat has such a presence that I never saw David walking out of the clubhouse with him
.What can I say. It was a long wait and definitely worth the while. A bit rusty in the first set, but perfection in the 2nd and 3rd. I was waiting at the end of each set, zoom ready, sending little telepathic messages, in the hope he would change his shirt "it's time to change your shirt Marat", "you are all sweaty, time to put on a clean dry shirt". No such luck. Damn Adidas
and there new technology dry, breathable shirts. Bring back the old non-breathing weave .I don't really know what happened next. Yeah I do, but after watching Marat, Ivan and Andy really didn't do it for me, so I went home. A good nights sleep and ready and raring to go for tomorrow.
That's my couch 
My train has one of those inexplicable stops between stations for what seems like an hour [really only 5 minutes], then when getting off the train someone thinks the doors are automatic opening when in fact you have to open [grrr], then people walk o-h s-o s-l-o-w-l-y off the platform. My patience is wearing very very thin. I feel like I am about to have a …….moment. I am not late, the games haven’t started yet, but I just want to get there. Even when entering Kooyong a little old lady, who is hard of hearing, has to ask and be told 3 times how to find her seat. As luck has it, she is in the same section as me and it takes me about 5 minutes of trying to sidestep her to get to my seat, before I just give up.
