Let me tell you about the Rafateers ... a self-penned name for a bunch of us (women - quelle surprise!!!), who found each other on a public forum on the BBC 606 tennis website. Our love of tennis drew us to the site, but the perpetual Rafa-bashing or hideous treatment of us for daring to express an opinion that favoured Rafa and for not worshipping at the altar that is Feds meant that one-by-one we flocked to a thread which finds itself now in the guise of the Rafael Nadal Appreciation Thread. There's been a core number of us developed over the last few months, but our number have expanded in recent weeks. We all go by pseudonyms, yours truly being Wooffie. So let me see ... there's Clare2904, Denzilsmon, la-Rafanatica, Rafandready, MrsL, CorazonLatino, Sec1SupaLaura, Laliga, ModernHappyGill, Neo-Rafaelite, AFCWomble, PearlofManacor, several visitors and lurkers, and last but by no means least, my lovely MarcusInKensington - my precious lamb and raven-haired prince, not a Rafateer but an appreciator. We post daily on the thread and a small number of us chat nightly on-line. The best thing to come out of it is that our shared love of Rafa and tennis has meant that a number of us have met up (Clare2904 and I actually living in the same town and Clare having previously worked with my Mum!), we've become friends and are planning special expeditions to travel and see our lovely Rafa play.
I had the pleasure of meeting and sharing my Queens experience with Rafandready last week. But who would have guessed, when met to share a tear of disappointment at Rafa's Queen's withdrawal, what was to to be in store for her the following week.
SHE ONLY WENT AND MET RAFA YESTERDAY !!!
Rafan went on a Wimbers scouting mission as she has semi-final tickets, and could not have planned that Rafa was to give his press conference at the All England Club at 7 pm. So she took full advantage of the situation. She saw David Ferrer, met Marat and GOT HIS AUTOGRAPH, met Uncle Toni and GOT HIS AUTOGRAPH, and saw Rafa when he first entered the club. She hung around for over 3 hours and it took some encouraging texts from yours truly to keep her going till the end. It was worth it ... Rafa came out of the club with Novak (who she'd seen entering from the back of a swish Bentley), and she got Rafa's autograph and took her chance and asked if he would shake her hand. He did ... oh to lose one of your mittens in that big bear's paw!!! I'm absolutely delighted for her, as it goes some way for making up for the disappointment of not seeing him with those semi-final tickets.
Here's her account of the story from today's thread ...
Morning Rafateers
I just wanted to post this tome before I go out for the day!So...yesterday I met Rafa. I was already planning a visit to Wimbledon yesterday to scope out the area – see how to get to the ground from the station etc, as I haven’t been before. And if I happened to see a certain someone then that would be just fabulous. BUT then I heard Rafa was doing a press conference there at 7 pm and everything fell into place.
I dragged my friend up there and we got there at about 6.30. Firstly, I was really surprised that there weren’t loads of people waiting! We hung around the competitor’s entrance, peeking in through a mental fence and lots of foliage and managed to spy David Ferrer. Then Marat came out and I ran up to the gate to get his autograph. I knew this would make lots of Rafateers jealous . There was a slight brushing of fingers as he passed my pen back to me and accidentally drew on my hand. Wooffie made this sound a lot more exciting in her post . Then Rafa’s team came strolling down the road, followed by Rafa himself. He was in the gate before I realised so I just shouted “good luck Rafa” – don’t know why, couldn’t think of anything else to say!!! It was actually him...Rafa...I couldn’t really believe it!
So...Rafa did his press conference and me and my friend waited outside. It got to about 8.10 and Uncle Toni came out. Some people had their picture taken with him and I got his autograph. I managed to squeak “muchos gracias”. Then it was back to peering through the fence/foliage. Rafa was sitting on the sofa, I could just about see him (especially if I stood on the wall but I didn't like to do that too much ). At about 8.45 a swish Bentley turned up and Novak got out and went into the club and sat and chatted with Rafa for ages. In the meantime it was starting to get a bit cold, my friend had gone to meet her boyfriend, the light had started to fade - even the couple of photographers that were hanging around had gone. I was starting to feel a bit of a fool waiting around on my own but my fellow Rafateers via Wooffie were great cheerleaders and I was inspired to stay
And I’m so glad I did.
One of Rafa’s team came out (not sure who it was) and he spoke to a couple of men standing inside the fence. I called through to ask if Rafa was coming out, and he said yes, in a couple of minutes. One of the men speaking to him said that the Brits will be glad Rafa is out as Andy will have a better chance, and I said “No we’re not, I wanted Rafa to win!” and receive a “thank you” for my efforts from the Rafaman (he also said Rafa is going home today. And then excitement... at 9.45 Rafa left the building with Nole.
He had his picture taken with the security guard and I got Nole’s autograph, and I finally got the chance to ask Rafa to sign the photo I had with me (you know - just on the off chance that I bumped into him!). I said “sorry you are not playing”. I had spotted a car driving past a couple of times and they got out and got Rafa’s autograph too...little did I realise that it was Pearl! (Pearl – you should have said something – I was so jealous of you speaking Spanish to him!) I thought, I can’t go without touching Rafa so I said “can I shake your hand” – what a dweeb I am . What I really wanted to say was “can I feel your left bicep” . So he shook my hand, and what a big lovely warm hand he had. He then walked off up the road with a couple of friends and Nole went in the opposite direction.
What a fabulous end to the day. I know it was bad news because Rafa pulled out, and yes I would have rather seen him fit and in action on semi-finals day but this was the best compensation I could ever have imagined. I’m still pinching myself...is a drim noh? Now I think, why didn’t I say more, why didn’t I wish him the best from the Rafateers (sorry but I was thinking of you all all the time and it was a "one for all" moment!), why didn’t I look at him more and drink it all in, but it was all such a blur – I couldn’t really believe it! He was lovely – so kind to sign autographs after the day he’d had. He did seem fine and was laughing and chatting with his friends as he walked to the gate. I wish him all the best as he goes home to recover and be 100% for the rest of the season.
No comments:
Post a Comment