We've been so lucky to have our Rafan reporting down at Ground O2 this week, and yesterday was absolutely her best day yet. Not only did she have the experience of the two matches of Nole and Berdy and Rafa and Roddick, but some fabulous practice court experiences, seeing a number of the players and ... Pom Pom Ahoy!! Read on and enjoy ...
Monday 22 November
I arrived at the arena at 11.15, after having had a more leisurely morning than recent days, and met up with Kim and two of her friends . We then bumped into another lady who we met last year at the WTF so we were quite a happy little group! One of Kim’s friends is a huge Murray fan (and in fact has won a hit with Jamie Murray in a competition!) and so she wanted to know where the Clipper was to see if we could see him arrive. We went down there and as usual the ATP cars were lined up and we got chatting to a really nice bunch of drivers, they were all laughing at us and giving us little snippets about how they shake Rafa’s hand every day and how they had him in his car yesterday etc. Not that we were jealous much.
While we were waiting one of the ATP Clippers came in and Verdasco, Ferrer and Murray all disembarked. Ferrer and Nando walked straight past (Nando waved) but Murray came over and signed a few autographs So then of course we got to wondering when Rafa was arriving…but I had tickets for the afternoon session and really did want to watch Nole against Berdy so in the end I decided to go in and see the match. Berdy is not in form so it was an easy win for Nole. Diego Maradonna was in the crowd and when Nole mentioned him in the on-court interview he got roundly booed – hilarious! That World Cup “Hand of God” is stuck in the memories of us Englanders!
I knew Rafa was practising at 5 pm at the Sponsor Village so I hot-footed it down there, only to get a text from Kim saying he was due in on a Clipper at 4.30 so I raced down to the pier. Angela and her friend were already there, together with a bunch of Vamos Brigaders. And then (earlier than 4.30!) RAFAAAAA! Pom Pom Ahoy! He didn’t stop for autographs as he was ushered through, but we wished him “Good Luck Rafa” and he smiled and said thank you. The picture I took was rubbish but Angela got a really good one.
Then it was a quick run up to the practice court again, and I managed to manoeuvre myself to the front. Pat Cash was on the court with some small children and another ATP trainer, they were doing hits with the little ones. Then at 5 …. RAFAAAAAA! He practised again with Marc for a good hour and then kicked two balls into the crowd (I didn’t get one) and waved as he went off.
After that I met up with another two friends - Pearl and Mrs L - for a coffee before Rafa’s match! We timed it perfectly as we got into the arena just as the doubles match finished (sorry if that offends any doubles fans). Then came the build up, and then the match! I was up in the gods, but in Row A and had a brilliant view. The good thing was that because I couldn’t take any “good” photos I actually sat and watched the match properly rather than through a camera lens, and it was so good! You could tell Rafa was nervous during the first set but A-Rod’s serve was unstoppable as well, and I think Rafa’s first serve % was pretty poor. When he got broken again at the start of the second I thought “oh nooooooo”, and was so pleased when he broke back, but then had some nervous moments during the TB, hurrah that he came through. He was playing much better by then and I think A-Rod was starting to tire, so luckily the third set wasn’t toooo nerve-wracking, though when Rafa was serving for the match I was a bit on the edge of my seat. Then a lovely on-court interview for Rafa and a long trek home for me.
I haven’t had chance to upload/download (whatever it is) any photos from yesterday yet but to be honest my best photos are still from Saturday so you aren’t missing out on much. My Flickr account has been updated with some photos from Sunday though.
I have managed to get a good ticket for tomorrow night’s match against Nole. Today and tomorrow I’m back at work, and then off again on Thursday and Friday and hopefully will be able to bring you some more Rafanews.
Once again, Rafan has been published in Nadal News and here's the link ...
http://www.nadalnews.com/2010/11/23/two-more-days-at-the-wtf/
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