Didn't you just KNOW that would happen?
Ah, drat. Just posted a huge entry about the ATP World Tour FInals and lost it all because I hadn't enabled Java in NoScript.
Oh well. Here I go again. Sorry I haven't posted in so long, I seem to spend so little time on the computer these days. I doubt anybody missed me!
But, yeah, anyway, I couldn't miss posting about the ATP World Tour Finals and my one and a half days of action.
After buying my tickets in March my gamble paid off as I had no idea who would play when but I was very fortunate to see Federer and Rafa, so hurray. As well as Bhuphati/Knowles, who I saw at Wimbledon this year and the Bryan brothers...didn't stay for Djokovic V Davydenko last night as would most likely have been very late or stuck in London and was also very tired from the journey back on Sunday which was far from direct due to engineering works and Rail Replacement shenanigans.
Anyway, on to the action. Sunday night was good, I thought Federer played very poorly at the start and Verdasco was whacking the ball back very, very hard. Yes, on the TV you can tell when the ball is being pounded, but this was just anothwer level, you could hear it so clearly. But Federer really did raise his game towards the end, although sadly we had to leave early because of the aformentioned travel chaos.
On to Rafa. I was so excited to be there and to see him, felt like I'd been waiting since the 2005 Roland Garros to see him, and I'm very lucky and grateful that the Finals are at the 02 and that it's not too far away. But, on the flipside, when it was announced that Soderling was going to play because of Roddick's withdrawal, I just KNEW that I would end up seeing Rafa vs the Sod and that it might just end up as it did. It was so exciting all the build up, all the people scrambling to take photos, the roar of delight and pulsing of all the flashlights as Rafa came in. Lots of Spanish flags and fun messages.
The game itself was reasonably close I felt, it was such a shame that Rafa didn't seem to play well on the big points, which is something he normally does so well. Bless him for staying on and signing autographs win or loss as ever. Which just goes to show once again he is a champ on and off the court and that I was blessed to see him, even if he did lose. It was a shame, but onwards and upwards and ¡Vamos! as ever.
I'm not a great photographer and my camera is so small compared to all those people with SLRs...but with some help from the magic tulip I did manage to get some reasonable shots, behind the cut. :)
A blurry Federer. Sorry Rog, forgot the magic tulip.
 <br /><br /> <img src=)
Blurry, but essential. Rafa's trademark short picking.
Probably the only good snap I took. Rafa waits to receive the Sod's serve.
----------------
Now playing: Train - Marry Me
http://foxytunes.com/artist/train/track/marry+me
Oh well. Here I go again. Sorry I haven't posted in so long, I seem to spend so little time on the computer these days. I doubt anybody missed me!
But, yeah, anyway, I couldn't miss posting about the ATP World Tour Finals and my one and a half days of action.
After buying my tickets in March my gamble paid off as I had no idea who would play when but I was very fortunate to see Federer and Rafa, so hurray. As well as Bhuphati/Knowles, who I saw at Wimbledon this year and the Bryan brothers...didn't stay for Djokovic V Davydenko last night as would most likely have been very late or stuck in London and was also very tired from the journey back on Sunday which was far from direct due to engineering works and Rail Replacement shenanigans.
Anyway, on to the action. Sunday night was good, I thought Federer played very poorly at the start and Verdasco was whacking the ball back very, very hard. Yes, on the TV you can tell when the ball is being pounded, but this was just anothwer level, you could hear it so clearly. But Federer really did raise his game towards the end, although sadly we had to leave early because of the aformentioned travel chaos.
On to Rafa. I was so excited to be there and to see him, felt like I'd been waiting since the 2005 Roland Garros to see him, and I'm very lucky and grateful that the Finals are at the 02 and that it's not too far away. But, on the flipside, when it was announced that Soderling was going to play because of Roddick's withdrawal, I just KNEW that I would end up seeing Rafa vs the Sod and that it might just end up as it did. It was so exciting all the build up, all the people scrambling to take photos, the roar of delight and pulsing of all the flashlights as Rafa came in. Lots of Spanish flags and fun messages.
The game itself was reasonably close I felt, it was such a shame that Rafa didn't seem to play well on the big points, which is something he normally does so well. Bless him for staying on and signing autographs win or loss as ever. Which just goes to show once again he is a champ on and off the court and that I was blessed to see him, even if he did lose. It was a shame, but onwards and upwards and ¡Vamos! as ever.
I'm not a great photographer and my camera is so small compared to all those people with SLRs...but with some help from the magic tulip I did manage to get some reasonable shots, behind the cut. :)
A blurry Federer. Sorry Rog, forgot the magic tulip.
Blurry, but essential. Rafa's trademark short picking.
Probably the only good snap I took. Rafa waits to receive the Sod's serve.
----------------
Now playing: Train - Marry Me
http://foxytunes.com/artist/train/track/marry+me