My first ATP tournament/Franklin Templeton Classic

[Lee]

This is my first ATP tournament and I’m a bit excited and worried. I arrived Princess Resort at 10am. Not many people at that time even though the first round of qualification started at 9am. It’s sunny with some cloud cover and temperature was around low 50F. Since it’s just qualification, nobody checked your carry-on. Too bad I didn’t know about it and didn’t bring my water bottle and food with me. I did have bite site kit-kat with me.

There are 7 tennis courts including stadium (main) court and club house court. 5 courts are used in qualifying. Court 6 and 7 were for practice. When I arrived, Ferriera and Ancic just started their practice. I didn’t know the players in another court. It’s very difficult to watch practice as no place for viewer and the courts are very covered. There are small rectangular holes at about 3 and 7 feet above ground.

I left practice and watched Tripp Phillips(USA) vs Dusan Vemic(SER). Vemic has big serve but no ground strokes. And the match was not very exciting. I thought Phillips won the match. I went to practice courts again and they were pretty crowded. Ancic and Ferriera had to share the court with another pair of players and later they moved to another to practice. Ancic whined a bit when other players walked into the court and he ended up sending them to another practice court. Ferriera is fast and calm. Ancic’s forehand was not working for him and he yelled at himself after missing 2 forehands. (He yelled in Croatian so no idea what he was talking). The practice courts are right next to the stadium so I could keep my eyes both on Ancic/Ferriera and the qualifying match. Eric Taino(USA) was playing Fritz Wolmarans(RSA) there. The match was very tight at 6-4 5-7 4-5 with Taino serving. He was up a break earlier in the set but his play dropped. At match/break point, Eric serve a very weak 2nd serve but Wolmarans returned long. It was all downhill after this for Wolmarans and Taino won the match 6-4 5-7 7-5.

[Lee]

I had James Blake walked right pass me and didn’t notice who he is. Then, I saw Verkerk waiting outside a practice court for his turn. I think he’s with van Lottum. After waiting for some times, he walked into the court where Dent and Kiefer were playing a set. When Kiefer left, I asked him for a picture and he’s very nice. Then, there’s a guy who didn’t know who he is asked him for a picture with his daughter and Kiwi was very gracious. Dent stayed behind and had another practice session with Karlovic. All 4 players had to share the practice court. I didn’t even plan to get a bit close to Karlovic. I went back to watch Alex Kim(USA) vs Luka Gregorc (SLO). Kim finally won in 3 sets. When James came out from practice, I asked for a picture. He Oked but not paying any attention at all. He said yes but then walked right passed me to sign autograph with some kids. Finally, we had our picture taken but his mind was definitely somewhere else.

I went back to the stadium to watch Kendrick (USA) vs Nenad Toroman (RSA). Robert Kendrick is definitely the better player there (he’s #1 seed in qualify). His serve is good but his backhand has lots of room for improvement. He won 1st set 6-3, breaking his opponent twice. After 1st set, I went out again to the practice court. Finally Dent and companies were done and Mario returned to practice again. He and Dent were the more hard working players there. The other court was Ken doll with ‘I don’t know who’. I returned to Kendrick’s match at 3-3 2nd set. Kendrick had lots of opportunities to break but didn’t and he was getting agitated. Finally, 2nd set went to TB and that’s when I finally noticed the guy a few seats away from me is Ginepri. Kendrick lost his first point in TB and Toroman won his 2 service points. 3-0 Toroman. Kendrick then went on to win next 7 points. Ginepri left right away with his coach.

By that time, all 1st round qualifying matches were over. I wandered around the ground for a little while. Could not find the schedule for 2nd round matches and the weather was getting a bit worse. The sky was overcast and cool, so I decided to leave and come home.

[TennisHack]

Thanks for the reports, Lee! I'm glad you were able to get a picture with Kiefer.

Are you going tomorrow, or will there not be any qualifying? I thought it was weird that two rounds (and apparently the only two rounds) were being played all in one day

[Lee]

TennisHack said:

Thanks for the reports, Lee! I'm glad you were able to get a picture with Kiefer.

Are you going tomorrow, or will there not be any qualifying? I thought it was weird that two rounds (and apparently the only two rounds) were being played all in one day

There are 3 rounds of qualifying. The 3rd round will play tomorrow afternoon. Only 4 qualifiers here. I can't go tomorrow because of social obligation

[Lee]

Since the tennis courts are part of the Princess Resort, all other facilities for the tournaments are add-ons. The gift shops, sponsor booths, ticket offices, eating areas, etc are on gravels just outside the resort. There's a dirt path connected the courts to these areas. The restrooms are 2 trailers but are pretty clean. The stadium court is nice. Even the general admission areas, at both ends of the court have a nice view. The food is not too pricy, about double the price in the food court of your favourite mall

[RogiFan]

Thanks for your first tennis tourney report, Lee! Ignore my inquiry in the other thread... it's quite cool in Scottsdale today... actually we were almost that warm up here!!

Glad you got a pic of Kiwi, that's nice! So what was James thinking about, eh?

re: your little mini-Kit Kat!! I always carry one of those for my low blood sugar days... which is every day! Pretty lax w the security! In TO they took away the tiny little plastic pole of my little 5x7 Spanish flag cos I guess they saw it as a dangerous weapon.

Would you like to attend again or another tourney?? How far is Indian Wells? Any fun programs or anything on the players?? Any autograph signings or other player activities?

[Lee]

For now, I can only stick with Scottsdale. I feel guilty already leaving hubby and son.

There's basically no security, probably because it's qual. No checking at all at the entrance. They put a sign up for no camcorder and exchangeable lenses at the entrance when I left

IW is about 6 hours drive from Scottsdale.

[Lee]

I keep forgetting about this. Martin Verkerk is actually quite cute as Francine (if I remember correctly) said but he's huge. Kiwi is 6' and James 6'1" and I was like a little girl next them. I was glad I didn't ask Ancic (but I have a really nice close up pic of him) for a pic. and I tried to stay away from Karlovic

Dent is really nice too. When he had pictures with 2 little kids, he bent down to be at the same levels with them while James was as I said, quite detached.

[RogiFan]

I Wells is only 6 hrs drive fr Scottsdale? I thought it w be further. Dent seems like a decent guy... but James, is he being unfocused again?? He really has to improve that mental of his... I like him but he hasn't done well lately...

re: Karlovic!! I saw Verblerk in Mtrl last yr but can't remember if he was practising or playing a match... he was v low on my priority list so I avoided him... ;D

Forgot to mention that I took a blurry pic of Kiwi in TO -- too bad cos it was a closeup... but he was topless so it looked as tho he was naked in the pic!!

[Francine]

Thanks for your report Lee! Cool that you got a picture with Kiwi, that's the advantage of going to smaller tourneys or the qualies; there's hardly any security. There was hardly any security in R'dam, I think Juanqui and Rogi had one bodyguard with them, who didn't really protect them from the loads of people that were waiting for them after a practise session, they were propably there to protect them from possible psycho's. I think it's also a difference between the US and europe; they tend to be more careful in the states.

Lee said:

I keep forgetting about this. Martin Verkerk is actually quite cute as Francine (if I remember correctly) said but he's huge. Kiwi is 6' and James 6'1" and I was like a little girl next them. I was glad I didn't ask Ancic (but I have a really nice close up pic of him) for a pic. and I tried to stay away from Karlovic

Dent is really nice too. When he had pictures with 2 little kids, he bent down to be at the same levels with them while James was as I said, quite detached.

Verkerk isn't as ugly as he comes off on tv when he pulls those faces. The main thing though is that he's really nice and funny. We get lots of interviews with him and the other Dutch players here ofcourse and Martin and Sluiter are the funniest and nicest guys, imo.

Same goes for Dent apparently

And about you being so small compared to them, I would be more worried if I were taller

[Ilhame]

Thanks for the report Lee!

Looking forward to the pics

[Vera]

Thx Lee, for the reports.

Me too, looking forward for the pix, especially the one with Kiwi .