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Post by Jasper on Aug 4, 2004 19:48:00 GMT -5
Hey Layla Great reports thus far! Your pics are very impressive, as well. If I recall, you always said you thought Canas looked like an evil bird.
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Post by RogiFan on Aug 4, 2004 20:10:48 GMT -5
Hi Layla, Thanks for your Umag report! Every time I read it, I think about how beautiful the place must be and how nice a small tourney must be also! Your pix are great!! Such closeups of your fave, how wonderful!!
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Post by Layla on Aug 6, 2004 18:45:17 GMT -5
TUESDAY, 20.7.2004Guess who I watched on the practice courts? Yes, predictably, it was DiP who was once again practicing with Olivier Patience. This time Réne, his coach, talked a bit more. Saretta was practicing on the next court, so I had something to do while those two were resting. I don’t like to stare at people while they’re doing nothing. It was the middle of a scorching hot day so they went to sit in the shade from time to time. After the practice the three of them were sitting on the stairs at the entrance to the court, so I decided I wanted to speak to DiP after all. As they were leaving the court and walking past me, I wished him good luck and told him it was great to see him back on the tour. He smiled and said: “Thank you very much.” in a very soft voice, but he probably thought I was a stalker. *waits for applause* LOL, I know this is nothing, but I was quite proud of myself. Baby, steps, right? Maybe next time I’ll even be able to have a full conversation with someone. After that I snapped a few pics of Calatrava (you know, the opposition) and then watched Olivier Rochus hitting ball with his couch. If I remember correctly, I was the only one there (it was getting late and the heat was getting worse), at least for periods of time. Let’s not forget that most of the courts have no shade whatsoever, but at least I didn’t get burned this year. That practice was fun, because Olli’s coach is funny. I mentioned before that he talks constantly in a rather high-pitched voice and he’s not much taller than Olli. He always seems animated and cheerful and gives Olli great support. My French is almost non-existent nowadays, but from what I gathered, he was telling Olli that if he begins to be depressed and starts moaping around, as apparently he was doing when practice wasn’t going well, he would loose for sure, that he must never stop trying. Now I know where Olli learned how to fight. During the practice, he (the coach) smiled at me and we nodded to each other. When they were done, I felt I was on a roll so I wished Olli good luck against Kristof (how cruel that he had to play his friend in the second round) and - what a shock - he also said thank you. By that time, all the courts were deserted, except the grandstand court, which I was thankful for (because of the shade). And there I witnessed by far the funniest practice of the week. Who else would have such hilarious practices but the Spaniards. I still haven’t forgotten last year’s goofing around. Fernando Vicente was practicing with Giorgio Di Palermo, who was the tour manager in Umag. Now if someone can explain what that function means, I would much appreciate it. Elsewhere I saw him listed under player services. Anyway, he cracks me up. He kept making jokes while they were playing a practice match, and he was also cracking Vicente up. I have several pics of Fernando grinning like a Cheshire cat. Slowly, most of the Spanish camp showed up and Moya joined them on the court. Then Di Palermo played a match with Moya, still making hilarious comments, judging from the fact that everyone in the stands was almost in tears. I didn’t understand much, but he kept saying Moya was to get the Stephan Edberg award for sportsmanship of the year. Some more spectators arrived and when Di Palermo hit a particularly good shot (since he seems so out of shape) he received a round of applause. He kept them entertained by asking them for linecalls. I know I can’t describe it very well, but the whole thing was so hilarious that one of the tournament employees called a photographer to come and take some pictures. Even Rasberger (the tournament director) came to watch, and so did some players, notably Volandri and Ramirez-Hidalgo and they laughed their socks off as well. I’ve never seen players actually watching someone else’s practice for an extended period of time. Moya didn’t practice long and I was sorry when it was over. This practice was the point when the spirit of Umag finally clicked in me. And that’s probably why I like the Spaniards so much. They never forget to have some fun and just enjoy playing this beautiful game, even though they are such hard workers. Moya told the kids at kid’s day that he practices 6 times a day, starting in the morning, but honestly, I didn’t believe him. Ok, on to the matches. I had a choice of 3 opening matches, Ramirez-Hidalgo vs. Novak, Saretta vs. Wawrinka and Acasuso vs. Christophe Rochus. I chose the first, though in retrospect, that might not have been the best decision. Both Ruben and Christophe are among my favorites, so it was a tough choice, but I suppose I wanted to see Novak in action as well.
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Post by Layla on Aug 6, 2004 18:47:15 GMT -5
Jiri NOVAK vs. Ruben RAMIREZ-HIDALGO 6:4 6:2 I didn’t really enjoy watching Ruben thrashed around and it wasn’t even a particularly good match. I’ve seen Novak play much better (on TV). He was erratic and not as powerful as I expected. The match was very undramatic with Ruben making far too many mistakes to be a contender in it. Novak was just running him around. During the breaks I was running to the entrance to check the scoreboard of Christophe’s match and was infinitely more pleased with that, even though he lead by a break in the second set and got broken back. So when this match was over (it didn’t take long) I rushed over to court 1 and caught the last game in which Christophe served for the match after having broken. He won 6:3 7:5 Then I began to get nervous, because DiP was next and I so wanted him to win. The second set of matches was cruel - everyone I was most interested about playing at the same time. Moya vs. Karanusic on CC, Volandri vs. Djokovic on GS and DiP vs. Calatrava on court 1, but this time, the decision wasn’t difficult at all. The first or second night in Umag I dreamt that there was some scheduling mix-up or I misread the order of play and I missed DiP’s match, which he lost. I had a weird feeling when I woke up and I was determined not to let that happen in real life. Part of my dream turned out to be prophetic because Alberto Martin’s match (also one of my faves), which was supposed to take place after DiP’s on the same court, was moved without warning, without later corrections of the schedule at any time, and for no apparent reason. The schedule was very simple - 3 matches on 3 main courts. Instead they relegated Martin and Golmard on some outside court at the same time as DiP’s match was on, which meant there were 4 matches at the same time and I was robbed of watching that match. Luckily, Alberto won so I didn’t have to worry about missing him completely. Alex CALATRAVA vs. Arnaud DI PASQUALE 6:4 6:3 Did I mention the nerves? I was too nervous to take any notes, or pics for that matter. I was standing the whole match (there were three stairs serving as seats and I stood on the top one in front of a hedge, the best views possible, because the umpire’s chair, the player’s chairs and the umbrellas were all on this shady side) and doing my utmost to urge DiP on (I’m a quiet person, so maybe that doesn’t say much). I noticed that I instinctively act like a coach I’m cheering for someone. I keep giving little nods of encouragement and I never despair, even when things are not looking good. I wish I had the technical knowledge to make these reports more useful, but I’m afraid you’ll just have to do without. So I can’t tell you what exactly was wrong with DiP’s game, except that nothing seemed to be quite working the way it should, at least in the beginning. I mentioned the conditioning, but I have to admit that he seemed a little tired even before the match started. But me it was mental tiredness more than anything. I read that he tries too hard and is overly anxious in matches. It’s quite possible that he was even more nervous than me. What hurt him the most was the beginning to each set. In the opening game he got broken to love after a series of mistakes. As the set progressed he was playing better and better, finding his rhythm but he could never recover that initial break and that cost him the set. I think he was just a tad slow getting into position which contributed to the high number of mistakes. I remember his amazing saves, forehands on the run and angles from Ljubljana but he just wasn’t pulling them off with much conviction. He’s still an exciting player to watch but I hope he can raise his accuracy in time. Like I said, his confidence was growing throughout the set and he began to hit more freely and with more power, but by then it was too late. Calatrava did his part and played very well, running him around and going for the lines. It would have been a great match if not for the mistakes that ended a lot of points, because the points themselves were awesome. DiP was very irritable throughout the match, throwing his racquet several times and exclaiming that he can’t play (in French of course). It did feel as if he was in shackles some of the time and it happened again in the beginning of the second set. Again, he got broken immediately. At one point, he even got pissy with the umpire, which I didn’t entirely appreciate. He didn’t yell at him or abuse him or anything, but when the umpire refused to check Alex’s serve, which DiP thought was long, he calmly and bitingly asked him if this was vacation for him, if he was enjoying himself watching the spectators, enjoying the sunshine, and said that he should be doing his job. The ump insisted the ball was good. For what it’s worth, I think DiP was absolutely right about the call and in a way, it was a funny exchange, but I couldn’t help feeling this was just a sign of his frustration. Matters got from bad to worse because he was broken again. At that point he seemed very tired. How else can I explain the fact that he attempted a ridiculous drop shot that barely even touched the net at 15-40. That was the low point of the match. I had a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach and I just prayed that he wouldn’t get bagelled. But I didn’t give up hope and kept nodding my head calmly. His coach incidently was doing the same on the other side of the court, so he was covered. I think most of the crowd (there weren’t that many of us what with Moya and Volandri playing on the other courts) was cheering for DiP. He hit just enough dazzling shots to keep them hungry for more I think. Somehow, somewhere, where everything seemed over, DiP recovered with a new burst of energy and hope. After he finally managed to hold (he always seemed to be in trouble on his service games, I think he should definitely improve his serve) he broke back and was on the verge of getting the second break back, but just narrowly missed out. That’s when he broke I think. He threw down his racquet again, because he knew he missed his chance. When he was serving to stay in the match he got in trouble again and sadly ended the match on a double fault. I was very dejected after that, because Calatrava was beatable. When DiP began to play well and put some pressure on, Alex began to make mistakes. But it wasn’t to be. I moved over to the grandstand court to catch Andreev in action.
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Post by Layla on Aug 6, 2004 18:49:31 GMT -5
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Post by TennisHack on Aug 6, 2004 18:51:07 GMT -5
After the practice the three of them were sitting on the stairs at the entrance to the court, so I decided I wanted to speak to DiP after all. As they were leaving the court and walking past me, I wished him good luck and told him it was great to see him back on the tour. He smiled and said: “Thank you very much.” in a very soft voice, but he probably thought I was a stalker. *waits for applause* LOL, I know this is nothing, but I was quite proud of myself. Baby, steps, right? Maybe next time I’ll even be able to have a full conversation with someone. Hey, you're already doing better than me! He seems sweet. Maybe he's just a quiet person (instead of the flambouyant character he's been made out to be in the musical ). Moya's practice sounds hilarious They are lots of fun to watch, especially Moya since he's so laid back. He did practice a lot during the qualifying weekend at Cincy, so maybe he had some serious practices in there somewhere
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Post by TennisHack on Aug 6, 2004 18:59:16 GMT -5
Alex CALATRAVA vs. Arnaud DI PASQUALE 6:4 6:3 Did I mention the nerves? I was too nervous to take any notes, or pics for that matter. I was standing the whole match (there were three stairs serving as seats and I stood on the top one in front of a hedge, the best views possible, because the umpire’s chair, the player’s chairs and the umbrellas were all on this shady side) and doing my utmost to urge DiP on (I’m a quiet person, so maybe that doesn’t say much). I noticed that I instinctively act like a coach I’m cheering for someone. I keep giving little nods of encouragement and I never despair, even when things are not looking good. I wish I had the technical knowledge to make these reports more useful, but I’m afraid you’ll just have to do without. So I can’t tell you what exactly was wrong with DiP’s game, except that nothing seemed to be quite working the way it should, at least in the beginning. I mentioned the conditioning, but I have to admit that he seemed a little tired even before the match started. But me it was mental tiredness more than anything. I read that he tries too hard and is overly anxious in matches. It’s quite possible that he was even more nervous than me. What hurt him the most was the beginning to each set. In the opening game he got broken to love after a series of mistakes. As the set progressed he was playing better and better, finding his rhythm but he could never recover that initial break and that cost him the set. I think he was just a tad slow getting into position which contributed to the high number of mistakes. I remember his amazing saves, forehands on the run and angles from Ljubljana but he just wasn’t pulling them off with much conviction. He’s still an exciting player to watch but I hope he can raise his accuracy in time. Like I said, his confidence was growing throughout the set and he began to hit more freely and with more power, but by then it was too late. Calatrava did his part and played very well, running him around and going for the lines. It would have been a great match if not for the mistakes that ended a lot of points, because the points themselves were awesome. DiP was very irritable throughout the match, throwing his racquet several times and exclaiming that he can’t play (in French of course). It did feel as if he was in shackles some of the time and it happened again in the beginning of the second set. Again, he got broken immediately. At one point, he even got pissy with the umpire, which I didn’t entirely appreciate. He didn’t yell at him or abuse him or anything, but when the umpire refused to check Alex’s serve, which DiP thought was long, he calmly and bitingly asked him if this was vacation for him, if he was enjoying himself watching the spectators, enjoying the sunshine, and said that he should be doing his job. The ump insisted the ball was good. For what it’s worth, I think DiP was absolutely right about the call and in a way, it was a funny exchange, but I couldn’t help feeling this was just a sign of his frustration. Matters got from bad to worse because he was broken again. At that point he seemed very tired. How else can I explain the fact that he attempted a ridiculous drop shot that barely even touched the net at 15-40. That was the low point of the match. I had a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach and I just prayed that he wouldn’t get bagelled. But I didn’t give up hope and kept nodding my head calmly. His coach incidently was doing the same on the other side of the court, so he was covered. I think most of the crowd (there weren’t that many of us what with Moya and Volandri playing on the other courts) was cheering for DiP. He hit just enough dazzling shots to keep them hungry for more I think. Somehow, somewhere, where everything seemed over, DiP recovered with a new burst of energy and hope. After he finally managed to hold (he always seemed to be in trouble on his service games, I think he should definitely improve his serve) he broke back and was on the verge of getting the second break back, but just narrowly missed out. That’s when he broke I think. He threw down his racquet again, because he knew he missed his chance. When he was serving to stay in the match he got in trouble again and sadly ended the match on a double fault. I was very dejected after that, because Calatrava was beatable. When DiP began to play well and put some pressure on, Alex began to make mistakes. But it wasn’t to be. Aww I can totally empathize with you AND him. It's too bad he got so frustrated with himself, it's the hardest thing to watch. I commend you on your calmness I'm sure DiP appreciated your support, especially since you talked to him before. It has to be encouraging that he made the quarters this week in Poznan, though he lost to another quite beatable player (Zib). Baby steps, I suppose
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Post by TennisHack on Aug 6, 2004 19:04:34 GMT -5
Mmm, more pictures! Filo looks so young in the trophy ceremony picture. Young, but stoic. You look fabulous too
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Post by Lee on Aug 6, 2004 22:17:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the report, Layla!
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Aug 6, 2004 22:22:12 GMT -5
Thanks for the great reports, you don't need to apologise for the way you write them, it comes from your perspective only, but they were entertaining.
As for DiP watch him throw away a 2 sets to love lead, then again, that's typical.
Great work Layla.
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Post by ILR on Aug 10, 2004 7:11:07 GMT -5
Great read Layla ;D and all your pics are excellent too! Looking good! The pic of Vliegen is cute! He has a big grin on his face ;D btw, what language did you talk to Ollie in? Im not soo sure if he understands much English because when I spoke to him he just kind of stared at me with a polite smile!
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Post by Partridge In A Pear Tree on Aug 11, 2004 5:50:58 GMT -5
thank you, Layla! nice pics to go with your great report.
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Post by RogiFan on Aug 11, 2004 20:16:44 GMT -5
What pix of Carlos!!! Beautiful closeup, Layla, and lovely pix of you too! I am longing to see a clay tourney...
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