Thursday, January 28, 2016

Tennis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday morning I was greeted by the chickens right outside my bedroom window at 7.30am too funny!!!
I did not get home till about 1am this morning so too late to do the blog and now I find I have an issue with my computer and cannot load my photos of the tennis so for now a photoless blog.
I knew it was going to be a long day and i left the cabin at 8.45am packed with lots of food, drink, and headed out for the train station which is only a 5 minute drive away.......found out that i could park the car for free and the next train was at 9.30am...there was a sign on the ticket turn style saying because of repairs to the lines that all train travel till the end of the month is free what a bonus that was!!!
The train arrive don time and it was about 4 coaches and very busy but clean and I was amazed at how fast it travels and how quickly the train accelerates!!!!
It took just over one hour to get into the heart of the city and from there it was one free tram ride to the tennis stadium....I purchased a day pass for 34 dollars and bought a daily program and planned my day and it was just perfect..
On show court 3 I sat and watched a junior boys game these kids are under 18 and they are monsters and great players and i am just hoping that Ashley may one day be here!!!!!
The weather was hot and sunny but the clouds were not far away...and the match was almost finished when the heavens opened and it just poured as this court is not covered I went inside to the lobby of the Rod Laver arena where Serena was just about to go on court and I found a nice comfortable chair and a big screen Tv and watched that match but again it was not much of a game and Serena eased through.
Now the sun was back and the show court was open again and the boys match just finished...up next was one game i wanted to see the Canadian Daniel Nestor, I wrote about him a couple of days ago playing in the men's doubles semi final and they were up against the number one seeded players.....it was an exhilarating fast paced and wonderful game....I had a great seat behind the baseline and Daniel and his partner won in straights sets and advanced to the final!!!
As soon as that game finished another great tennis star Martina Hingis was on court in the semis of the mixed doubles her partner was a man called Leander Paes from India....I have read about him and John McEnroe describes him as the best doubles player he has ever seen...it was another thrilling match but it was not to be for Hingis as they lost in two sets....
It was now 6.30pm and the main event was to start in one hour so I made my way to the central plaza where there were hundreds of deck chairs and chairs surrounding the huge screen..I was lucky enough to find an empty chair close to the front a perfect seat and I settled in for the start, enjoyed my food and drinks and just soaking in the atmosphere.....Roger was to play Novak and there were many rivalries around many Swiss fans with their faces painted but many more Serbs waving their flags and chanting.
I notice a young man walking around the rows of people obviously asking them something and he approached me asking if i was interested in buying two tickets for tomorrow nights match Murray versus the Canadian Roanic.....he was asking 700 dollars for the two tickets...I told me I only needed one but that was way too much for me as he was asking 350 for one ticket and I offered him 250 for the one ticket..he said he really wanted to sell them both and he left....about 30 minutes later he came back I guess he had sold one ticket and offered me the other and said he would take 250...so I bought it....the price on the ticket is 200 dollars so i feel i got a deal..Rod Laver arena to see two of the stars of tennis plus i get to see the women's doubles final and a semi in the mixed!!!
Well the time of the big match approached and the crowd was really into it but the first two sets were a walk over for Novak.....but Roger pulled himself together and won the third but could not match Novak's incredible play and determination and finally lost the match...the Serbians were going nuts!!!!
It was an easy ride back to the train station and i was in time for the 11.15pm train back but found out the train had been replaced by a coach but it was no issue as it took just a little longer and i was back at the car at 12.45am.....what a day!!
Now getting packed up again to do a repeat of this journey...life sometimes is not a beach but a tennis court!!
Yashi Kochi!!!

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