Grass & Rain 2013 aka Linda discovers the WTA

[Linda]

At the moment I cannot find the cable for connecting my camera to my PC so cannot upload my pics. Hopefully I will find it eventually.

I was very lucky to be given a complimentary ticket to Eastbourne for the first Sunday, i.e. final day of qualifying + exho matches. When I was half way there, the rain started - only a few spots, but it was persistent. I arrived when the gates opened at 10am and the first match (Tara v Pliskova) was due to start at 11am. So I went to the practice courts to photograph some players. I looked down the long line of players and they were all WTA players who I did not recognise at all as I never watch them, with the exception of Tara who I had singled out at the age of 14 as someone to watch.

So I took a load of photos of Tara and her coach, Jeremy Bates (remember him?), then went round to the other practice courts where some men were practising, including Verdasco and Fognini, and started to take photographs of them. Then my camera said card full. I had forgotten to delete my Monte Carlo pics. It would have taken too long to select the photos to delete, so I just deleted the whole memory card :sad:

Then I went back to where Tara was just finishing her practice and wished her luck. Saw various other players practising, Dolgo, didn't recognise any of the women except Heather and Laura. They announced that the start of play was delayed until 1pm. I looked around the various shops and bought a Rafa T-shirt (they have always sold out by the time I get to Monte Carlo) and some Rafa postcards. Read almost the whole of Neil's book. Was unimpressed. For £20 I would expect a nice lot of glossy photos but there were just a couple of photo pages in the middle.

They announced that play would not start until 3pm. All this time, the players were still on the practice courts! Though at one point they were ordered off, but they soon started sneaking back again. Because it really wasn't raining very hard. At Eastbourne the players are constantly walking through the crowds as there are no tunnels to sneak through like at Wimbledon. They'd never be able to have Roger or Rafa there. As the players walk through, kids rush up to get autographs.

Finally it was time for play to start and I took my seat.

[banskogirl]

I loved Jeremy Bates, thought he was gorgeous, and his accent......

Thanks Linda :thanks:

[Linda]

Tara was playing Karolina Pliskova. I'd noticed that a Kristyna Pliskova was playing 2nd match on court1 and found out that they are twins. Tara lost the first set 4-6. Jeremy came on and had a long talk with her and it must have done her some good, because she took the second set 6-2. Then there was a hard fought third set. At one point there was an announcement, 'Would Kristyna Pliskova report to Court 1' - which caused the people in the row in front of me to look at each other with confused expressions, and consult their printouts of the OOP. Tara lost the third set on a tiebreak. Throughout the match I felt that although Tara was a fighter, her weakness was her serve. She didn't seem to get many first serves in, and her second serve was very weak.

The next match was Greg Rusedski v Mark Philippoussis. As there had been a long rain delay, this was just a short set. Although you would not expect a match between these two to last very long anyway.

Next was another qualifying match between one of my long time favourites, James Blake, and Sergiy Stakhovsky. I was very happy to see Blake as I have been expecting him to retire for the last couple of years. To my surprise, Blake won the match (5-7, 6-4, 6-4). The sun came out and I started to get quite sunburnt!

The last match was another exho, Greg Rusedski & Lindsay Davenport v Mark Philippoussis & Rennae Stubbs. This was a really entertaining match - the players just larked around the whole time - and the crowd was in stitches.

So ended a nice day at Eastbourne.

[traveller7]

Thanks Linda despite the rain delays sounds like you had a good day in the end.
I might go to Eastbourne next year looked good.

[Linda]

I went to Wimbledon on the first Friday. I arrived in the queue at 5.45am and got a ticket for no2 court (which was supposed to be two WTA matches, then Verdasco v Gulbis, then doubles). Andy was due to play on Centre but I couldn't face waiting at the resale kiosk from 10.45am to about 5pm and I knew that if it rained they would show his match on the screen in Court 2 anyway. Caro & Gill were in the row after me in the queue, and they decided to do the resale thing. It started to rain just before I bought my tickets. Once in the grounds I met James (Jambon), Kels and Liz who had all camped and got Centre court tickets. I walked up to the resale queue and met Caro & Gill again. I did join the queue for a while but then thought I just couldn't face spending all that time there so left it and went to have some lunch and wander around.

At 1pm I went to my seat on court 2. Of the four ladies that I was due to watch, the only one that I would recognise was Bartoli. I knew nothing of the others at all. Anyway, it was still raining then and they started to show Laura's match on the screen. Then it stopped raining and they removed the covers.

Kerber and Kanepi (or Care Bear and Canopy as the umpire pronounced them) came onto court. The pictures they put up on the screen with their names were very misleading, as whilst they warmed up I thought that Kanepi was Kerber and vice versa, and only realised my mistake when the match started. Kanepi was the tall, slim, elegant one and Kerber was the one who was not as tall, slim or elegant. She made up for it with a tenacity that was rather like Ferrer. I was quite impressed with their play - on the TV it always looks as though the ladies don't hit the ball very hard, but when you are really close to them on the court I can assure you that they do. I expected Kerber to win so was surprised when Kanepi won. Although on reflection, why would I expect Kerber's tenacity to beat Kanepi's elegance when Ferrer always loses to Fed?

I also noticed a very tall crane going up and down telescopically with what I think was a cameraman at the top! I hope he gets danger money!

The second match was Bartoli v Giorgi. Well, you all know that Bartoli is completely nuts. Mad as a box of frogs. She came onto court by herself (normally at Wimbly the players come on together) and after fiddling around with her bag for a while, stood jumping around at the net waiting for the umpire, James Keothavong who still had loads of other stuff to do, and her opponent who still hadn't arrived on court. Eventually the others were ready and the match started. Giorgi is a tiny little lady who was wearing what appeared to be a frilly underslip. She looked like a little fairy that you might put on top of the Christmas tree. It was quite amazing that such a dainty little lady could hit the ball quite hard. Bartoli of course was continuing to act in her strange way, swiping around with her racquet whilst waiting to return and looking more like a Kung Fu Fighter than a tennis player. However there was only ever going to be one winner of this match and it wasn't the Sugar Plum Fairy.

[Linda]

For some strange reason I am unable to thank the people who have commented so far as the thanks button has disappeared.

The match was nearly over when the rain came down properly and play was abandoned on all courts except centre. The covers came on again. We got the news that Janowicz had beaten Almagro. I wandered up to the hill to find it extremely crowded. It was quite impossible to find a place to sit there. Andy's match started and I decided to go back to Court 2 to watch it on the screen there from my comfy seat. I only missed the first game, and then saw all of the first two sets and the start of the third before the rain stopped, and Bartoli and Giorgi came out to finish their match. As their match finished, so did Andy's (I heard the shouts from the hill).

Then I had a wander round to see if any matches were still going on. There was a huge crowd around court 14, with people standing on chairs in the next court and on walls, and stewards telling them to get down. It was apparently Dustin Brown. I thought, they really must put him on a court with more crowd capacity next match (but when I got home I found that he had lost). As I couldn't get anywhere near, I headed off home.

The lady whose garden I'd parked my car in was very nice and I will definitely use her again. Although I was disappointed that I hadn't seen Verdasco v Gulbis, which was held over until the following day, I still had quite a nice day at Wimbledon. It was interesting to see the women of whom I'd previously known nothing (it is very funny that I've previously won the BOTP, just goes to show it's a lottery).

[RoastLamb]

Although on reflection, why would I expect Kerber's tenacity to beat Kanepi's elegance when Ferrer always loses to Fed?

Good point. Altho' I was surprised too.

Funny there was a big crowd around Dusty's court.

Kung Fu Fighter vs Sugar Plum Fairy. :lol:

[Linda]

The thanks button is working again now! :cheer:

[pabbers]

Great blog thanks, Linda. Although I can't help thinking you'd have stuck it out in the queue for Rafa.....:getcoat:

[cazza99]

Thanks for the great blogs Linda :)

[Linda]

Great blog thanks, Linda. Although I can't help thinking you'd have stuck it out in the queue for Rafa.....:getcoat:

I was going to camp for 24 hours for Rafa :sad:

[supergran]

Very interesting and entertaining blogs Linda. You do lead an exciting life following tennis.:strawberry:

[Caro]

Great to read about your day Linda and it was lovely to see you. I've written a very succinct version of my day on the Wimby queue / ballot thread

[Linda]

I have finally found my camera USB lead and uploaded my photos from Eastbourne and Wimbledon!

At Eastbourne it was raining lightly for most of the day, but the players were still practising. I have photos of loads of players - British and others, men and women, high ranked and low ranked, singles and doubles . . .

At Wimbledon it bucketed with rain almost all day so no players were practising and I have very few photos.

I haven't had time to go through and delete any poor photos, so please excuse those that are blurry or whatever.

Eastbourne (http://s227.photobucket.com/user/Granny_Linda/library/Eastbourne%202013?sort=2&page=1)

Wimbledon (http://s227.photobucket.com/user/Granny_Linda/library/Wimbledon%202013?sort=2&page=1)

[patmoren]

Linda both links are going to the Eastbourne photos

[Linda]

Oops :shamed: Corrected now :thumbup: