Davis Cup Final Ghent November 2015

[patlowe]

I have been thinking such a lot recently of that very momentous occasion in Ghent last year as we approach one year on. I'm sorry if I am looking backwards, but it is such a shame that we have lost the threads as I would love to reread them now. That weekend was without a doubt the best weekend of my whole life and I will never ever forget it. This time last year we were feverishly hunting for the elusive tickets, and so much happened in the run up to our departure for Ghent I could write a book but I won't do that now! I have such wonderful, wonderful memories. Largely due to Anna organising the fan room, it was also the time I met many of you forumers, another one of the good things that has happened to me! Such euphoria when Andy produced the winning lob!! And so lovely to share it with dedicated fans like myself. That was a unique and special thing for me to experience as I never dreamt it could happen to me. And now, one year on, we have our man at #1! How very awesome that is! What an absolutely historic and earth-shaking year it has been for Andy and consequently for us fans since we won the DC in Ghent last year. Those moments in Ghent are very special and important to me.

[lovetennis]

Spot on Pat. I'm already thinking how I will spend that anniversary weekend - think I will be reliving the whole thing by watching the recordings. Such a shame the hacker lost the threads from those momentous days and the weeks of planning beforehand. Maybe we should all post our special memories to let us relive it all a little. The loss in this year's semi is certainly eased by Andy getting to no.1 and really I think the DC final acted as a bit of a springboard for 2016, so that's another reason to celebrate that stupendous weekend in Ghent

[pabbers]

You know, thinking about it, it was after winning DC for Serbia that Nole rose to #1......when I thought he was finished after a poor WTF final. I remember wondering after Ghent if things would pan out the same for Andy but after his performances at Miami and Indian Wells I forgot about it. Silly me!

[supergran]

I remember Nole's rise after the DC win and often thought would it be the same for Andy. After those losses in the Spring resigned myself it wouldn't happen. How wrong I was. It is unbelievable the achievements since then and I'm still pinching myself and then grinning when reality strikes. He really is No 1.:jitterbug::jitterbug::dance::dance::big grin::big grin:

[Stell]

While I was out, today, I saw a Megabus. It reminded me of going to Ghent and sitting in the stadium on Sunday 29th November and watching as Andy did one of his lobs over Goffin's head and the ball landing in the court and us winning the Davis Cup.

[greatunclebulgaria]

Oh my gosh so many memories, from saying to mam 'you fancy a trip to Davis Cup Final' and her excited reaction, to finding out the forum ticket allocation was so small I couldn't get her tickets with mine, to Anna and her perfect solution, a AMFF fan room, like-minded people dedicated to Andy and the GB team and a chance to meet some people for the first time and to catch up with others again, to our wonderful ticket share scheme of Belgium tix which got her in the stadium on the Friday, (once again many thanx MurryRocks) to my raiding of the Belgium ticket sales website and nabbing front row, on the service line tix for the Saturday, to both being sat amongst fellow AMFF nutcases chewing nail's and then crying when that lob sailed over Goffin's head late Sunday afternoon and then the horror of the bombing of Brussels airport just a few short months later and the desolation I felt for the wonderful people of Belgium who had proved to be wonderful friendly hosts

[patlowe]

It was a marvellous momentus weekend wasn't it!!

[suttontennis]

I remember -
Ringing a friend who I'd not spoken to for a couple of years and explaining to her that I needed help applying for tickets, could she give me a hand. Ditto my brother. I don't think either of them fully understood but tried their best. As it turned out, I got 2 days myself, and the other from the wonderful forum exchange system.
The week leading up to the event, worrying about whether it was going to take place, due to the events in Paris.
Arriving in Belgium on a beautiful Thursday morning, catching the train to Ghent and being moved from my seat by an Inspector (who was the spitting image of Patrick Kielty) cos I was in a 'fursht clash carriage, and my ticket wash shecond clash'.
arriving at Ghent Station - I'd never seen so many bicycles in one place.
My hotel - the staff immediately putting me at my ease, couldn't do enough. Even lent me a laptop as the free hotel computer was down. So friendly (The Kastel)
Ghent City Centre - so nice to look round, the view from the bridge of 3 churches in a row.
L'incontro Restaurant - a hidden gem.
The simplicity of getting to and into the venue, and the 'credit card' system for buying food and drink. Wandering round the halls, seeing so many Brits and wondering how they had all managed to get tickets.
Wandering round town on Friday and Saturday, bumping into people you'd seen earlier, so many people you speak to for that moment and then never see again after the weekend.
Obviously the tennis, I didn't see the winning lob land in court, I didn't need to cos I knew it would be in the moment it left Andy's racket.
I didn't stay to celebrate, I had an early flight so by 530pm I was on a train back to Brussels Airport. NO-ONE on the train had been to the tennis !!
Being home by 11am Monday morning - was it only 4 days since I left home ?

[patlowe]

Lovely memories suttontennis. I can identify with every one of them. Can also add how many Brits I met in the chocolate shops all stocking up on chocolate! Loved Ghent. Would love to go back.

[Hawkeye]

The friend that I went with thinks that the return of a restored part of the Ghent alterpiece will inspire me to go back. Nae luck Heather.

[suttontennis]

Lovely memories suttontennis. I can identify with every one of them. Can also add how many Brits I met in the chocolate shops all stocking up on chocolate! Loved Ghent. Would love to go back.

Thanks - unless we play them in the final at home in 2017, the earliest we could play Belgium away is 2019, even then their is no guarantee that the tie would be in Ghent.

[hfwardhouse]

Ghent was a lovely place to visit - I would love to go back and explore it more. We didn't get a chance to see as much as we'd have liked as my poor daughter had strep throat and wasn't up to much wandering about! At least she made it to the tennis every day!