A Little Bit of Tennis

Those of you who truly know me are aware that I am perhaps the biggest tennis fan on the face of the Earth.  Now we are not talking about one of those ‘fans’ who watches an occasional Federer or Nadal match and claims to just ‘love’ tennis.  I could never be one of those people who tune in for the Wimbledon finals…and nothing else.  I follow tennis all year round.  Womens and Mens.  Every tournament, every player…I check the new rankings every week and just can’t get enough.  Why is this all important?  Because I’ve never yet been able to get to a professional  tournament.  To go in the U.S. it is just incredibly expensive.  By the time you add up the expenses for plane tickets, hotels, transportation, and the tennis tickets…it just isn’t feasible.  However, things are different here in Beijing…

This week everyone is on vacation for the Chinese National Holiday.  It also coincides with one of the biggest non-grand slam tennis tournaments of the year, The China Open.  The great thing about the China Open is that it is one of the very few events on tour that holds both a WTA (Womens) tournament AND an ATP (Mens) tournament jointly.  I knew it was coming to town…and knew I needed to make it happen to be able to go watch some tennis.  The only potential problems…getting to the venue (with my very limited Chinese), buying tickets, and getting back home…so everything was going to have to work out just right for this to happen.

(Above:  Waiting to go inside to Center Court).

The tournament is being held at the National Tennis Center which is ‘close’ the Olympic Bird's Nest from the 2008 Games.  I found the Chinese characters for National Tennis Center, wrote them down,  and took some faith that I could get to the right place.  The first taxi driver wouldn’t give it a go.  The second didn’t seem to know where the tennis center was, but I said ‘Olympic’ to which he repeated the word and then said something and I said ‘duay’ which means correct.  (Even though I had no idea what he was saying, I knew that he was probably asking if I wanted to go to the Olympic Park…so I said yes and crossed my fingers.

I shut the taxi door and we were off.  I knew we were headed in the right direction…so that was good.  After about 15 minutes I kept seeing signs for the China Open…even better sign.  And then…on the left I see the National Tennis Center (I’ve seen it in pictures and on T.V. before so there was no mistaking it).  I try telling the driver…that one (Naga) and he seems to get it and lets me off.  Phew…I’m here.  One minor miracle down…several more to hope for.  I start walking toward the big tennis stadiums and have no idea where to go.  The first ‘entrance’ I come to has several security guards and is clearly labeled VIP entrance.   MMM….well, I’m not a VIP.  I don’t even have a ticket.  But…I don’t see any other entrance so I just walk right in.  (Sidenote:  I was previously petrified of just walking past all of these Chinese Guards.  But they are everywhere on campus and I’ve noticed they NEVER ask me anything…NEVER.  They only ever smile or laugh at me…that’s it.  So I had confidence that I could just walk right by).  I get closer to the tennis courts…more security, more guards…all Chinese…I walk right by.  I come up to several tennis courts….two more guards…walk right by.  HOLY MOLY!  There’s Bojana Jovanovski practicing her two-handed backhand with her coach!!  I keep walking…WHAT!  Sabine Lisicki are you kidding me!  Drilling forehands to her hitting partner!  I keep going like I know what I’m doing.  And then it happens.  I am standing 5 feet from Ana Ivanovic.  5 feet away.  Well, technically we are separated by the fence on the tennis court she is practicing at…but I’m literally right next to her.  

(Above:  A classic Andy Roddick serve.)

I can’t help it.  I stop.  This is the former women’s world #1.  French Open champion….and perhaps the most beautiful girl in the entire world.  Right there in front of me practicing her serve with her coach Gavin Hopper (super famous coach too).   Slight heart attack…I can’t think…what should I do….I can’t take pictures because that would give me away…I’m in such awe.  But, I force myself forward.  I walk right by (shoulder to shoulder) with Michael Llodra (men’s grand slam doubles champion)…then I realize where I’m at.  I’m not at the VIP entrance.  I’m not at the tournament entrance.  I’m at the PLAYER’S entrance and exit.  There is a full on gym where there’s about 25 players warming up and working out.  There are others coming out…woah there’s Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor…oh and Sabine again she must be done hitting…they are all getting on the same bus.  This must have been a player’s bus taking players and coaches to their hotels.  Now I get it.  I’m white…I’m wearing my black Nike tennis jacket…the guards all thought I was with one of the player’s ‘teams’.  I could stay here all day…just watching players warm-up…seeing them come in and out as they go.  But I know that this isn’t the place to A) take pictures, or B) talk to players…so I know what I must do.  I take one more glimpse around at all of the players and then head back out the same direction which I came.  (Darn tennis etiquette has been instilled deep within me!)

(This is how Andy Roddick spent most of the night...TICKED OFF at the crowd...and himself...he even broke a racquet and got a warning from the chair umpire!)

After awhile I manage my way through and around the venue and come to the ticket stand.  I walk right up and order up the best seat in the house (best seat available to the public that is) for the night session.  And it is a good one.  Andy Roddick versus Kevin Andersen (world #31, big server, potential upset here).  The second match is Petra Kvitova (reigning Wimbledon champion...for those who live under a rock, and perhaps my favorite female tennis player at the moment…she absolutely CRUSHES the ball and I love her style of play) vs. Sofia Arvidsson.  The ticket cost…200 RMB.  That is like $30…woah!  Super cheap! 

(Above:  Handshake after the match)

I had gotten there pretty early so I decided to go right in and explore the venue.  I’m in complete awe of everything going on so I’m slowly taking it all in.  Then I come up to a court…what is going on here…a women’s doubles match!  On a court right in front of everyone walking throughout the venue where you are standing courtside…by just walking by…I can’t believe this…and who is playing?  Oh just Daniela Hantuchova and Aggie Radwanska.  I had to laugh at the people behind me asking who they were.  Are you kidding me!  Daniela and Aggie need no introduction!  They are one of the best women’s doubles teams in the world…AND some of the best women’s singles players in the world.  Aggie just won the huge tournament in Japan right before this one.  And I am standing on the baseline watching them play!  Incredible.  After their first set win I move on.  I come across a set of two courts side by side.  I go right in between.  I turn to my left…oh just Thomas Berdych ten feet away  playing doubles…and to my right?  Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirlenko playing a doubles match.  I’m in heaven.  I can’t even believe this.  Woah!  Watching Azarenka in real life is incredible…standing at the sideline watching her smoke backhands is a sheer thing of beauty.  Kirlenko too (probably the second most beautiful girl in the world…so that doesn’t hurt either)  is on a hot streak lately and just took out Georges in singles play.  She is finding the net at every opportunity and is incredible up there.

I keep moving, here’s a practice court with Tomas Kamke…you can literally go SIT on the court and watch him practice.  Later on a doubles match with Shahar Peer, Duchevina, Voskobieva and Rodionova.  I’m star struck.  Completely and utterly starstruck…and I haven’t even watched the match I came in for yet!!  But now it is getting to that time so I head in to Center Court to take my seat.  I get there and realize that the best seats you can buy are quite incredible…but still quite a difference between these and the matches I was just watching from the baseline.  These matches were fun to watch, but I actually think I prefer just wandering around being so close to the players and watching the doubles from so close.  Roddick comes out in a BAD mood.  He is pouting at everything.  He HATES the asian crowd.  He is yelling at them and pouting and putting his hands on his hips at every opportunity.  I think maybe if he wasn’t in such a foul mood he might play a little better.  At any rate…he is angry, and upset and loses the match in two sets.  It was still incredible to watch as these men both CRUSH the ball.  

Next up, Petra Kvitova.  Most of the crowd has left.  Even though Andy HATED them…all the Chinese LOVE Andy.  Nobody here really knew Petra…so they left.  Kvitova comes out playing her typical brand of tennis…crushing the ball.  It is truly a thing of beauty to see her play this type of game.  Anyone who isn’t a fan of hers should definitely check her game out.  But, when her game is off…it is off.  She is making too many unforced errors and loses the first set in a tiebreak to Arvidsson.  Sofia isn’t doing anything special…but she is making Petra play…and Petra is making too many errors.  She comes back and wins the second set…but alas, the errors get the better of her and she is upset too!  A night of upsets.  

(Above:  One of the women's doubles matches I watched...with Shahar Peer)

After the match I head out and try to get a taxi back.  Ugh.  This was not an easy procedure…but I eventually managed to get home o.k.  What an incredible day.  I can’t believe I just had this opportunity…and took it!  I decided to go back on Wednesday for the day session and just wander around and watch matches all day.  I can’t wait.

Zaijian,

Gary

(Learn Chinese:  EE Won Mei Fan-One bowl of rice…very useful at restaurants :-)