USO: Primetime Knockout report

Every year I try to prepare myself for two weeks of sleep deprivation during the US Open, but I always forget to account for the events even before the tournament. Last night marked my earliest start of the US Open.

About a week and a half ago I noticed a Nike viral campaign for the Primetime Knockout. To try and get tickets, I made my way to Niketown last Friday and Sunday, encouraging my friends and boyfriend to do the same. After trudging

26 Aug 2010 | by SapphireSwell | 9 Comments

Cincy wrap-up

A few final thoughts while I’m hanging around town before my 8pm flight (note to self: double check the am/pm thing before booking next time) that’s now turned into a 10pm flight. It was a fun, but hot week. I’m glad I made it here before the tournament doubles in size next year to have both men and women. Right now, the grounds are very manageable even for me…not too sure about next year. I got to meet up with some great fellow Rafa fans…and even met a nice non-Rafa fan or two as well. Special shout-outs to @ally_richardson, @shelleyellie,

24 Aug 2010 | by miri | 9 Comments

Cincy day five

Sorry for the delay – I’ve been slacking. So, Friday….

I needed a break from the sun, so I planned on watching most of the matches in air-conditioned comfort. Shelley suggested we meet at her hotel at noon because they usually had the matches on TV and we could watch and have lunch. She wanted to watch through the first set of the Murray match and then go to the tournament site to see the Djokovic match. Okay! I get over there, we order, start munching and watching. Tipsarevic was hanging around at a table near-by. People would stop by and

22 Aug 2010 | by miri | 42 Comments

Cincy day four

I think I know what it feels like to sit in an oven now…one where the temperature is slowly raised. Oye. And, based on how warm my arms still feel hours later, I’m working on a good sunburn despite having almost finished off my tube of sunscreen. After yesterday’s stupidness, I once again promised myself I wouldn’t over-do it. I brought an extra bag with me full of borrowed hotel towels and ice. I’m very glad I did so. I also bought some sort of rubbery cooling mat/towel thingie. You soak it in cool water and put it on and

20 Aug 2010 | by miri | 32 Comments

Cincy day three

Let’s get as much of my kvetching out of the way as possible. Today? Was tough. First, it was made tougher by the fact that yesterday’s stupid standing session really mucked up my hip. There were times when the I couldn’t put any weight on it today without intense pain. I have no one to blame for that one but myself. (Well, I could say the same about the whole trip…) (Stop waggling your finger at me, natch!) But mainly, it was hot today. It wasn’t so much the actual heat as it was sitting in a concrete bowl, on

18 Aug 2010 | by miri | 52 Comments

Cincy day two

First – I’m tired. I’m so freaking tired I might fall asleep while typing this. So, if it ends abruptly, you know why…

Practice schedule had Rafa at court 7 at 11am. Having learned my lesson from yesterday, I got there at 9am and took one of the last open places on the fence – yes, there were already that many people there. During the 2 hours standing there waiting for Rafa to practice, I met some new besties. Rafa crowds seem to be pretty fun and friendly.

Rafa showed up about 10-15 minutes late (well, d’uh). They golf-carted him in

17 Aug 2010 | by miri | 36 Comments

Cincy day one

Not really a whole lot to say about today, but I will any way. AllyR drove me over to the site today (she has a princess parking pass) and we settled in at the umbrella-covered tables next to Rafa’s practice courts. Sadly, they were the second row of tables and this would eventually prove to be fatal. We should have gotten there about 5-10 minutes earlier. Oh well. AllyR held down the fort while I explored a bit – checking out all the practice courts and then getting some water.

The area filled up and once Rafa arrived, people

16 Aug 2010 | by miri | 49 Comments

RC: Practice vids

From Open Court (thanks, johanne):

Rafa looked a little rusty, got aggravated with himself some. Uncle Tony won’t be there until the U.S. Open, so it was stand-in coach Francisco Roig.

The Djoker was still doing the Kleenex thing, these allergies that have been getting to him. But he was by far the sharper of the two.

Rafole footie tennis (with annoyingly placed security guard):

Posted by lenntran.

Short one:

7 Aug 2010 | by miri | 6 Comments

Wimbly: Fan practice vids

Rafa practicing, smooching and then dealing with loud, squealing fans:

Posted by tennisnetde.

29 Jun 2010 | by miri | 22 Comments

Wimbly: Girls’ weekend out [Updated again]

Us girls need to treat ourselves once in a while, don’t we? And as its the British summertime, a fabulous exhibition is on at the Victoria & Albert museum of Grace Kelly’s clothes, shoes, handbags and hats, Sex and the City 2 is out and Rafa is in town … what place better to go than London town? So I headed south and Rafan headed ever so slightly north and we met for our girlie weekend.

Friday was taken up with said exhibition

20 Jun 2010 | by Wooffie | 55 Comments