Canada Open 2001
Aug/1/2001
by Michelle
Hello, Girls, sorry I couldn't post yesterday...running around trying to catch a glimpse of Patrick is very exhausting....today I'm refreshed and ready to talk.....
I live in Maine in USA....so I drove to Montreal about 6 hours away....Ranji was nice enough to call us on sat. am and tell us that Patrick was practicing at 12n on court 4....so my friend and I hopped on the metro...and then we saw a sign saying that we had to catch bus 193.....well we did that but we took the bus the oposite way....for about 40 minutes....finally I asked the bus driver again...are you sure Jarry Park is this way...he said no...it's 2 stops the other way after the metro...Well now is was fuming mad....we go off the bus and went across the street to wait for the bus...or to try and flag down a cab....If I missed Patrick practicing I was not going to be a happy ..... we finally arrived at the park and ran to court 4....sure enough a big crowd....I squeezed in and was blown away...just 2 feet away...was Patrick...hitting balls with Lleyton ...a double bonus..in my book... they stopped took a break....I was so excited ...I shouted out "hello Patrick" and waived to him....he looked around the crowd and saw me waiving and waived back and said "well hello to you too".!!! anyways...back to more practing...then he did it...he took off his shirt..and started to dry himself with his towel....needless to say all of girls were speechless..... I felt bad for Lleyton...he walked off the court...with hardly a notice... My friend was taking pictures...which we pick up today..can't wait.. I was video taping the whole event and have it all on tape...Yipee!!!
well now I was mentally exhausted... and on a natural high....I called Ranji and we met...she's a great lady....she showed us all the in's and outs...and told me that Pat was practing on sunday on center court....so yipee another Patrick sighting...
we walked around and watch some of the other players practice...Lleyton again...with the kids...they got to hit balls with him....don't I wish I was a kid again...haha...
we saw Arnuad Clamaunt...he's cute too...he was practing with Fabrice Santoro....actually a quick story about that....when we arrived at our hotel...we saw Fabrice standing outside waiting for his ride...then later that night...we were in the hotel gym...swimming pool and who was there with us but Arnuad and Fabrice....very exciting... then later that night...we saw Tim Henman in the lobby...she said hello....didn't I see you today at practice??
anyways...these practice sessions are the way to go you can see and meet all the players we saw
Bjorkman, Keifer, Enqvist, Henman, Escude, Safin, Nestor, Arazi, Moya, Hrbaty, Johanson, Levy, Ilie etc... one day I was standing on the side lines...not paying attention to much..just trying to get out of the way of a golf cart coming with Tomas Enqvist in it when in bumped into some one...turned around to say sorry and it was Marat Safin... he said no problem... grabbed me and pushed me out of the way and pointed to the golf cart and said those are dangerous.....
We then watch a canadian. hockey players versus..tennis stars...that was fun... on to more practice sessions...
on sunday we saw Patrick practice on center court..then on monday I was leaving around 4pm...bummed when I saw Patricks match was at 7pm... but saw Henman play, Moya, Safin etc.. we eventually waited around to see the beginning of the match....and then drove home for 6 1/2 hours.. got home at 2am...but it was so worth it...!!!!
I'm so jealous of diane and Ranji and Phylis that are still there.... and got to see Patrick play up close on a small court.....
have a great rest of the week....girls!!!
well enough of me "babbling" on and on...I had a wonderful time.... it was amazing... can't wait to go to another tournamnet....Ranji said that next year this tournament...will be held in Toronto where she lives so I'm thinking of volunteering to drive one of the golf carts...so I can meet all the players....
thanks for listening..and have a good day....