Week forty-seven

From playing amateur ping-pong to watching the world's greatest tennis player.  This week I had the privilege of watching a professional tennis match for the very first time in person.  I can't quite believe it really - I've always absolutely loved tennis and watch Wimbledon every year on the box, but have somehow been rather unlucky with seeing any of it live.  I did get to sit on court 1 about 15 years ago with a school trip, but the entire day was rained off.  Good old English predictability.  Then, 2 years ago I turned up on the day and even though I had a brilliant time, I still didn't get on a court.

Then, this year my darling Dad was turning 80 and I knew I had to get him something really special so, as he, too is a big tennis fan, I bought us tickets to the final of the ATP World Tour at The O2.  This is the end of the season spectacular with the top 8 players, so you are guaranteed to see some fantastic tennis.

Even though one should always be routing for their own, I was secretly hoping to see Federer and Nadal play, probably because over the last few years they are the ones that have upped the game so considerably, play so magnificently and generally make tennis an utter joy to watch.  As it turned out, Andy Murray dropped out, due to injury so I didn't have to feel so guilty.

It became clear early on in the week that Nadal was not going to make my fantasy final as he'd been unwell, but Federer was looking unstoppable.  However, I was not disappointed with his opponent for the final; the Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and I was prepared for an afternoon of gasps, whoops and cheers.

We arrived to find that we had pretty much the best seats in the house, right in the middle of the net and a few rows up so that we had a good overview of everything going on.  To be honest, its a good thing because one thing you don't encounter while watching tennis on television is how much your head moves and how much your eyes dart around.  Half way through my brain started to hurt.

But, before we get into all that, let me tell you from the beginning.  First of all, the setup in the arena is fabulous.  There was a ginormous cube of screens hanging form the ceiling that had the scores on, plus replays and tennis information throughout the breaks.  It meant even the people sitting up in the rafters could see what was going on.  Then, there was this crazy moving camera on wires that somehow swooped around the entire arena for people to wave and show off banners on the screens.

Soon enough the screens were showing Tsonga and Federer walking from behind the scenes and along the tunnels and within seconds they emerged into the arena to frenzied cheering and applause.  I have to admit I felt just a little lump in my throat seeing Roger walk along the court, looking as stoic and composed as he always does.  Tsonga, on the other hand, projected an air of determination and courage.

After the official coin toss the warm up began and already I was feeling the atmosphere.  But its weird.....like, what you're seeing there isn't real somehow, or that what you'd be watching on the TV is different - its hard to explain. But, then as soon as the match started, that feeling dissipated pretty quickly and I became embroiled in the tension and really started feeling every point. 

It helps that ATP has set the tournament up so well so that you feel involved throughout.   Since the tennis body brought in the challenging system for players, where they can see replays of exactly where the ball has landed, it has been customary for a while that audience members all join in with a slow to fast clap just before seeing the location of the ball.  At ATP, every time that happened the sound of a heartbeat sounded throughout the arena and an animation of a hearbeat monitor ran throughout the banner screens.  As well as that, every time an ace was played, "ACE" would show up on the screens along with a loud whoosing sound.

I can't possibly review the actual match as a tennis journalist would - all I was seeing was how utterly wondrous each shot, rally and point was.  It was just spectacular.  Federer is just ridiculous, like a machine - he doesn't sweat and remains apparently, completely emotionless throughout.  The one thing I noticed is that he rarely misses the baseline - his accuracy is astounding, whereas Tsonga often hit his shots long.  The funny thing is, they were both excellent at calling challenges.  They always seemed to know if a ball had been called wrongly.

Federer won the first set with ease after Tsonga lost a break in serve and it looked like he was going to win the match with a championship point in the second but Tsonga powered through with utter fearlessness and went on to win the second set.  I was so pleased as you sort of feel cheated when the match is only best of 3, instead of the 5 like in Grand Slams.  Tsonga winning the second set was met with pure rapturous joy.  That's the thing about watching great tennis players - you may want someone to win but you don't want anyone to loose, not when each opponent plays so incredibly.

Tsonga really stepped it up in the third set and the two of them played some incredible rallies that instigated all of my gasps, whoops and cheers.  The atmosphere is just so intense when you're there, you almost feel like your family to the players - you get so connected.  The third and final set was great but Roger did just outshine Tsonga.  Something about him is just so smooth and poetic - he doesn't seem to move that much on court, whereas he makes his opponents stretch to every last corner.   In the end, Roger Federer won his 70th title in his 100th final, so it was a fairly epic and deserved win.....but I was still sad that Tsonga had to loose.

What an awesome day and what a great birthday present for my Dad - he loved it.  If you are a tennis fan, you need to go to ATP.  Its so accessible, so well organised and hello?...you are guaranteed to see at least two of the world's best tennis players ever.  The dates for 2012 are already set and you can get tickets here.

This week I'm going to one of the first ever underground supperclubs, The Pale Blue Door.  Its not new but I've given in to the reviews of fun, frolics and transvestites.......