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Random Observations Sunday At The Sony Ericsson
6 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Yesterday I saw Tipsarevic practicing with a blond ponytailed kid around 13. The kid was amazingly able to hit with Tipsy and also hit winners too. Nobody could tell if it was a boy or a girl. The kid also had earrings, was wearing a black Prince shirt, gray Nike shorts, Adidas shoes and Babolat racquet. Everyone, about 30 people were mesmerized seeing this kid. Tips gave some instructions, and one time when the kid hit a winner, Tips turned his back and took a break, making the kid wait, almost like a psyche move.
Then they took a break at the chairs and Tips and his team were talking to the kid who was shy and softspoken. Tips couldn’t take his eyes off the kid, he looked at the kid with a curiosity and wonder almost awe, and was asking the kid questions which I couldn’t totally hear, but one was how long have you been here. Boy I’ll tell you this kid was something, I will try to get the name of the kid and post it here later. Beautiful movement, soft feet, nice form, great hands, handling the power of Tips who beat Dolgo today in three sets.
By the way, I sat behind Dolgo’s coach Jack Reader, when Dolgo won the second set with a late break, he immediately got broke to start the third and then fell behind 0-3. Jack told Dolgo from behind the baseline, Okay mate, don’t cry about it, get back on it. Because Dolgo was showing signs of irriation for missing backhands and gesturing that his strings were faulty or something. Then when it was 5-1, Jack cracked, Okay mate you gave him a fair head start. Jack Reader is a funny guy. But Tips was the better man today.
Watched some of Dimitrov-Berdych in the first set. Great set by Dimitrov. Grigor is a marvel and he’s also unique at his chair. He actually folded his used towel and placed it neatly beside his bench. I have never seen a player fold a used towel.
Saw Almagro walking briskly back to the locker room after a practice, he was run down by a kid and stopped to give him a signature.
I can’t believe how many of those blue RF hats are being worn by fans. It’s almost as many as seeing Yankee caps at Yankee Stadium.
Raonic has pulled out vs. Murray. Darn, this was going to be the match of the day on grandstand. Said Raonic: “Yesterday at the end of practice, we finished doing an hour-long practice and I was just moving back and I rolled over my ankle and ended up spraining it.”
“Yesterday in the doubles it wasn’t getting better and then this morning it was a bit painful on pretty much every movment. And playing the caliber of player I’d be up against, to play 40% really didn’t make much sense.”
Raonic said he will go home to Canada for a few days, and his next event will be Monte Carlo.
Photo by Andy Kentla.
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Dan Markowitz · March 25, 2012 at 8:51 pm
Wow, Raonic better watch it else he’ll be the Greg Oden of tennis.
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Let’s hope not Dan, he is a gem of a player. Tennis needs ambassadors like him.
Scoop Malinowski · March 26, 2012 at 1:00 am
Just walking back to media center after dinner and crowd is exiting and milling around after Nadal closed out Stepanek 62 62 and on one of the verandas the fans could see Azarenka in pink hoodie and white sweatpants, and earphones, standing there dancing softly, and let me say she is a mighty talented dancer. She was warming up for match with Heather Watson, she has kind of a boxer persona before a fight in the dressing room. It was an awesome sight to see.
Scoop Malinowski · March 26, 2012 at 1:24 am
Also at Tips vs. the kid practice yesterday, Florian Mayer was on the next court, Tips looked over at the German for a few seconds and then turned around to his team in the corner of the court and smilingly imitated Mayer’s vertical downward chop volley a few times. Mayer’s unique technique amused Tips. Speaking of Germans I saw Rainer Schuetter walking and multitasking on a footpath towards the grandstand, texting while walking.
Scoop Malinowski · March 26, 2012 at 1:29 am
Also, the Japanese media reporter Naomi seated next to me said Kei Nishikori’s clothing sponsor Uni Qlo has become very popular in Japan since associating with Kei. Their prices used to be very affordable and now Kei has popularized them. The company has been around for years and Kei is their only celebrity sports endorsee. Kei still wears adidas shoes. Also she told me she thinks Nadal and Federer are equally popular in Japan, Federer last played in Japan four or five years ago and Nadal has closed the pop gap by playing Japan the last two years.
venus w · March 28, 2012 at 1:06 am
So who was that kid with tipsy?