OUR LIFE AS MADRID'S VOLUNTEERS!
by LZ and Anke
We spent ten wonderful days with Rafa, between trainings, giving autographs, press conferences, matches and all the rest, we had the best time of our life here.
FRIDAY 12 October 07
We arrived at the Rockodomo to get our credentials and our uniforms. How exciting !!! Rafa was already in Madrid since Wednesday and we could watch his first training session... How good to see him smile on court again.
SATURDAY 13 October
First contact between Rafa and his public. The crowd was crazy ! Their hero was back in town...
SUNDAY 14 October
We all stopped breathing during the draws ceremony on the Center court. Rafa was the last one to know who he was supposed to face in the next round. The "Terracotta warriors" of the three first players qualified for the Shanghai Masters (Rogelio, Rafa & Nole) were on court.
MONDAY 15 October
We caught Toni coming out with the two Rafas (Nadal and Maimo!) at the players' entrance. We delivered him a bottle of wine in the name of the Vamos Brigade. He thanked us and remembered our Stuttgart gift this summer. We asked him if we could take a picture with Rafa. He came out of the car for a short photocall with us...
TUESDAY 16 October
For the first time, a doubles match took place on the center court. Guess who it was? Rafa and Feli! They lost but played a funny match and we all enjoyed it.
We had the chance to watch the "L'Oreal" press conference for the new advertising campaign with Rafa. His new ad' is really funny... "Because I'm worth it"!
WEDNESDAY 17 October
Rafa's first singles match after being away from court for over one month, was expected. He did his best to beat Baghdatis and we all crossed our fingers for the next round.
THURSDAY 18 October
Good old Rafa was back. The match vs Murray was rafamazing. All his great shots were there and the public was overexcited, cheering like crazy...
FRIDAY 19 October
Like Rafa said himself, his match vs Nalby was the worst he ever played in his whole life and he had no excuses for that. You could feel his sadness after the match. It was simply not his day... Whatever, the way he accepted the defeat was great. Let's hope some players will one day learn from his humility.
SATURDAY 20 October
Well the tournament was over for Rafa, but he's still hanging around and believe me that nobody complained....
SUNDAY 21 October
This was our last with Rafa... Strange to leave this place that became our home. Beside this, we met all the players and had the chance to access all the areas, working with the journalists and the photographs. There are so many people behind the scene who are working like crazy to make the tournament a big success... So, a big GRACIAS to all the TMS Madrid staff to make this crazy Rafa-week possible. And Vero.
FRIDAY 12 October 07
We arrived at the Rockodomo to get our credentials and our uniforms. How exciting !!! Rafa was already in Madrid since Wednesday and we could watch his first training session... How good to see him smile on court again.
SATURDAY 13 October
First contact between Rafa and his public. The crowd was crazy ! Their hero was back in town...
SUNDAY 14 October
We all stopped breathing during the draws ceremony on the Center court. Rafa was the last one to know who he was supposed to face in the next round. The "Terracotta warriors" of the three first players qualified for the Shanghai Masters (Rogelio, Rafa & Nole) were on court.
MONDAY 15 October
We caught Toni coming out with the two Rafas (Nadal and Maimo!) at the players' entrance. We delivered him a bottle of wine in the name of the Vamos Brigade. He thanked us and remembered our Stuttgart gift this summer. We asked him if we could take a picture with Rafa. He came out of the car for a short photocall with us...
TUESDAY 16 October
For the first time, a doubles match took place on the center court. Guess who it was? Rafa and Feli! They lost but played a funny match and we all enjoyed it.
We had the chance to watch the "L'Oreal" press conference for the new advertising campaign with Rafa. His new ad' is really funny... "Because I'm worth it"!
WEDNESDAY 17 October
Rafa's first singles match after being away from court for over one month, was expected. He did his best to beat Baghdatis and we all crossed our fingers for the next round.
THURSDAY 18 October
Good old Rafa was back. The match vs Murray was rafamazing. All his great shots were there and the public was overexcited, cheering like crazy...
FRIDAY 19 October
Like Rafa said himself, his match vs Nalby was the worst he ever played in his whole life and he had no excuses for that. You could feel his sadness after the match. It was simply not his day... Whatever, the way he accepted the defeat was great. Let's hope some players will one day learn from his humility.
SATURDAY 20 October
Well the tournament was over for Rafa, but he's still hanging around and believe me that nobody complained....
SUNDAY 21 October
This was our last with Rafa... Strange to leave this place that became our home. Beside this, we met all the players and had the chance to access all the areas, working with the journalists and the photographs. There are so many people behind the scene who are working like crazy to make the tournament a big success... So, a big GRACIAS to all the TMS Madrid staff to make this crazy Rafa-week possible. And Vero.