2004 fan experiences

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Kate Flory at Queens

Well when we first arrived on the Saturday, the first thing we saw as we walked in was Todd *lol* He was looking through one of the courts to see if the match was nearly done. I unfortunately, at the shock of this, swore quite audibly, but Wendy quickly said "Good luck for later Todd" to spare my blushes again! Actually it was Todd who was embarassed this year, but more on that later!
Right so we drifted round for a bit, but not long because Todd was due to play second, so we went to his court quite soon. We watched him come on (far too early, no-one else was out, no linesman, umpire or anything! *lol*) and he walked around a bit.
Then just as he was about to start playing, Lucy came running on to tell me that lleyton was practicing on another court!
Bleeping aussies, no coordination!!!!! I had a major dilemma, to whom did I owe most allegiance????? Lleyton, or Todd???
So i decided to go with Lleyton, and hope to catch some of Todd's match later (bad choice!) so I went off to watch Lleyton, feeling very bad about leaving Todd cos everyone else was cheering on his opponent.
So we went to watch Lleyton practice with Flip (Mark Philippoussis), Me and Wendy had a chat with Lleyton's mum, who was lovely! I said, "excuse me Mrs Hewitt, but do you think lleyton will be in a rush after today's practice as I'd like a picture with him”. She laughed and acknowledged the fact that lleyton seems to always be "in a rush" (to get away from fans!) and gave us some advice on how best to cover all exits of the court. so when practice was over, i hovered trying to decide which exit lleyton was going to head for. He went for the exit to my left, so i shot off to head him off before he got into his stride. I got him as he climbed over the fence. I asked him to sign Wendy's Davis Cup book, aware that unfortuntely a few people were now running over behind me. I asked him for a picture, something i've wanted for 5 years.... huge moment for me.... and he said "no, only the book".
To say that i was gutted/crushed/devastated all rolled into one just about sum it up! Lucy had shot off to try and hook up with Andy, so I went to find her with Wendy. So i went to watch the rest of Todd. Todd won in straight sets which was fab! Cheered me up no end! We then went for lunch so that we could be back in time for Todd's second match (2 matches in one day). After lunch we tried for the best part of an hour to try and find where Todd was due to play, impossible! We asked everyone, got directed up to the balcony next to the player's lounge in the end which was fantastic! But still couldn't find out! So we went back to watch andy practice. Lucy tried to speak to him at the end, but he was mobbed, so she introduced herself to Doug Spreen, his fitness trainer and shook his hand etc. Which was great for her. Afterwards we tried AGAIN to find where todd was playing and suddenly saw his coach so we asked him. And he's like "I don't know either! He's supposed to be playing right now, but I can't find out either!" Wendy told him that we were looking cos i really liked todd etc. This was about the 50th person she'd told that day that i liked todd, getting seriously embarrassing.
But a few mins later, Todd's coach shouted to us cos he'd found where he was going to be, which was great! we sat near him, with wendy giving her view on the dubious linecalls lol. We had been going to ask Todd for a pic after the match (which he won incidentally) but we decided to wait, cos he had to play again the next day, he was seriously fed up about having to hang round all day, and had an enormous spot above his mouth so we thought we'd spare him having to have a pic taken.
So we went home for the day, feeling quite contented, but hoping that Sunday would be better, which it was!
We arrived on sunday to find that Todd's match had already started, he'd won the first set already so I hung round on the edge of the court waiting to be allowed to go on, with Wendy. So wendy led the way (mistake!) to right behind Todd's chair, on the front row, he was a few inches away! We saw his coach a few rows behind, i tried to protest and then Nev said "Stalker!" jokingly so i tried even harder after this to move back a bit, but Wendy was having none of it. She thought it was the best place to see him afterwards. We watched the second set of Todd's match but it was awful everytime he walked back to his chair because I didn't know where to look!!!! We were right there! But it was the best seat in the house when he did his shirt change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I managed to squeek out "Todd, would you mind signing this picture for me please?" and he looks up, grins, and says "Yeah, sure!" so he came over and signed the pic, leaning it on his thigh cos I stupidly had nothing to lean on. We congratulated him and he was really gracious, then i asked him for a pic and he's like "Yeah of course" (not like lleyton!!! )So he came round to the little "door" which led off the court and smiled and had a nice pic with me. Then just as I walked back to my seat having thanked him and wished him good luck for the tourny, there was a big crash! I looked round and Todd was staggering over the "door". Well you see it was a little gate type thing, but you needed to lift it up and move it round before you walked through it. Todd just tried to walk through, it didn't move and over he went. He was laughing, but quite embarassed. He was alright though and said he "thought it was a door!" *lol*.He is just the sweetest guy! Really friendly :-) Then his coach came down and we had a long chat with him about Todd and how we hoped he did well and everything. He told us that Todd's been really ill the last few weeks before the French. And then wendy told him that I have a site on Todd, and the coach grins wickedly and says "Oh, what's the name?" I nearly decked her!
So I told him how to find it, praying that he wouldn't lol! He also told us that Todd's going to Wimbledon qualies next so I know what he's doing now, which is great! We then went and had another chat with Nev, I nearly dove on him to show him the pic etc, i was too excited lol!
And as we were chatting I saw Brad Gilbert (Andy's coach) and his son Zach come out, I smiled at them and pointed them out to Lucy, cos obviously Andy should be along behind them. A few second later, he comes Andy, we all thought Lucy wasn't going to say anything, but she did, she said "Hey, Andy" and he turned round, his whole face lit up and he's like "Oh, hey hey!!! how are ya???" and he had this funny little wave thing going on *lol*. they arranged to have a chat afterwards cos he was going for his practice though.
We went to watch Andy practice and took some photos, check out andyroddick.com, my pic's on the home page, i'm dead proud of it! as Andy was getting ready to leave, lleyton came on, but i was still so hacked off with him after Saturday that i didn't want to stay and watch. So we went for lunch. After lunch Lleyton was out to practice again, but with Todd this time! i didn't really want to stand so close to watch cos i thought that Todd would think i was stalking him, so i stood a court away and watched from a distance, which was nice cos lucy wanted to watch someone Gasquet and Ancic on that court so I stood with her. As Todd and Lleyton finished Dad said, why don't you try asking lleyton again, give him a second chance. I didn't really want to but decided to give it another shot. Anyway we got lucky! We were trying to get down past the courts where we thought lleyton would be less frazzled, but as we were walking along he was right behind us, I decided not to miss my opportunity again, so doubled back and asked him.
This time he was all on his own and said "yeah sure". i was ecstatic!!! So I got the pic with him, then he shook my dad's hand and went off! He totally redeemed himself and i love him again now!!!! Lol I managed to recover in time to take a pic with Lucy and Gasquet (who's a sweet guy)and thus finished our weekend!
Thanks very much to Wendy for putting me and up, and always pushing me in the right direction where Todd was concerned! *lol*.