March 17, 2009

First of all, yes, I know that this is the official St. Patrick’s Day, but everyone was celebrating on Sat. the 14th. So I just went with the flow.

9:45 AM
First thing I see when I arrive on the site is a shirtless Tommy Haas on the practice … very nice way to start the morning.

10:30 AM
I’ve shot Tommy, and Fernando Verdasco... also shirtless … but I don’t want to put you guys on topless overload so I’m only putting up a photo of Tommy, you’ll have to use your imagination for Fernando.

12:30 PM
I’m heading over to court 6 for the Brits against the Brazilians in doubles. That would be Andy Murray and Ross Hutchins, against Marcelo Melo, and Andre Sa. The court is already packed to capacity. There are no designated seats for media on this court and getting a seat was a nightmare. I hate shooting doubles, but I really need this match for an agency that I’m working with in London. I finally work out a place to shoot from in the box reserved for the scorekeeper. It’s good to have friends because photographers are not really supposed to be there, but there is not a seat to be had. Why are all these people watching doubles? Are they here for Murray? I’m sure they’ve never heard of Hutchins, and although the Sa and Melo are popular I’m not hearing any drumming so there are probably not a lot of Brazilians here. The Brits win pretty easily, 6-1, 6-3. Too bad for Sa and Melo, they’re really nice guys and a good team but Murray and Hutchins were too good today.

2:20 PM
TWO TWENTY!! Where has the day gone? Dinara Safina is on stadium one and her brother Marat is on stadium Quite a change up... it wasn’t too long ago, that Marat would have been on Stadium 1. I figure that Dinara will finish first so I start on her court. The stands are so empty it’s nearly impossible to get a photo not showing empty seats... which of course the tournament hates. I stay for 3 games... thats all I can take... and make for stadium two. Very interesting. The Safin /Isner match is packed. Of course everyone loves Marat, and Isner is the young American hopeful, so there are a lot of fans. Big John is serving up 139 MPH aces again, and Marat is being … well, Marat.

Isner has an odd habit of carrying his towel in his mouth when

they change ends. The woman next to me notices and comments that they have a security guard stand next to Safin when the players are changing ends, but not for Isner. Maybe they feel the Isner is big enough to protect himself. Or maybe the security guard is needed in case the mad Russian goes mad. It’s over... Isner wins 6-4, 6-4, and Marat leaves Indian Wells for the last time. He plans to retire at the end of the year, and we all will definitely miss him.


4:15PM
Next up on Stadium One is Nadal and Tursunov. I know and like Dmitry .. but I don’t feel like walking all the way down to the court to shoot this match. It’s hot, hot, hot, down there today, and I know I’m going to get another shot at Rafa in his next match. I know that doesn’t sound like I have a lot of confidence in Tursunov .. but the truth is,
in this situation .. I don’t.

11:44PM
OH MY WORD .. I’m still here, I’m watching them wash the courts on TV!! Very interesting. Ivanovic and Pennetta are still playing. Who invented this sport with endless matches? Ivanovic is up 5-4 in the third, but they keep going deuce ad, deuce ad .. Ok Ivanovic has an ad let’s see if she can close it out. No.. she nets a forehand and Pennetta is serving at deuce again. Uh Oh.. Ivanovic has another ad .. Pennetta netted a ground stroke and Ana is dancing around so it must be over.
That’s it for today. More to come tomorrow