Sofie @ Nike Event

8/26/2010Rafaholics

Rafa's backside was my view the whole time basically.. boohoo poor me ;D

I uploaded 3 albums HERE HERE & HERE I also havent finished uploaded from my better camera just yet.. so I'll update later on..

My time at the Nike Event.

First off, the place was set up amazing right on the pier & I had no idea pier54 was that huge! As soon as you walk in there were food vendors & you can buy t-shirts
& they had a complete lineup of all the Nike endorsed players' kits. The place was huge! & packed with people. I got lucky again, nO tickets & was able to get inside the
event with my daughter they gave us individual wristbands to show our age groups & that determined where we sat. She had a white wristband so we sat right smack in the middle
of the bleechers. Right underneath the biggest billboard & kept thinking i hope that thign doesnt fall. It was beautiful.. with Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams & Maria Sharapova images!

The crowd & atmosphere was fun, electric & smiles all around. The event was for the inner city kids & there were many tennis foundations there. Which was why the whole event took place.
Sitting there while the host was introducing all the individual groups, out on the side was a pathway leading towards behind the bleechers where I was sitting, behind the big billboard were tents, &
trailers for the stars. I look & Rafa strolls pass us with Uncle Toni & Carlos Costa. OMG!!! everyone goes bananas!! People get out of their seats & run towards the back to see Rafa.

He gets out of the golf cart & waves while he goes straight into the "Green Room" Tent. Wow! A few moments later Roger Federer strolls by then Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova & Serena Williams.

All very beautiful looking people, I must say Serena is a knockout in person! & Maria Sharapova looks like an Angel! no lie.

Well then around 8:15 I think they started to introduce first John McEnroe, then Serena Came out cause she was hosting/commentating with John McEnroe, being that she isn't competing she had a huge cast like brace on her leg from her foot to her knee. Then Rafael Nadal gets introduced & the whole arena goes into a frenzy!! The video I took of that was a bit blurry & shaky being that I was trying to look at Rafa not through my camera display but by eye & I wasn't really focused on the camera. Sorry!

Rafa played with Bar Rafaeli which is a swimsuit model & she is the girlfriend of Leonardo DiCaprio. They played against Victoria Azarenka & some unknown guy that I swear I have no idea who he is. They played & laughs all around. I really love to see Rafa in these kind of events because he is totally at ease, laughing & not really focused & intense, while you see him training or even on court in a match. I love these events for that reason!

After Rafa's time was over Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Bradley Cooper (actor from the hangover) & a kid from one of the inner city groups was there & he played doubles with Roger! He hugged Roger, Maria, Bradley, John, & Serena when he came out was very funny...

He kid played a point or two & then he was off & Johnny Mac took his place while they were playing I look towards my left & I see Rafa in the crowd, by the entrance & he was watching Rog & the rest play was very cute..I have a video of that as well..

Overall they must of been on court between all of them about 20-30 minutes, it went by very quick & it doesn't really give you much time to take pics & videos the way you want to & also to take in your surroundings.

This time around the event really rocked I loved the atmosphere although last year I got way closer to Rafa & got his autograph this year was really nice. Again very lucky to have gotten seats being that there were so many people shut out.

I walked out towards the outside entrance & waited perhaps Rafa would sign some autographs but when his time came to leave which I videoed he really couldn't stop the golf cart to sign so.. I saw Uncle Toni & I freaked ..& in the video you can totally see him make a face at me.. which was too cool!

Regardless, of me not being able to get "closer" to Rafa, it was a cool event & you just had to be there to see & feel it properly..Now onto the US Open, i hope I get lucky there overall i would be happy with one practice session something I haven't been able to see him do.. And the USOPEN it's pretty tricky on actually getting to see him being the security there is way more tighter there than any other tournament so I heard.

Videos:
Rafa's entrance .. (bit shaky & blurry sorry)