Chennai swept by the Nadallion effect

Chennai Open 2007 is here, and what a first day it was! As soon as I reached there, my friend and I made it to the practice courts hoping to catch Nadal practising there. Of course, we couldn't find him there. But there was a qualifying match going on, with a couple of players watching it by the sidelines. I couldn't recognize who he was. Well, he looked like he was David Beckham; and only later realized that Beckham plays an altogether different sport.

Back in the center court, a felicitation of sorts was made to the top three guys, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Moya and David Nalbandian. Wonder, where Srichapan went missing..Oh, how Moya and Nadal got into talking with each other, and Nalbandian was merely watching them talk. Compatriots, see...

The first match was between two Indians, Ashutosh Singh and Vishal Uppal against two Europeans..I guess one of those guys was the one I saw back there; the one who resembled Beckham. Hmmm..the guys I rooted for lost. But, the crowd wasn't disheartened. They were infact angry for the fight the guys were putting up, thus delaying the Hero to come over.

Finally the crowd let themselves to be swept by the Nadallion effect. He along with Vidal (Nadal-Vidal, nice combo :).. )played quite well against the defending champs. Oh god! Now I realize why he is World No. 2..He is so energetic with a frenetic pace..You should be there to actually realize that..The defending champs got no chance at all..

The next match was again with an Indian. A popular one now..Prakash Amritraj. But my friend and I decided that it was better if we got to the VIP exit, so that we can catch Nadal on the way out. In fact, atleast a hundred others too thought the same way, and wow, what a crowd it was..We all missed Srichapan, who casually got into the entrance, even as we were all waiting for Nadal. Too late to realize that, and he was already in..

Nadal never came..It was over 45 minutes that we waited there. Heard that he left through another exit, but kept standing for some more time guessing if that was simply a prank to get the crowds off. But he never came till the end.

But, anyway..Got to see four greats..Nadal, Moya, Nalbandian and Srichapan out there..That's enough!!!