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It’s probably an interesting exercise to explore the parallels between the Colosseum and the Foro Italico tennis stadium - gladiators battling beneath a hot sun with crowds glorifying the victor, while the vanquished sulks off to the dungeon-like locker rooms.
There is a famous legend, which states, “If you toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain, you will return to Rome sometime in the future.” It’s one of those marketing myths that results in two million Euros per annum being thrown into the spinning waters.
If you know where you are going, the Foro Italico is approximately 3,598 steps from Piazza di Spagna, otherwise it is exactly 9,487. When you arrive, a blue-uniformed security guard named Giovanni checks your ID, scans your body a bit uncomfortably, and lets you pass onto the main walkway.
Well not quite the clouds, but a cerveza at the airport, watching the men’s final on livescore brings to mind the main takeaway from this trip – the scheduling all round was… interesting!
Ok let’s be honest it was not the final anyone expected, but that’s what happens when you have a stacked draw and a stacked schedule!
10sballs.com tasked me with covering the Rome ATP event this week. Intending to provide ample literary fodder, a funny thing happened on the way to Italy.
Not surprisingly, the big topic of conversation early this morning was the scheduling of matches on the main show court Manolo Santana at the Mutua Madrid Open.
Well now that all depends on your point of view really. In the red corner (we would say pink, but we’re not in the mood for stereotypes this evening!) we had Maria Sharapova weather a comeback from the feisty Caroline Garcia.
One of the issues that befall this chick is getting about in Spain. Staying in someone’s apartment just a few minutes’ walk away from the Caja Magica and as luck would have it, two other tennis nuts are staying at the same place.
After the loaded schedule of Sunday, it was nice to be almost able to take a breath before Madrid whips up another storm on Tuesday.
So Global Chick hits the road once more, and worked diligently on the plane to preview the week ahead in sunny Madrid. What a difference a couple of hours makes. The sun was NOT shining, and stars fell a-plenty today on ladies day at The Magic Box.
You have to marvel at the way life works out sometimes don’t you? Madison Brengle started her year in the final in Hobart against Global Chick’s very own Heather Watson, and we were (off course) rootin’ tootin’ for our Hev to prevail, which she did, and so the tennis world rolled on.
Angelique Kerber’s come back both over the past month or so has been much needed for the German.
Just 365 little days but the difference was noticeable when Simona Halep and Petra Kvitova took to the little stage in Stuttgart at this year’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
Our favorite was the famous blue clay. Well done Señor Tiriac. Maybe Sven is right clay is orange. I love watching all the clay events. Monte Carlo is my favorite backdrop.
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