Double Fault at Roland Garros
Page 25
Ambre and Carlos arrived in Melbourne Sunday Evening after the short flight from Sydney. By 7 PM they had checked into the Holiday Inn. Ambre’s first match was Tuesday morning against a young Australian player that was given a wild card into the main draw. Carlos was originally scheduled to play Monday but his match was rescheduled for Tuesday, a courtesy given to players that reach the singles or doubles finals of the preceding week’s tournament.
“Let’s get something to eat and see a little bit of the town,” Carlos suggested as he unpacked. “Some of the guys suggested a few places. Are you up to it?”
“Give me 15 minutes and tell me what to wear,” Ambre answered as she headed for the bathroom. “Just so it’s not too late. I need to practice tomorrow and get used to these courts. I heard the courts are really slow.”
An hour later they were seated at an outside table at the Brunswick Street Fitzroy. It was people watching at its best. “This is almost as good as Miami’s South Beach.” Ambre whispered as a hippy couple walked by holding hands and sporting earrings in places that made eating and smelling a challenge. Moments later a middle age couple strolled by arm-in-arm, the woman sporting diamonds and a $500 Gucci purse. “What a variety of people.”
“Hewitt said this area would give us a feel of what Melbourne is all about. Let’s get a salad or something and get out of here. There are a couple other places he suggested we try.”
“This is Highlander Lane,” the cab driver commented as they drove down the tree-lined street in the middle of Melbourne. It was like an oasis in the middle of the city, an ideal off-the-beaten-path spot for a private club. “This is it, Eleven A,” the cab driver said as he stopped in front of the brick building fronted by a purple canopy. “It’s quiet now, but in a couple hours it will be slammed.”
“Just an hour and then we need to get back,” Ambre warned as they walked into the purple shaded club. The “Eleven-A” features a large bar and dance floor. The four-piece band offered funky, electro house dance music. Carlos and Ambre were not big drinkers so they spent most of the time on the dance floor, and it was well after midnight before they got back to the hotel, and after two before Carlos said enough and they fell asleep naked and intertwined. Ambre was insatiable, Carlos thought as he fell asleep happy, but totally exhausted.
Sunday both players were still alive, and looking forward to week two of the season’s first grand slam tournament. Carlos had survived three tough matches including a five-setter with Andy Roddick, the number three seed. Ambre had a much easier time as she breezed through her matches without losing a set. They were in the round-of-sixteen and the competition would only get tougher.
The Australian media fell in love with this young couple who had taken the tennis world by storm. They both were great interviews and made no secret about their enjoyment of each other and the Melbourne nightlife. “There will be plenty of time to sleep when we are over thirty,” Carlos was quoted, paraphrasing an old saying about the dead. Was it Abbie Hoffman or Yogi Berra?
Tabloid reporters staked out their hotel every night to see where the young couple would go, and were not disappointed. Every evening was someplace different, with the late evenings reserved for days they played and could sleep late the next morning. Tuesday they celebrated their first-round win by dancing until one AM at the Melbourne Metro Nightclub. Thursday it was the Evelyn Hotel on Brunswick, a Melbourne institution where many popular bands got their start. They were seen leaving the club after 2:30 AM. Friday was a quiet evening at Dan O’Connell’s Irish Pub where they were spotted sipping Guinness and throwing darts with the regulars until midnight. “I can’t keep up,” one 30-year old reporter told his editor. Get someone else to follow them tonight; I need to get some sleep.” Saturday night they celebrated their third round wins by pub hopping in St Kilda, and dancing until two at the Esplanade Hotel, before smoking pot and making love until morning.
The next morning they missed their 10 AM practice session but managed to get court time at 3:00 PM. They were both dragging and decided to stay in and get some sleep Sunday evening. They had steaks at the hotel’s Clarendon St. Grill and were in bed by 10.
Ambre lost her first set of the tournament but eventually won 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 over Myskina. Carlos had a surprisingly easy match and won in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals. Two days later they won again and were in the semi-finals. The nightlife continued, but at a more leisurely pace. They realized the stakes were too high.
“Carlos, let’s rent a car and head for Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, I hear the view is fantastic,” Ambre said as they finished practice Thursday. “We can be back by eight or nine.” Three hours later they reached Torquay, the start of a 160-mile drive of deserted beaches, small towns and fantastic scenery. They made it as far as the Shipwreck Coast at Princeton, and its famous rock formations including the Twelve Apostles and the remains of the London Rock formation that collapsed in 1990.
“We better turn back, Ambre, if we want to get back by nine. I’m getting a little tired of all this beauty.”
“I’ve never seen a more scenic drive. The highway through the Alps along the Spanish border is breathtaking, but this is even better. This compares to Italy’s Amalfi Coast along the Mediterranean. Let’s stop at Lorne on the way back for a bite to eat.”
Friday their fabulous ride through the Australian Open came to an end. Federer easily beat Carlos in straight sets, displaying an all-court game that kept Carlos on the defense throughout the match. Federer was 22 for 27 on approaches to the net while Carlos only approached eight times, winning just five points. Ambre played a great match but Lindsey Davenport was too strong at the end. She managed to break Davenport only twice in three sets, while losing her serve five times. The final score was more than respectable, 7-5, 6-7 (4) and 6-3. The Australian crowd gave them each a huge ovation as they exited Rod Laver Stadium.
Chapter 23
Hawaii – The Hard Court Season