Federer's South American tour

Hi,

Just thought I would let everyone know that all the exhibition matches will be broadcast on youtube from Federer's official channel.

https://www.youtube.com/RogerFederer

Full schedule

Sao Paulo December 6 @ Not Before 9:30pm LOCAL TIME (GMT 2330) vs Thomaz Bellucci
Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=revcnhT9kFM

Sao Paulo December 8 @ Not Before 9:30pm LOCAL TIME (GMT 2330) vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3QhjP610rY

Sao Paulo December 9 @ 6:00pm LOCAL TIME (GMT 2000) vs Tommy Haas
Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxWQnDvReBw&feature=plcp

Buenos Aires December 12 @ 8:30pm LOCAL TIME (GMT 2330) vs Juan Martin Del Potro
Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUJFEdS_1us&feature=plcp

Buenos Aires December 13 @ 8:30pm LOCAL TIME (GMT 2330) vs Juan Martin Del Potro
Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI-LGmorTXU&feature=plcp

Bogota December 15 @ 6:00pm LOCAL TIME (GMT 2300) vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLH6MS9lmyE&feature=plcp

Thanks for the link murrayfan - it's great the matches are being shown on the RF you tube channel. Love watching Bellucci play too, but don't have the energy to stay up and watch it live - think I'll dip in tomorrow.

You're welcome .

Yes it is a bit late but I think I may watch a little bit before going to bed.

I am most looking forward to the Federer matches against Del potro and Haas as they are some of my favourite players.

Certainly have some very interesting matches lined up for the South American crowds. Should be a real treat.

Thanks for the links MF

Belucci!

Did anyone watch?

I find it very disappointing that Bellucci hasn't done better - he is a fabulous player at times.

Ah, so that's why the players have been voting for a longer off season.

A host of young kids from a deprived area of Sao Paulo were challenged to return a Federer serve.

One of them actually managed to do so, and as a result tour sponsors Gillette will now provide a new tennis court + equipment for the community

The caravan moves on to Argentina .......

lags72 wrote:A host of young kids from a deprived area of Sao Paulo were challenged to return a Federer serve.

One of them actually managed to do so, and as a result tour sponsors Gillette will now provide a new tennis court + equipment for the community

The caravan moves on to Argentina .......

I'm looking forward to the Nadal tour, where a bunch of kids are challenged to rally for 50 strokes while standing in the ad court hitting backhands at 9 ft high.

bogbrush wrote:

lags72 wrote:A host of young kids from a deprived area of Sao Paulo were challenged to return a Federer serve.

One of them actually managed to do so, and as a result tour sponsors Gillette will now provide a new tennis court + equipment for the community

The caravan moves on to Argentina .......

I'm looking forward to the Nadal tour, where a bunch of kids are challenged to rally for 50 strokes while standing in the ad court hitting backhands at 9 ft high.

Free live feed currently available on youtube for Federer v Del Potro, just about to begin.

Considering it's just an exho, the crowd in Buenos Aires looks huge ....

Wow the Argentinians are making such a huge deal of this.

All their greatest sports stars sending messages to Roger including Diego who gave an incredible tribute.

The crowd is huge.

I'd love to watch this just for the atmosphere but this intro is taking forever and I have emancipator duties to attend to in the morning.



emancipator

This is taking too long I think I might have to go to bed as well.

Oh well I will catch the replay tomorrow..

Yep, taking far too long. Either this is normal in BA or something's up with one of the players.

Meanwhile we've just been treated to a selection of Lionel Messi highlights .....

They were playing Human or Dancer.. how appropriate

Amazing atmosphere, like a football match

Ok this is getting ridiculous.. now they've got an old crooner on.

This has reached truly bizarre proportions.

I doubt they could make more fuss if they had been staging the Olympic Games.

And not a ball has yet been struck ...........

now looking as if they might actually get to play a bit of tennis ......

The massive crowd has been amazingly patient.

Roger has way more fans than DP

OMG the noise is crazy when Roger wins a point. DP must be thinking what the hell's going on here?

Haha they're playing human or dancer again

Fast court.. some lovely tennis.

Yes, noticeably more enthusiasm for Federer than their own man - even in a city he's never (?) played in before.

I've heard it said that Delpo enjoys rather less acclaim in his home country than you might expect him to. A sort of Argentinian version of Lleyton Hewitt when it comes to patriotic support perhaps .....

Sabbatini still looks stunning

Delpo looks really serious.. he needs to lighten up a bit, maybe the crowd support has upset him.

Nice to see a fast court.

In fact so far they both look to be playing seriously, although Delpo does need to relax a bit mood-wise maybe ....

Not sure I can stay up for all of this if it goes to 3

Must be a pretty warm & humid night in Buenos Aires - even Federer is developing something of a sweat ....

Sabbatini as a 60 yr will probably still look stunning!

I'm sure she will

But I cannot deny that my former lust for the young Gaby faded dramatically when stories surfaced that she is allegedly a friend of Dorothy's, and that this was a factor in her retirement.

I've lost track over the years ....was it actually confirmed by Gaby herself ...?

lags72 wrote:I'm sure she will

But I cannot deny that my former lust for the young Gaby faded dramatically when stories surfaced that she is allegedly a friend of Dorothy's, and that this was a factor in her retirement.

I've lost track over the years ....was it actually confirmed by Gaby herself ...?

I thought that was just guys?

I don't understand bb.... you thought what was just guys ... ??

That would be a sad loss had Gaby gone over to the dark side...

Way off topic but ..... still on Sabatini .... definitive information about her personal life post-tennis is actually quite hard to come by (which is why I was careful to qualify my comments... !!) She became known almost as much for her perfume brand than her on-court career.

A fine player, ranked as high as 3, a US Open Champ and of course with looks that guaranteed considerable male attention prior to what seemed a somewhat premature retirement at just 26.

As reported at the time .......
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19961025&id=vTdOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zEoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5259,4477656

lags72 wrote:I don't understand bb.... you thought what was just guys ... ??

Friends of Dorothy. I understood that was a male reference. Gabby isn't a guy.

Well it's not my area of expertise bb, I can only say that on the odd occasions I've heard the phrase used it has definitely been in reference to the female species (hence the name 'Dorothy' ....??)

Back on topic, I was staggered (indeed somewhat perplexed) to see the level of fervour with which Federer was received in Buenos Aires - even when walking from car to stadium. Shades of Beatlemania for anyone who might remember / have seen old footage.

I doubt he would been made more welcome if he had gone for a stroll in Basel city centre whilst handing out free Lindt chocolates .....

Def a gay male ref lags - it's because Judy Garland who famously played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz is a gay icon, but not particularly a sapphic one, I don't think

Fed & Del Potro certainly isn't play them like exhos! Good tennis there.

I'd feel cheated watching a Mansoor Bahrami type joke fest, far happier to see guys showing off their real stuff.

Well timeplease .... you learn something every day, and now I know the origin of the Dorothy phrase !

(plus, don't mind admitting that I had to look up the word sapphic .... )

And what have Federer's results been on this tour..?

Won 4 lost 2, I know he lost one to Del Boy, I don't know who got the other one.

Think he lost two; one to a Brazilian in Brazil, and the other to an Argentine in Argentina (though he beat the same guy the 2nd match).

The other result is that he's probably more popular than any domestic players of those countries, judging by the fan/crowd reactions.

Belluci beat him.
I don't think Roger gives much of a sh*t anyhow.

Various press reports put Federer's pay at between $1m and $2m for each of the six exhos he played. So not a bad reward for a bit of South American relaxation + sightseeing in the off-season.

Meanwhile Djokovic was seen to be taking full advantage of er... 'facilities' provided by some very young females court-side at one of his own exhibitions. Video evidence can be seen in the link (hope Jelena wasn't watching.....)

http://www.examiner.com/article/exhibition-tennis-strikes-right-mix-for-fans-and-players