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 THE LAST DAY…“Let’s play squash” Woken up at 6am by the loud television of my neighbours. Charming. This is the first day where I could actually spend some time near the pool or at the beach. And of course, it’s grey, it’s windy, it’s cold. Typical. Start working on the reports at 6.45. Hard to write about a classic. How do you describe magic. Start again from scratch three times… Then Peter’s defeat. Another one hard to put on paper… And then, let’s do it all in French… Breakfast at 11.00. Then decide to go and take some pictures of the hotel surroundings. Nice walk to the beach. Windy, not too warm, not raining. Nice walk. Lots of nice pictures. What a place… |
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Back to the hotel. A drink
with the man that Robert Edwards counts as one of the three men he trusts
with his life, Jack Herrick, and PSA boss Gawain Briars. Back to the room, it’s now 3.15. Karen will pick me up to take me to the venue at 3.30. Arriving at the venue about an hour before the start to avoid any stress. Yeah right. Wireless internet down. Not good. Thank God, the IT man is on his way. Back on air three minutes before the start of play. Thank you Dave… |
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Pfuit! Taking photos of all the people I like, the people I love. Catching the moment. Catching the magic. Looking at Thierry playing with Jade. Peter relaxing before his match (he looked more like sleeping to me than relaxing, but what do I know), the Aussies chatting, Horizon working hard as usual, the Town Crier and Robert getting dressed, well in the case of Robert, undressed would be more appropriate… Ross and his team… The English clan… So many people, so many smiles, so many stories… The food is so good, in abundance, and so well presented. Love that butter sculpture… Amazing. |
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And here we go. Robert steps
on court… ‘If you have it, flaunt it” he announced boldly in his shorts… Good moment… Shelley Kitchen, all the way from Texas. She plays with several girls. They are having the time of their life. Priceless… The doubles was so good, so up tempo, so in the mood of the evening. “I lost on purpose yesterday just to be ready for this match. Thierry took even more time to get rested. We are ready…” The guys having a real ball, playing like kids, Anthony trying to get Thierry’s tracksuit down while playing, then Robert asking Charles the cameraman to get INSIDE the court to film the guys. Scary. |
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The Town Crier. Perfect
voice. Perfect stature. What a presence. Lot of humour. Gave the right
tone to the evening. “God bless the Sponsors, the Bermudian Squash Racquet Association, and God bless the Queen,” he finished his speech with. Walk back in time… The warriors and their amazing costumes, musicians, young kids, great dancers, haunting music. Pure magic… The kids are watching. The sponsors present. The crowd clapping, boiling, roaring and raising as one as the Players came in. The gladiators were ready. Let’s play squash. |
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