Australia GP Gold 2012 - SYDNEY (yes its Sydney)

Discussion in 'Australia Open 2012' started by Yoppy, Jun 24, 2011.

  1. johnlowe88

    johnlowe88 Regular Member

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    We had lots of volunteers helping - a few early ones like myself, then more as the evening went by. I will try to take some photos - maybe a time lapse.
     
  2. Teebs

    Teebs Regular Member

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    Was a good effort, if a long one today :)
     
  3. johnlowe88

    johnlowe88 Regular Member

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    Yes, it was - wasn't it. We really need to arrange dinner for those that are working long days. It was good to meet you.

    I was able to take a number of time-lapse photos before my camera battery ran out, then swapped batteries and continued on. It seems that the first battery does not last as long as the second one - anyway, the batteries are being recharged right now.

    To update those interested, we have the courts almost ready - the posts and nets went up during the evening on all of the courts. We have some rubber on the outside end of one court that needs to be reworked - this would be done in the morning probably.

    Also we tested playing on one of the main courts - the lighting needs some getting used to and the aircon seems to have a bit of effect on the shuttle, but we'll see how the competition goes.

    -John
     
  4. Heong

    Heong Regular Member

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    I was this close to Kim Ha Na today

    She looked much skinner in-person!!!

    She was doing crunches right after on-court training. Next to her is Kang Ji Wook


    KimHaNa.jpg
     
  5. johnlowe88

    johnlowe88 Regular Member

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    Today, there was not much for us volunteers to do. Mainly there were a couple of tasks to be done, and then it was a matter of wandering around the courts - so please any BCers that see me there, please come and say hello. We had the China, Korean and Australian teams in for practice on the main courts today together with others. They will also be practicing intensely tomorrow. When we got bored with wandering around, we went to keep the practice courts warm by playing on them. The main problem we had was finding enough racquets - those that people were willing to lend us, that is. The courts have a bit of bounce in them - because the wooden panels are nailed together, they can bow a little and actually lift off the concrete so that as we jump and run on the court we can feel the court impacting onto the concrete - just makes a bit of sound and is a little disconcerting. I will bring more racquets tomorrow - but we might not have much chance of playing - but we are hopeful.

    -John

    P.S. Yes, I saw the Koreans doing their exercises - I also walked past them a number of times.
     
  6. johnlowe88

    johnlowe88 Regular Member

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    Monday - today we had little to do. Many teams arrived today for practice. I had jobs to move some advertising barriers to allow additional room, then fix some carpet tiles that were moving due to the players running on them. I put up a number of signs - in venues like this, we are often restricted from sticking any tape onto railings - so without cable ties, you have to resort to innovative taping methods such as wrapping the railing with tape adhesive side outwards, then tape the sign to the tape. The tape can be slit when it comes time on Sunday to remove the signs and leave no adhesive residue and more importantly doesn't remove any paint. We were able to have a hit quite late in the day about 8:20 PM. Also a broken Yonex Voltric 80 racquet was found discarded under the seating. This was strung with Yonex BG66 Ultimax using a single string method at quite a high tension. The string is not worn at all, but the racquet seems probably to have broken due to a clash with another racquet.
     

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  7. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

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    The racket is sponsored anyway. So, no pain. ;)

    Most will move to z-force sooner than later. ;)
     
  8. johnlowe88

    johnlowe88 Regular Member

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    What do you mean - no pain? It always hurts seeing a broken racquet - doesn't it? :crying: I have had a few broken ones this year - and this is too much.
     
  9. HappySachs

    HappySachs Regular Member

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    I'm Enjoying the updates, thanks John

    btw, what was the country code on the discarded Voltric?
     
  10. johnlowe88

    johnlowe88 Regular Member

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    You are welcome, I can only post when I get back home so no minute to minute updates. The cone code is 301112IP - what is IP?

    -John
     
  11. HappySachs

    HappySachs Regular Member

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    I didn't know so I 'googled' and found this thread.

    Seems to be some debate, I'm still reading through it :)
     
  12. LD rules!

    LD rules! Regular Member

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    IP IS for International no specific country, but most likely to be from an Indonesian Player as they tend to have IP/SP/IN codes.

    Edit: photo of the grip? Is it a yellow one? If it is, I think I know who it belongs too!:)
     
  13. johnlowe88

    johnlowe88 Regular Member

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    I am on a train heading out to do line judging. Gprs data is very slow - the grip is white adhesive towelling. Yes, Indonesia was practicing nearby earlier in the day - so could have been from one of the players. Ok - I am on the lookout for INA players using white towelling.
     
  14. cobalt

    cobalt Moderator

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    IP is International Player, if I remember.
    Nice updates, John. Much thanks! :) Please keep 'em coming...
     
  15. johnlowe88

    johnlowe88 Regular Member

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    Another update. Today the competition started for real - we had five courts running fairly quickly and the games kept going. I did line judging for a doubles match, then had to wait until the late afternoon session to do the next one, which happened to be Chen Jin's match against Lin Yu Hsien - this was a 3-set match, my first call of out got a response from Chen Jin "huh" - after that there quite a few out calls by myself and other line judges but eventually Chen Jin took the match. After this was a Babolat sponsored Chinese Taipei player against a Malaysian player. My last line judging was between Takuma Ueda (Japan) against Ernest Ng (Australia) who was outclassed at 21-2, 21-0.

    Anyway, took a couple of trains and got back home about 10 minutes ago. Have to get ready for an early start tomorrow.
     
  16. Renmazuo27

    Renmazuo27 Regular Member

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    I remember Chen Jin saying that, he looked a bit surprised. Was a great match between him and Lin Yu Hsien, gave Chen Jin a run for his money.
     
  17. LD rules!

    LD rules! Regular Member

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    Takuma showed no mercy to his opponent:)

    Lin Yu Hsien always seems to do well here but always gets a tough draw (last year he played and lost to Boonsak) is he still using an AT700?
     
  18. george@chongwei

    george@chongwei Regular Member

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    How come the sponsored player just throw the broken racket one side? Wonder what will happen if Yonex know this...;) I thought they are suppose to go and change a new one by showing the yonex person the broken one? Anyway, nice share there, John. Keep it coming.
     
  19. Teebs

    Teebs Regular Member

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    A victor MX80 was left on the media stand as well after snapping on the stringing machine. Somehow I don't think that for a player of decent ranking will have too much trouble replacing, broken racket or not.
     
  20. cobalt

    cobalt Moderator

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    Maybe it was a "full-contact sport" between the owners of the VT80 and MX80?
    Or a "Best of the 80's Showdown?"
     

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