In the locker room (Tennis Masters Series - MONTREAL 2001) by Daisy Aye During a Tennis Masters Series event, one of the most exciting places to be is in the player's lounge/locker room. This place gives you the privilege to see top athletes in an off-court setting. From their arrival to departures, you may see them heading to practice, working out in the gym, playing video games, snacking, using the internet and hanging out with friends & family. A view of the tournament from behind the scenes highly contrasts from what is seen on television. Here follows a brief highlight of my week mixed with some informative bits. TMS: WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT Obviously, purple courts (first TMS in Montreal) It is bigger than the Super 9 events in the past which lead to the increase of stadium capacity (seats have been added on Court Central and Court 1) Indoor Tennis Courts turned into a Basketball Court for players Added "Quiet Room" for players to relax (nice leather couches!) Many laptops provided to players which are connected to the internet (aka the Players Zone) SPECIAL ACTIVITIES/EVENTS Center Court exhibition match featuring Patrick Rafter against Jonas Bjorkman Hockey match (on Court 1) dueling NHL players and Tennis players Player's Party held at NEWTOWN (Jacques Villeneuve is the owner) Montreal EXPOS Baseball match for players to attend at the Olympic Stadium DID YOU KNOW? There exists a brand name called "On the Line" Sports Wear (www.onthelinesportswear.com) Shick Extreme III Razor Blades available in the locker room sponsored by Shick After the Monday player ceremony on center court, each player received a Canadians NHL Jersey and a Mercedes-Benz long sleeve gray shirt upon their return in the player's lounge. THAT WAS SOME PRACTICE Guga/Levy: Both coaches were chatting and it was the security guards on court that fed tennis balls to the players. Guga warming Harel Levy up on center for his evening match, they hit for about 20 min. Guga sat down. Lari Pasos then gave some coaching to Harel making him practice passing shots. Harel sat down. Now, it was both coaches hitting while Guga and Harel were chatting away. THE GOOD Arnaud Clement is a goofy character, he would sometimes run around the players lounge like a frantic five year old. He is a class act though, shaking hands with everyone in the staff before leaving. Andrei Pavel giving a family group hug (with wife and daughter) just before his matches. THE NOT SO GOOD Daniel Vacek was very unlikable after losing his doubles match against Gambill/Larose. He even swore at a member of the staff. Marat Safin, bad temper and racquets is not the best combination. THE FOOD Snacks provided at the counter mainly consisted of a wide variety of fruits such as yellow plums, peaches, apples and bananas. As for junk food (as Andy Roddick called it), there was chocolate such as Kit-Kat, Snickers and Mr. Big. And for drinks, Evian bottled water or Gatorade. TIDBITS Marat Safin breaking racquets (on the practice court) which fans later quickly grabbed Juan Carlos Ferrero's favourite video game is "Daytona USA 2" race car driving Patrick Rafter autographed his own shoes for an auction Tim Henman often plays pool Safin breaking more racquets (in the locker room) Rafter often plays mini-foot with Hewitt and went golfing with his brother Jared Palmer and Don Johnson came to the party for volunteers held on the last night of the tournament. They didn't stay long but they were very cool. VOLUNTEERING TIPS Be a team player: You will need to rely on others and others will need to rely on you. Adapt: Know when to follow orders and when to speak up if you have good ideas. Limit complaints but voice improvements that would contribute to the success of the tournament. Stay focused: Unfortunately, you will not be able to watch all the matches, practices you wish and be where you want to be. Remember that you are offering your time and energy on behalf of the tournament. It is not recommended to speak to players unless they address you first, especially in the players lounge they need their space to relax or to focus on their game. Savour the moment: Allow yourself to let go of your day to day worries and jump into another world to enjoy the present. Adrenaline: You'll need to keep up the excitement level to hide fatigue. Smiling lots helps too when you've endure a long day and your legs have given up on you. You just gotta love tennis!