Tennis and My Camera: "Practise makes perfect" at the World Tour Finals 2013 part 1

During my week at the O2 I managed to watch many players practising and preparing for their matches mostly in the Fanzone but sometimes on Centre Court. This gave me plenty of time to take many photos but due to the annoying camera unfriendly Practise Court fences (I realise they do it on purpose especially after seeing the size of some amateurs camera gear walking around). Yes I frequently get lens envy! Anyway the "practise makes perfect" seems accurate for how many pictures I took to get the occasional non blurry ones. Though much fun was had watching many players perfect their games in the meantime.

I make no apologies for how random and unordered this post will likely turn out to be.

The O2 Arena during London ATP Tennis World Tour Finals 2013

It's good to start I think with giving those of you who have never attended the WTF a mini tour of the venue and in particular the Fanzone, which is a hive of activity and is a great place to spend all day when you don't have any tickets for the actual tennis. Spent many a day in the last few years running around here and down to the boat deck for player arrivals, especially the glorious year when I went to University next to the O2 (many an extended lunch watching Roddick, Djokovic, Murray and all with sparse crowds). That was the year when you could set your watch to Nadal's practises, 4pm on Practise Court 1. Good times. Anyway, I digress.

Inside the O2 Arena during London ATP Tennis World Tour Finals 2013

Centre Court- inside the O2 Arena during London ATP Tennis World Tour Finals 2013

Practise Court 1 (this court is separate and is by the Sponsors Village)

Practise Court 2 and 3 are together in the Fanzone. Here are the Bryans warming up.

Filip Peliwo acting as hitting partner this week... here warming up Tomas Berdych on PC2.

This year they started recording a new live show in the Fanzone called 'Holding Court', which was recorded in the Fanzone twice daily before each tennis session. This was interesting to watch as they would discuss the daily proceedings on and off court, I particularly enjoyed seeing Tennis player impersonater Josh Berry make an appearance.

B is for Berdych.....thanks for that Tomas.

As R is for Roger Federer....(ahem)

When you wait patiently for 45 minutes in a front row spot for Roger Federer's warmup and he picks the far end...cue looking over heads and that damn fence blurriness. Retro Federer backwards cap style noted.