The former manager of Justine Henin and Amélie Bertrand, who also worked for the four-time winner of Roland-Garros, calmly prepared the arrival of the star of the little yellow ball: “We were a bit used to the personalities or standards that appear at major tournaments: paying attention to the level of security and the level of the public. We had already organized European Cup basketball matches. We were experienced, but it still remained something a little out of time. When the Spanish arrived, they were really lovely.”
And despite a hiccup caused by the radio host, Maria Del Rio, at the start of the week, the Iberians and Rafael Nadal remained very available. “The day before the press conference, while Rafael Nadal was sleeping, he was woken up in his hotel room by the host who made the hotel reception believe, by telephone, that she was the mother of the Mallorcan. It was problematic, but we were not responsible. That said, if we don’t make this phone call to Nadal and it’s really his mother… We hadn’t yet set foot in it. room that additional stress presented itself. press conference, Maria Del Rio came with a packet of pralines to apologize Rafa took the excuse and the gift, but he explained to the host the needs of high-level athletes in terms of sleep. when they travel a lot. He reacted intelligently by sending a message.”
The availability and helpfulness of the staff Belgian also pleased the man with 22 Grand Slam titles, as Amélie Bertrand explains. The latter can testify to this via a few anecdotes.
gullAmélie still has a photo of Nadal’s underwear.
“At the beginning of the week, the Spanish team delegate came to see me in the organization’s office. He explained to me that a player had dirty laundry that he would like to have washed quickly, but that it was not possible. is not possible at the hotel in less than 48 hours I immediately understood that we were talking about Nadal’s clothes. I, naively, told myself that we had a washing machine for the Charleroi players in the room. room and that I could take care of it. So here’s washing Nadal’s clothes: it was fun.”
A memory that Benoît Cuisinier has not forgotten: “Besides, Amélie still has a photo of Nadal’s underwear.”
The day before the first meetings, it was a football match which allowed the organizer to have a new experience with the Spaniard: “There was a meeting of Real Madrid, a club of which Nadal is a supporter. The captain asked us if there would be a way to watch the match at the Spiroudome, because they were going to arrive at the hotel too late to see the start. We had to close the room, but we installed the entire Spanish delegation in a box and they watched the match. I stayed in my office, and at one point the delegate came to see me to ask me what I was doing. I told him I was working. He told me to come watch the meeting with them. I said no, then he insisted. So I went up to the dressing room, where there was a good atmosphere. I found myself on the couch watching the match with Nadal and the other players. I didn’t see anything of this meeting, I was mainly watching them.”
Before having to react to a new event: “After they leave, I go to close the dressing room and I see a mobile phone in the couch, where Nadal was installed. He had forgotten it. I phone Benoît to explain and he tells me to bring it back to him. I first wanted to call the hotel, but they weren’t going to believe me after the story with Maria Del Rio. So I went to the hotel, where I ran into the team delegate who thanked me.”
gullAutographs, photos, he never looked at his watch.
The arrival of the King of clay in Hainaut generated numerous requests from fans, sponsors and the media. And there again, Rafael Nadal lent himself to the game, with a smile.
“One afternoon during the week, we organized a meeting with our ball boys and some childrenremembers Benoît Cuisinier. Normally, it’s timed. It was an hour on the schedule. Seeing time moving forward, we were speeding things up so that all children could benefit from them. Rafa never looked at his watch and we went past the scheduled time. He did it with a big smile. It’s the little details that show the character of a person, the class of a great champion.”
With a new example: “During the gala meal on Thursday, we invited the partners. Everyone wanted their little photo with Nadal. The Majorcan had asked to be quiet while he was eating, but agreed to give us fifteen minutes afterwards to sign autographs, etc. Everything was done with such mutual respect that he stayed longer than the agreed quarter of an hour. Throughout the week, Nadal was classy. When he came into the room, he would say hello to everyone.”
Despite the qualification acquired, he still plays… for the public
Sportingly, Spain led 0-2 from Friday, including a victory for Rafa over Ruben Bemelmans. “The Spaniard took the time to sign autographs for everyone around the court. It lasted forever. Usually, the players sign autographs for the fans behind their seats. There, he really did the whole thing.”
And on Saturday evening, the mass was already said for Belgium trailing 0-3 after the double. “His country having qualified, Nadal was not expected to play on Sunday. Toni, his uncle, comes to see me and asks me if there will be people there on Sunday. I say the room will be full. Will they be there for the Belgian team, he adds? I answer no, they bought their place to see his nephew. He told me to wait a quarter of an hour. He went to see Rafa and the captain of our national team. Then he came back to tell me that I could announce that Rafa would play on Sunday. When you see the program of such a player, the number of matches he plays over a season, the kilometers he travels. He comes to Belgium, he wins his match, his country is qualified, he has nothing to gain by playing on Sunday, and the guy, out of respect for the public, decides to play. When the only thing he risks is getting hurt. It’s in these moments that we see the true colors of people.”
Before leaving on the American tour, the Bull of Manacor offered a small gift to the organizers: “We received two autographed t-shirtsconcludes Justine Henin’s former agent. We didn’t ask for anything, but it was a gift to thank us for the welcome.”
