Annnddd.... THIS is why I came to Dubai

If you're one of the 203483204823400328 people that have asked me, "umm.... why Dubai?" You probably heard a whole hodgepodge fill of answers.... everything ranging from I always envisioned myself doing something BIG during the year of the age of my favorite number. You know 27 y/o, he he :-) .... to wanting a change in life. Some may say a 3rd decade of life crisis, but whatever it is, I'm here! Honestly, one of the REAL reasons I came to Dubai is professional growth. In Chicago... or the States for that matter, the sportsmedicine field is TOTALLY oversaturated. It's a competitive market and to get involved in BIG events for a company is huge, and for an individual to participate, it's another cut throat process that takes years to get to. In my field, athletic trainers do most of the on-field stuff, you will rarely see a physical therapist running out if someone injured his knee, for example. We do more behind the scenes stuff, and again, to work for a professional team takes a LOT of work and connections. It's not even a matter of your skills, it's a combo of luck, connections, and being at the right place at the right time.

So here I am in Dubai, where sportsmedicine is completely UN-saturated and NOT involved. In fact, just being here almost 5 months, I can pretty much name all the doctors and PT clinics that are involved in sportsmedicine. In Chicago for example, after living there my whole life and working in the field, I could probably name 1%.

Anyhoo, to get to the point, my center, the Dubai Bone and Joint Center, got the rights to be the medical help for the Dubai 2012 Tennis Open! I don't know the technicalities, but it didn't seem to be that hard. So we had a couple of doctors and nurses to be the medical help, and then me and 2 of my colleagues were to help in the PT department. My colleagues and I had NO idea of what to expect... we went over some taping techniques together, and that was about it. I asked my good friend Willlllllllll, a semi-pro tennis player (hehe), some common tennis injuries, but after he replied, "pretty much everywhere," which did NOT narrow things down whatsoever, I just hoped that my education, experience, and skills would prevail. But really, tennis is one of those sports where injuries happen everywhere - shoulder, elbow, wrist, back, neck, hips, knees, ankle. What surprised me the most out of the experience was most of the injuries we saw were low back and feet, particularly toes. As my brief stint of playing tennis last summer has completely washed away, when I was actually closely watching it, I realized how much trunk and back rotation/extension there is, AND how much time is spent on the toes. Ah ha!

Anyway, back to the tournament.... basically the ATP (Association of Tennis Players.. or is it Professionals?) has their own PT's that they employee. Between them, at least 1 comes on tour with them. So basically, the tennis players are familiar and know these PT's. The one that came to Dubai has been working with them for 7 years. Our role was to be his back-up, basically, if he gets tide up, to help anyone that walks in. BUT, to keep in mind that these are professional players, are super particular, and to not take offense if they don't want to see us because they don't know us and don't want to risk anything. I was more than okay with that. So after spectating the woman's semi-finals and finals, it was the men's turn and then the real action began.

The week FLEW by and was probably the busiest week I've had yet in Dubai, overwhelming and exhausting, but yet FUN and AMAZING! Basically, the days that I was working, yes, there was some sitting around time and time that I was watching him work (which, in itself was great because he is an AMAZING therapist with really great hands-on skills), I really got to treat the players, eeek! The early days were the most busy because that's when you have all the qualification rounds, so some of it was stretching and sports massage, and others were "my back hurts," and that translates to "my back hurts. Fix it now... I have a game tonight." Which was a little different for me, BUT I managed to handle it. That's what made this experience so great was it really made me expand my critical thinking skills because in regular rehab you have all the time in the world to assess, examine, treat... re-assess, examine, treat. Here, and the PT Chris really emphasized this, it is speedy quick differential diagnosis, treat, and.... most often they come back after practicing or a game and will tell you if it worked or not. Lots of pressure, huh? So professionally, I learned some techniques from him, and also feel like I improved my manual skills. Later in the week when I got more comf there and the players recognized me, it seemed more smooth to work with them either by myself, or start, and then have Chris take over.

Personally, wow! To be in the same small treatment room having conversations with Roger Federer, Andy Murrey, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Juan Martin del Potro, Mardy Fish, Brdych (Czech), Bubka, Lacko, and much much more... words can't even describe it. At first it's like, la de la, these are normal people, then it's like "OMG! This is Roger Federer I'm talking to!" Who, by the way, is the most calm person I've ever met. He was in/out a lot of the clinic throughout the week and super super low key. I was working on his Swiss companion, and they were chit-chatting, and then the official comes in and is like "Roger! You're game is NOW! Let's GO!" And he was like "oh? Okay! Welp, I gotta play a game, see ya later!" And like la de la. It was soo funny. He's seems a little money oriented, but hey, to be "old" in his 30's continually ranked top in the world is something to speak for. Andy Murrey is a bit dull and dry, but I did hear him laugh a little when he was talking about the elevator going up and down the Burj Kalifa. It was also funny to be in the room listening to "locker room talk," i.e. talking politics of tennis, talking trash about the woman's tennis (wow! If anything I've learned, NO ONE likes the woman's tennis. Especially the ATP staff and players. Dang!), and of course typical guy stuff about woman. I also got to bond with a few up-and-coming players and it was fun just asking them about life on the road and life as a professional athlete. Most... okay, ALL, pretty much hate all the traveling you have to do, but love the game. I learned a bit about the "inside" world of tennis, i.e. how tournaments such as Dubai PAY these top athletes up to a MILLION USD to just SHOW UP! THEN, if they win, like Federer, he got an additional almost 1/2 a million for winning, 2nd place is $200,000, and so forth. Wow.

Here are some snaps from the week:

Roger Federer

Andy Murrey in action

Federer again! On a side note, he actually has an apartment here and LOVES Dubai, and Dubai loves him! This was his 5th time winning the tournament! 

Above is Tsonga from France... hi-lar. Quite funny to watch, I was sitting close to the serving area, and when he was on my side, he kept on yelling in French to his racket and... was quite a showman. Fun to watch! :-)

 Juan Martin del Potro.... from Argentina. I saw him a lot in the clinic, quite a good looking BIG guy (especially compared to the lean and thin ones like Novak). I had met this British couple, and the wife was obsessed with him so it was funny while he was being treated, I was sending her goofy texts about seeing him half-naked, etc. And also his trainer would come in and bring him food and then he wouldn't eat too much and leave it, and then Chris and I would finish it off, so she thought it was so funny we were technically sharing saliva.  Hhahaaha (or guess you had to be there?)

The PT Chris and our very own Dr. Marie, who is a pediatric neuro doctor. How she ended up on court, who knows? Even she said, "I had no idea what I was doing. I've never even touched an athlete before!" Fortunately, Juan Martin didn't need anything. Ahhhh... Dubai :-) 

Semi-finals. Federer vs. Juan Martin del Potro, great match! 

Myself with this funny British couple I met Day 1, we became BFF's throughout the tournament and they were super nice and hooked me up with some tickets too! She was a huge del Potro fan. 

My PT colleagues and I with Chris (the tall guy in the blue shirt!)

For the finals, I snuck into the VIP sitting area with my VIP badge. Got a great view of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.... who pretty much owns Dubai. He's the one in the green. 

The finals! Andy Murrey vs Roger Federer!

 Federer wins!

Federer with his cool ship-like trophy!

Celebration! 

And although, yes, this may be hard to believe, I was professional when the athletes got down to their underwear. I even stayed professional and didn't ask for any pictures (No, not in their underwear) or autographs. I really really had perfect opportunities, but felt weird... and again, was in a professional environment. My buddy, Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, had his own PT so I didn't see him in the PT clinic, BUT proceeded to stalk him fully. The 1st day I literally was just wandering around because there was a sandstorm and they were holding up the practices, I just saw him walking by, with only like 2 people with him. Now WHY was did I NOT have my camera with me and WHY was did my stupid phone NOT even have a photo icon on it? Almost died! Daaaaaaaaaaaamn it! The 2nd day he won his game and I followed him off this little spectator aisle where he signs autographs and takes pictures, and because I have this VIP ID badge, caught him after that and got some kinda close pictures. The 3rd day, I somehow made my way to this Players Dinner, and again, got in with my badge. Walked in... and there he was! Again, with no one around him. Thank gaaaawd the PT Chris was there, he knows him, and HE went up to him and said Hi and then I said in my broken Serbian, "can I have a picture with you?" and "I'm from Chicago!" He laughed and said okay and we took a picture.... then I realized that I had the flash turned off from the match I just had come from. D'oh!!! Noooo! So my .2 sec opportunity was there and he was gone. Oh well.. something is better than nothing! After that it was again some stalking after his matches, but I was happy with at least the picture!

 (Semi finals above, where Novak LOST to Andy Murrey. Hmph). 

So my days were all day at the Tennis and/or working all day at my clinic, and then coming to the tennis to half and half watch the matches and stalk the tennis players in the PT clinic. Later in the week the work slowed down, and then had some late nights showing the PT Chris around Dubai. Phew! I was TOTALLY exhausted and never have watched so much tennis in my life! I literally went 9 days in a ROW, but that included some of woman's, most of the BIG men's game, semi's and finals. Darn it that Novak lost to Andy Murrey in the semi's! Quite the shock. Was it all the stalking I did? ha hah. It was super fun to watch, and although the weather is getting warmer here and my days are numbered, I am re-inspired to play "again." I just need to get back in shape first. Which, by the way, during all this transitioning and couchsurfing, I've fallen off the bandwagon, BUT will get back on when I move into my own place (another blog! Will be happening soon! :-) )

HOPEFULLY next year we will be involved again. Our feedback was that we were a bit shy and could be more forward in asking the players for help, BUT overall, he was pleased and it got better as the days went bay. Next year, IF we get this gig again, I hope too to be more confident AND to not be as shy and at least get some autographs or pictures! hehehe!

So YES! THIS is why I came to Dubai! NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER in 23982394329 years would I EVER... and mean EVER get this opportunity in the States! N-E-V-E-R!!!!!!!!!!! That makes ALL the 203482304823432048329433982349382 struggles I've had here to adjust sooo worth it!!! Yea!