“IVANE MAJSTORE!” AT 0:03 AND 5:40
Team CSR was live at Indian Wells Tennis Garden Saturday afternoon to witness Ivan Ljubičić’s 3-set tiebreak win over world #3 Rafael Nadal. The win puts Ljubičić in the 2010 BNP Paribas Open final against American Andy Roddick. The championship match on Sunday should bring back memories of the 2005 Davis Cup encounter between Croatia and U.S.A at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles where hundreds of Croatian fans showed up.
CSR writer Denis Svirčić and Dennis ‘HvarSplićan’ Fistonić were in attendance to root Ljubičić on against Nadal and will do it again on Sunday as Croatian reinforcements join them from Los Angeles.
Chants of “Ivane Majstore, Ivane Majstore”, “Mi Hrvati, Mi Hrvati”, and the singing of “Tu no llores mi querida” by Oliver Dragojevic and “Moja Domovina” filled the air at center court with 14,000 spectators on their feet. After the match, Svirčić and Fistonić were mobbed by fans requesting to take pictures.
Will it be enough for a Ljubičić victory?
Check your ‘golf claps’ at the door.
Here are the highlights if you haven't seen them yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j4q3QZZMtI
rE: Ziva
Manduzkic – yeah your right. He's frustrating. At the moment he can't form a single partnership. The only other forward he celebrates with sometimes is Slepicka. I won't be too fussed when Mandzo goes. Cesarec is a similar style of player, but a far more disciplined person. Someone like that we be a suitable replacement.
You might also laugh at this but i wouldn't mind seeing Marko Babic arrive to add some tactical nouce to the midfield and left back with Morales being pushed closer to the front man.
The partnership of Slepica-Mandzo-Sammir can be frustrating.
If the mid was Tomecak, Vrdoljak, Badelj, Babic with Cesarec, Morales up top it'd look better.
I've been watching Babic this season and he's not too bad but 10 mins here and there is just not any use to him. He may as well come back to Croatia now. As for Jerko Leko – god knows what his plans are? Exploit the monaco contract to the max i think that's his plan.
There comes a time though when you eventually go mad like Vranjes – when he go so long with playing football or doing anything with you life. Surely Leko and Babic must be getting this feeling soon.
The return legs are April 7th.
When is the next game?
I am not so sure they had 13,000 for the game. The HRT broadcaster gave that figure, but they are usually off. There is a reason their was no wide shot camera angle of the stadium, to hide the fact the place was empty.
I am not sure what Buljat was thinking. The more I watch Mandzukic, the more I dont like him. Too much complaining and too many cheap shots.
Yes, I too hope it's the same result in Split as we saw last year… 3-0 for Hajduk. That would make the score 3-0 on aggregate:)
Now, Jurica Buljat seemed to be doing his best to make today's score 3-0 Dinamo.
Wow, two 0-0 scores in The Croatian Cup semis. Is there anything left to say?
Boooooooooooooring…….
0:0
…all comes down to Split. Hopefully it'll be the same result like last year with Dinamo winning the Dupla Kruna!
I NAPRIJED PLAVI!
At least 13,000 people today at Maksimir. I can't believe that's considered a "success."
Thanks man:)
my bad…it is a paid link. Go to saan.tv and register. It's $3 per month and you get HRT1, HRT2, RTL and Nova TV. All live and you also get a on-demand service. Picture is pretty good.
Thanks for sharing that link… I appreciate it.
I am watching it online.
Since the crowd's dead, you should listen to the radio link I posted earlier…. they're spinning some fantastic tunes:)
ziva, can I ask how you're watching the game? internet? satellite?
I am watching the game and not much going on. Ibricic had a good chance for hajduk and blind pussy had a chance for dinamo. Other than that, nothing through 42 minutes so far. Dinamo has a bit more possession, but has done nothing with it. Hajduk came in looking for a tie with the defensive formation (shame on Poklepovic).
Crowd is dead, field is in terrible shape. So, looks like a trypical cro leage game.
http://www.hrt.hr/streamf/SPLIT
Well, there are some people who are watching the Dinamo v Hajduk game closely….
Kako nam je potvrdio glasnogovonik Dinama Ado Kožul, zagrebačke i splitske nogometaše prate Bayern (M), Bayer (L), Šahtar, Werder, Everton, PSG, Olimpique (M), Genclebirligi i PSV.
Americans don't cheer like Euros or S. Americans. Different breeds of people and sports culture. The closest thing americans have to a european sports atmosphere is college football and college basketball (SEC and Big Ten country) and that is it.
But, come on guys, don't go so overboard. I watched the finals on TV and for the occassional lone voice yelling "ajde Ivane" there was not much support for Ljubicic. You guys might have cheered, but it did not come through on TV. Regardless, good effort.
@Jure,
Jaaaaaaaavi se, jaaaaaavi se
@Adrien,
I thought so too, then fistonic pointed out that Roddick said that. The Americans failed to come through for Roddick on Sunday 🙂
oops… my bad
read it early in the morning, clearly not reading straight.
I'm sure he would have said the same…
Alo Denis, non stop si na tv-u kad igraju naši tenisači.Jedino Danny Dabo ne vidin
U-17's win again 3-0 vs Romania. A win or draw against Portugal gets them through to the final tournament.
lol hilarious @ :03 sweet stuff guys.
@Joze,
The aussies are much nicer thatn Americans, at least Californian-Americans. Aussies show up in great numbers and should be a lot louder than just us 2.
Here is a text message we recieved this morning, 4 hours before the final, after they were confirmed last night after the match, suposedly 10 people..
"We had a long night with some hoz, we backing out man sorry".. 4 guys out..
We shall see who shows up. Sadly, this is the Croatian community of Los Angeles. First time ever, a Croatian is in the final of this tournament.. and this is the response we get.
@Adrien,
the quote you gave us was from Roddick. We applied for credentials too late. We were declined for credentials. Tried again after the match and no luck. Next year will be different.
4 hours before the match. A little lunchy-lunch and off to the match
Even Ljubicic noticed the effect you guys had, saying:
"I feel like the crowd was on my side and I hope they're there tomorrow – they certainly have an effect on the match,"
quoted from:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/8578538.stm
good going guys!
Think you can get an interview?
Americans must be nice lol
Over here, people call up talk back radio the next day and whinge that they were afraid of their safety when they sat next to the chanting Croatian "thugs".
Nice work guys, shame that it was only you guys though. Where are all the Cro's in California?
I share the same sediments as Denis. Had absolutely the time of my life. One of the best sporting events I've been to. The feeling of two people entertaining 14,000 fans is unreal. Definitely an experience of a lifetime. Hopefully, tomorrow's match is even better with more Hrvati arriving from LA and beyond to create an even better atmosphere. Catch us on the Tennis Channel/FSN if you are in the U.S. or ESPN international if living outside the U.S. It may not be football, but anything that unites us Croats should be posted throughout the world.
wow what a day. Dennis and I arrived to Indian Wells just about at the star of the second set to find Ljubicic down 1-0. Fisto and I started to cheer literally seconds after we sat down. Within ten minutes or so, a cameraman was on the scene to film us like celebrities sitting courtside at Staples Center.
After we cooled off a bit, the cameraman would "leave and come back" several times throughout the third set. He also tried to pump up Ljubo by chanting "ajde, ajde"… pronouncing the 'e' like and 'e' in green.
We received a standing O after singing Oliver and Moja Domovina after the match.
9/10 people were looking at us after the match, asked for a picture, cheered us, and wished us the best tomorrow. For the first time in my life I felt like a celebrity.
the cameraman said to his people on the other side of the camera "this is good stuff, the best ever at Indian Wells"..
As soon as the camera was on us, our phones were off the hook.
All of this doesnt matter. What matters is that two young lads from San Pedro, California, brought Ljubicic back from the dead and brought a Croatian to the final of indian Wells for the first time ever.
I would like to thank Dennis Fistonich for an experience of a lifetime.
Who is joining us tomorrow? A Croatian in the final happens once every blue moon
great seats guys, nice work.
keep up the great work tomorrow!
Yaaaaaaaaaa!!!! Denises…Javi seeeeeee Javi seeeeeee Javi seeeeeeeee Javi seeeeeeee!! 🙂