Federation Cup (women's tennis)

A couple of weeks ago we both received an email asking us if we would like to volunteer as ushers at the Fed Cup. We were going to buy tickets and had not got around to it, thank goodness. We said yes and we were in!

We had to go in for an induction meeting and collect our uniform which consisted of a hat, T-shirt and our pass. Fed Cup lasts for two days and was the best of three out of a possible five, four singles and a doubles match.

Only twenty ushers were needed so we felt quite honoured to be asked and then selected. It was much more relaxed than the Brisbane International. I was put with another woman, who had only worked in Corporate services before,so I had to show her the ropes of being an usher, due to numbers there was only two on each door but it was pretty easy as there was no need to check tickets and patrons could sit where they wanted,so our job was really only to open and close the doors at the right time and make sure that people didn't move round while play was on.

Yesterday we started at 10am, with the doors opening at eleven, play starting at 12 noon. They played the  two singles and both our girls didn't play that well and they lost their matches, but they were playing girls rated higher than them. It was a Semi finals against Germany.

Today, play was later starting and it took us over two hours to get there because of trail track work.We had to take a bus between Roma Street and South Brisbane. Sam played Kerber today and won the first set but went missing in the second set, losing it six nil, the third set was very good and it could have been anyones but Kerber won out in the end. That was the third and meant that Germany had won their way into the final.

Although it was a dead rubber, the doubles were played by Casey and Ashleigh, boy did they play well and ended up winning in a profession tie breaker. Some people left but many people stayed and watched the doubles which was good for all the girls.

Play finished around 5pm and then dinner was supplied for us, we were thinking sandwiches and maybe party pies. Prawns, oysters party pies, scones, fruit, boy what a feast! Best thing for me was our girl team, Sam, Ash and Casey came out and pinched some our food when passing by and I got to speak to all of them.

Arrived home at 8.30, legs are tired and so is the rest of the body but it was a good weekend.