Hello, Privet! #1: Hello/Привет

Chapter 14

SOPHIE

I can feel that something is wrong when I get to the office on Monday. It's a few days after Wimbledon, and Isabele tells me that a town car is waiting to take us to the Forest Hills Country Club. Anton's back in town and John wants me to meet him. I try to tell Isabele that I already sort of met him, and that I don't really want to meet him officially, because reading about him and watching his YouTube interviews is more than enough, but Isabele was acting all nervous and jittery that I decide to just go with her.

As the town car enters the country club, Isabele tells me that Anton lost in the third round to the current world number one Zoran Matijevic, also the defending champion of Wimbledon four years running.

At the tennis courts, there's a crowd around a guy who is taller than everybody else. This person may or may not be, Anton. At first I can't tell if it is him because people are swarming him with oversized tennis balls, rackets, and souvenir programs asking for autographs. There are also several TV crews covering the entire thing.

"Willa's not answering her phone," says Isabele, tucking her hair away from her face.

"I think that's them. Where all those people are?" I suggest.

As I approach, I see that the tennis player is indeed Anton. First of all, the hair is a dead giveaway. A year ago, according to the tennis fan bloggers, Anton decided to grow his hair long simply to see what it felt like. He kept it back in a ponytail or a man bun. On another guy, it would be ridiculous. But he's one of those guys who could probably sport any kind of hairstyle and still look good. And apparently, Anton is famous enough for bloggers to blog about his hair.

John sees us and waves us over. I force a smile to my face.

Isabele leans in and says, "Whatever you do, don't say anything about his face."

I raise my eyebrows inquisitively.

When Anton finishes with the fans, he is immediately whisked away by John and the security and organizers. Isabele and I follow, trudging up the walkway after the group to the Tudor style building.

When we enter the member's lounge, Anton is taking off his shirt whereupon an attendant takes it from him and hands him a fresh white towel, and a girl hands him an energy drink. He sits down on the sofa and pats his face with the towel, and a doctor, or maybe a physical therapist, talks to him and then takes his arm and sort of moves his elbow forward and then backwards. Anton grimaces, and the doctor asks him more questions.

John takes me to where the sponsors are seated around a table. They are drinking coffee.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Sophie Rosenbaum. She's one of my new PR Associates."

PR Associate? I thought I was just an intern. I can't very well ask him about this, because he suddenly introduces Anton's business manager, Saul Feinstein, Anton's trainers, a Thai masseur, an executive from Nike, people from the ATP, a group of executives from Anton's sponsors, and a friend of Anton's who travels with him, this Russian guy Kirill, who shakes my hand rather enthusiastically.

Kirill is skinny, also quite tall, although not as tall as Anton. I guess 'wiry' is more appropriate. He seems friendly, with curly brown hair, bright blue eyes, and an easygoing smile. He pronounces my name Sofiya Rrrrosenbaum, with a drawl on the ya and a rolling rrr. He's Anton's best friend who also used to play tennis professionally. Now he just travels with Anton as his practice partner.

Finally, John takes me to see Anton, who is sitting near the window overlooking the tennis courts, with his shirt off, drinking a Japanese sports drink filled with electrolytes (one of his sponsors, of course). Anton has a tattoo on his upper arm, something in Cyrillic characters.