ancaz thoughts

The way I found out about this event was through a tweet from Kim Clijsters herself. She just happily announced late May that more than 30,000 tickets had been sold at “Best Of Belgium”. I didn’t know what that was. So I googled it and realized all I needed to know was right at my fingertips. And since I could not refuse myself a new occasion to visit the city that was my home for three years a long time ago, I prepped myself for a little trip to Brussels.

 The concept behind this show was to shatter – not just break – the former attendance record at a tennis match set by Billie Jean King and Bobbie Riggs in 1973 on Astrodome Houston in what was called “Battle of Sexes”.  30,472 people had watched it then.

Initially it was planned to be a match between the two best Belgian tennis players, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.  Unfortunately, due to an elbow injury she got in Wimbledon, Justine was no longer able to play. The organizers had then quickly found a replacement in Serena Williams which did not dampen the festive joy, on the contrary.

The whole show was a combination of music, sports, politics, music again and fireworks. Why politics? Because this was supposed to mark Belgium’s six-month presidency of the European Union (July 1, 2010 – December 31, 2010). Regarding the concert, the master mind behind it was the Belgian musician Ozark Henry who reunited on King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels a number of top Flemish and Walloon musicians, singers & artists. Among them: Maurane, Clouseau, Jo Lemaire, Sarah Bettens and Sandra Kim, the latter best known for her Eurovision Song Contest win in 1986 (“J’aime la vie”).

I arrived at the stadium at 7:30pm roughly while the concert had already begun, just in time for the opening ceremony and the start of what promised to be a new Guinness Book record. Soon after I found my seat, which was pretty good for a computer randomly-selected one, the Belgian Crown Prince Filip and his wife, Princess Mathilde, have taken their seats in the official box.

Justine and Kim came on the stadium in a green convertible collection car and after one tour joined the hosts on the stage for a brief interview. A few minutes later, Serena joined them after she made her entrance also in a convertible. As the chair umpire a radiant Martina Navratilova who did not have any help as there were no linesmen.

The match itself, won by Kim in two straight sets 6-3, 6-2, was a bit of a disappointment. Whether it was because Serena came to play with a foot injury, or because it was too hot (for the Belgians, at least, who are not used to 30 C temps) I missed those impressive rallies, memorable winners, daring drop balls. During the breaks, apart from upbeat tunes, the crowd could enjoy the image of Jada, Kim’s daughter, on the LED screen, who was cheered more than her Mom.

After the game was over, Justine joined by Francesca Schiavone (who was invited as an understudy, just in case Serena wouldn’t be able to play) came to congratulate the winner and offer some nice flower bouquets and take some final pictures before the second part of the concert started.

What followed was the highlight of the night: a rain of green lights (from BNP Paribas, the sponsor, ‘sausages’) through the sultry summer air and then a sea of green lights on the athletics track. 

The record was broken: 35,681 people were present on King Baudouin Stadium on July 8, 2010! And, more importantly, all proceeds went to various charities that Kim, Serena and Justine support.

More info on the official event web site (in French and Dutch only)