Mission Impossible: Catch Maria - Haaretz

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Tue., January 29, 2008 Shvat 22, 5768

Israel Time: 01:49 (EST+7)

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Mission Impossible: Catch Maria

By Nir Wolf

"She was right in front of me. I saw the whites of her eyes. I can't believe I missed her," said the reporter for Channel 1, who hysterically exited the elevator. He ran toward the lobby and shouted to his video crew, which was sitting comfortably in the chairs at the Daniel Hotel, "Sharapova's on the couch, Sharapova's on the couch."

Within a few seconds, about 20 photographers and reporters easily got past the confused security guard. Just like in a military operation, within half a minute everybody was on the level called "minus-2" listening to a briefing from an eyewitness.

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"She is wearing black pants, a white shirt, a tight black cap and sunglasses halfway up her face."

Half an hour later, the Channel 1 reporter was already sadly calling the editorial office. "When I was in the bathroom, I got a tip from one of the workers that she would get to the couch at 3 P.M., but she was early by a few minutes, and the video crew did not come with me," he sadly reported. "I don't have anything."

The Yedioth Ahronoth reporter analyzed the situation and phoned in to his office. "Send me another cameraman. There are two exits from the hotel. I need one at the entrance and another at the parking garage."

Maria Sharapova landed in Israel at 7 A.M. yesterday after an 11-and-a-half hour flight. As soon as she left the foyer via a side exit, the signal was given for the beginning of "Sharapomania" around the Russian tennis player who will face Israel in a Fed Cup World group tie this weekend. Web sites and television channels were stationed at Ben-Gurion International Airport as early as 5 A.M. using any possible way to get an exclusive photo of the star.

"Only a week ago I was in the reserves with the person responsible for security at Ben-Gurion," said a bitter Oren Buchstein, the Sports Channel reporter. "But it didn't help. They got instructions not to allow anyone in."

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