MELBOURNE – It was inevitable. After only the sixth day the last Australian bodies were carted away, and the once-proud Aussies were once again shut out of their own championship. This is hardly news. Chris O’Neill, 1978, and Mark Edmondson, 1976, are the most recent home-grown winners of the Australian Open, and Lleyton Hewitt, 2005, the last finalist. But record crowds … [Read more...] about THE PARTY IS OVER FOR THE AUSSIES BUT TOMIC CREATES BUZZ
ONE MAN’S DREAM IS ANOTHER MAN’S VICTORY AS NADAL CRUISES ONWARD
“It was a dream,” said Ryan Sweeting. Ryan Sweeting, a tall Floridian who plays tennis for a living – and says he does make a living, $ 164,423 last year – walked onto the blue asphalt court of Rod Laver Arena and looked up and around. People. Everywhere people – 15,000 them. Staring at him. Of course they were also looking at the other guy, who happened to be named … [Read more...] about ONE MAN’S DREAM IS ANOTHER MAN’S VICTORY AS NADAL CRUISES ONWARD
IT’S HOME FOR THE AUSSIES BUT NOT SO SWEET FOR HEWITT
MELBOURNE — Where have all the Aussies gone? Or the Etruscans and Aztecs for that matter? Lost civilizations that I miss, but maybe the Australian tribe will yet revive and make us remember their might that caused fright, and bite that gave them ownership of the tennis world in the 50s, 60s and a slice of the 70s. Ancient history, I know, a time of wooden weaponry. But … [Read more...] about IT’S HOME FOR THE AUSSIES BUT NOT SO SWEET FOR HEWITT
READY OR NOT, HERE WE GO AGAIN — CAN ANYBODY BLOCK THE 1-2 PUNCHES OF MONOPOLISTS NADAL AND FEDERER?
Can’t even fully digest 2010 as 2011 springs into view, the 44th year of open tennis – or the 134th year since Wimbledon cranked up the original tournament. Everybody ready? Probably not. Not enough recuperation time during another ridiculously brief off-season as the years bump together like pigs in a pen. Life on the road resumes, and few are lucky enough to … [Read more...] about READY OR NOT, HERE WE GO AGAIN — CAN ANYBODY BLOCK THE 1-2 PUNCHES OF MONOPOLISTS NADAL AND FEDERER?
SIZZLING RALLIES AS NADAL WINS THE US OPEN
NEW YORK – The reign’s in Spain now, falling mightily and mainly on the crowned head of Roundhouse Rafa. Spain, of course, has a king, Juan Carlos I, with a palace in Madrid. A good fellow, we’re told. But the real monarch today is young Rafa I, whose roundhouse knockout punches on a tennis court are massive left hooks that leave no doubt of his being No. 1 in his … [Read more...] about SIZZLING RALLIES AS NADAL WINS THE US OPEN