Irina Falconi, an American who is playing at the Australian Open, will write posts throughout the tournament for Straight Sets as she did during the United States Open last year. She has her own tumblr page, and can be followed on Twitter.
MELBOURNE, Australia — They say that Australian summers are truly record worthy, and not in a good way, but we've been pretty lucky with the weather so far this year. The heat can and will hurt you down here. The Aussies have warned us that 15 minutes in the Australian sun and you will burn. That's pretty intense, but hey, there's a reason why they have gallons and gallons of water and sunscreen for all the players.
So, you're probably wondering what it's like to be playing down here. What is the mind-set at a tournament like this? What are the goals? Why is this one different from any other tournament?
At the end of the day, a tennis match is plainly a match no matter how big the tournament, no what what your draw is, no matter where the stadium is. It's just you, an opponent, your racquet, and that little fuzzy ball. Sure, there will be arguments of "Well, a slam is so much bigger." In a way, that's true. There's no question that the publicity and media are a kangaroo's leap bigger (like my Aussie reference?). Simply put, if you have a great result in a smaller tournament, it won't raise as much hype as it would in a Rod Laver Arena night match.
There's also the money bit. It's difficult to play plainly for money. You can either be extremely successful, or dreadfully disappointed if that's your only motive. But the difference between winning in first round and losing in first round is close to $20,000. Having that in mind, should the check really determine how emotionally and physically invested you are in a match? No. End of discussion.
I must say, Melbourne is quite an expensive city. The last time I paid $6.40 for a bag chips was never. But the Aussie Open has an incredible team in its player services department that helps players and coaches so much financially whether it's with hotels, food, or just good old fun attractions around Melbourne. For example, the Eureka Edge, the tallest building in Melbourne, has a glass cage that extends out of the building, and lets you see all of Melbourne. With a credential, you get in for free. The Albert Park Reserve is a great facility that is one of the practice sites for Open players. Not only do they provide tennis, but you can play nine holes of golf for $10.
Melbourne is really one of the most diverse cities and fun cities in the world — hands down under. And do you guys have any idea on how absolutely fanatic the crowds are at the Aussie Open? Truly something to just sit and enjoy. There is a group of Swedish fans who will drench themselves in the Swedish flag colors, and wear morphsuits to show their love for the Swedish players! What do they call themselves? The Swedish House Mafia, of course.
The first year I came here, in 2010, there were rows and rows of Polish fans singing and dancing to a player in the qualifying rounds. I still get chills from watching fans. All in all, Australia, especially Melbourne, is fanatical about sports. Whether it's cricket, bowling, rugby or tennis, Australians celebrate their athletes and support their teams.
Good on ya mates!
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Straight Sets: Australian Open Chronicles: What Makes Melbourne Special
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