now i have more time to post my expeirnces over the last coupple of days.

yesterday i went to the austrlain open for the first time. it was an intersting experience and i will be visting melbourne park again.
i thougt as i arrived that it would be a matter of choosing one court and staying there for the day. as it turns out you can do that but you can also move about the courts and there is even activites for all people to participate in.

the most memorable match was the Jiri Novak vs Olivier Rochus which had a spetacular score line of 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 4-6 6-3
. now if that is not spectatcular enough for you the match commenced at 4:15 and finished at approximatly 7:50, 3 and a 1/2 hrs later. now this might not seem verry long but to be giving your all and running arround with limited breaks it takes a toll and it was an amazing match. at the end of the game the two players reivied a standing ovation and the crowed showed how much they apriciated the effort the players put in.

mean while during the day i traveled arround watching the outside courts and gained an apreciation of why the game of tennis is so hard. even up in the stands in the shade we felt the heat but i was obvious that one of the hardest jobs would be that of the linesmen and ball boys (and i will use the same terminology for males and females). they have to stand in the heat with limited rest periods for at least 45 minintues. the hardest bit would be the degree of concentration required as they have to listen to what the chair umpire says and then they have to do as he says and the boy boys have the envinable task of trying to follow which end that they have to get the 6 balls to between a change of serve.

my final word on tennis is this. the view is better at the venue provided you dont have a small bar or post blocking you view and you have a greater apprication for the sport