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| 2008 Australian Open Melbourne, Australia |
Everyone remembers their first professional sports experience.
Mine came in 1977, when my granddad took me to see the Boston Red
Sox at their winter training camp in Winter Haven, Florida. I was
only ten years old at the time and will never forget being
absolutely star struck at the real-life sight of my heroes like
Carl Yastrzemski, Fred Lynne, Luis Tiant and Carlton Fisk. The
memories of that day are as vivid today to this forty year old as
it was then when I was a Little League All-Star. I still have the
baseball program from that day in my old boxes of photos and
memorabilia. I wonder what made that time so memorable? I would
like to think that it was the experience of seeing the baseball
gods of my time, but I think now as an adult, it was just being
there with my grandfather that completed the experience. He
passed away not long after that year and I have these fond
memories of that day in Florida, a great day to remember, for
baseball and for him.
I tell that story to segue into our trip to the Australian Open,
my first professional tennis experience and one that I have
shared with my wife, Nisha. As we watch these unbelievable
players in the phenomenal Rod Laver Arena, I count myself as
blessed as I was when I was ten years old under the Florida sun
only feet away from the Sox. This has been an unforgettable trip,
under the Melbourne sun, that will surely reside in my memory
alongside my Red Sox, my granddad, and now the Australian Open,
completed by having my beautiful wife to share it with. Life is
good!
We had no problem making our way to the AO from the Crown Towers,
it seemed the whole city was going in that direction anyway as
attendance records were smashed on Day 1. There were no lines at
the entry gates and passed straight through to our designated
door area inside the arena venue. As the day match had not yet
concluded, we were content to enjoy a nice cappuccino and people
watch a bit. It is obvious that the AO is an international event
as many countries were represented on their fans face paintings,
clothing and many flags that would be waved during the games. It
wasn’t long before our door was opened and as we moved toward our
seats, we knew this night was going to be a special treat and
felt very lucky to have won such a great prize.
We were instantly drawn into the action by Australian hopeful,
Alicia Molik, as she defeated Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) in a 1st
round match that lasted close to two hours. We marveled at their
conditioning and physical strength as there was almost non-stop
action for the duration. In the end, Alicia provided her home
country fans with a win and was a very gracious victor thanking
everyone in the audience. What we thought was equally impressive
was the support given to Kanepi by the crowd each time she scored
against her Aussie opponent. A great example of sportsmanship at
its best in the land Down Under, typical of the fantastic
treatment we have received during our Aussie Mania sweepstakes
trip prize from The Tennis Channel.
It is impossible not be impressed by the players and the Rod
Laver Arena with its new for the 2008 Australian Open, “True
Blue” plexi-cushion surface. During breaks in our sightseeing, we
return to our room in The Crown Towers to catch up on the latest
results from the day matches and to recharge our batteries. The
“True Blue” surface really stands out and makes keeping an eye on
the ball a breeze.
As the women’s 1st round match ended, we eagerly anticipated the
battle between No. 2 seed, Rafael Nadal (Spain) and Viktor
Troicki (Serbia). We weren’t disappointed as it appeared we might
witness an early round upset as Troicki gave crowd (and ladies)
favorite, “Rafa” an early run for his money. As we are American
football enthusiasts, rowdy fans are not a surprise to us and
Nadal’s faithful were almost as entertaining as the match itself.
As I am not a sports writer and know even less about the nuances
of tennis, I can just tell you that it was a great competition
and in the end, Nadal’s No. 2 ranking was certainly justified. It
was after midnight as Nadal finally prevailed over Troicki
marking the end of our first exposure to professional tennis. It
was a perfect night in Melbourne, accented with great tennis
between premier athletes, putting on a show in front of their
biggest fans. All in all, we found the experience to be
surprisingly relaxing considering the size of the crowds and
excitement of the games. That feeling was very short lived, as we
discovered our good fortune at the announcement of the next
nights draw. We could not believe that we would be privy to
seeing not only Venus Williams, but the No. 1 tennis player in
the world, Roger Federer , on Wednesday night. Holy smokes, how
could it get any better than this? Funny, that seemed to be a
recurring theme throughout this trip to Australia. The fact is…it
could get better! Maybe I could win The Tennis Channel’s French
Open Sweepstakes? Hmmm….or even the 2009 Heating Up Down Under
Sweepstakes...?? (hurry it closes Jan. 31st 2008!)
As I conclude this story, I think about that old Red Sox program
from 1977 in my photo box and how it will soon have a companion
from the 2008 Australian Open. I am sure that they will fit
nicely in there, just as the memories of that day 30 years ago,
my granddad and my wife, and my recollections of my first night
of tennis.
| The door to our first tennis experience. |
The new "True Blue" court...
Rod Laver Arena (from our seats)
#2 Rafael Nadal "Rafa"
#8 Venus Williams
#1 Roger Federer
Serena Williams (incognito)
We have all heard the chants, seen the big foam #1 fingers and hand
painted banners held high in the crowd futilely attempting to convince
everyone around them that their favorite team or player is #1, numero Uno,
the best in the land.
In 99.9% of the cases, that is not even close to being true. In reality,
it usually means that only for that fleeting moment in time and on that
particular field, a victory means you are #1. Not the same thing as being
the best of the best, a champion without doubt and comparison. In my mind,
the true test of being #1 lies in the finding out who is #2 and during our
visit to the Australian Open, we saw both.
What we witnessed last night at Rod Laver Arena was a true #1 performance;
Roger Federer’s crushing win over Diego Hartfield was incredible. I don’t
think I have ever seen a more dominating performance by an athlete in my
life. I likened it to one of our farm cats toying with a mouse, at any
time when Roger decided to terminate the volley with Diego, it ended just
that quickly. It was a marvel to see an athlete at the top of their game
proving to everyone in attendance, quietly and with precision, that he was
indeed, NUMBER ONE. There is no doubt, even to this tennis novice, that
Roger Federer is worthy of that claim. On the previous night on the same
court, we watched a match featuring the #2 Rafael Nadal, the differences
between Roger and Rafa are like salt and pepper or day and night. There
seems to be a considerable gap between the top spot in the rankings with
no worthy opponent in sight. Federer looks to be unbeatable and might have
an easy time sailing through to victory at the Australian Open.
We feel very fortunate to be able to say that we saw him play live and at
the end of the game, play the part of gracious victor while speaking with
the audience. It was a refreshing experience to see a future legend of the
game let his play speak for his place in the ranking without theatrics,
silly dances and bravado seen more and more in sports today. Roger seems
to be the definition of a true champion and despite the varying
nationalities in the audience that night; everyone seemed to be struck by
his mastery on the court and his humbled nature in victory. Let me be the
first in our family to raise my hand up for Roger, with the #1 sign held
high. He deserves it.
painted banners held high in the crowd futilely attempting to convince
everyone around them that their favorite team or player is #1, numero Uno,
the best in the land.
In 99.9% of the cases, that is not even close to being true. In reality,
it usually means that only for that fleeting moment in time and on that
particular field, a victory means you are #1. Not the same thing as being
the best of the best, a champion without doubt and comparison. In my mind,
the true test of being #1 lies in the finding out who is #2 and during our
visit to the Australian Open, we saw both.
What we witnessed last night at Rod Laver Arena was a true #1 performance;
Roger Federer’s crushing win over Diego Hartfield was incredible. I don’t
think I have ever seen a more dominating performance by an athlete in my
life. I likened it to one of our farm cats toying with a mouse, at any
time when Roger decided to terminate the volley with Diego, it ended just
that quickly. It was a marvel to see an athlete at the top of their game
proving to everyone in attendance, quietly and with precision, that he was
indeed, NUMBER ONE. There is no doubt, even to this tennis novice, that
Roger Federer is worthy of that claim. On the previous night on the same
court, we watched a match featuring the #2 Rafael Nadal, the differences
between Roger and Rafa are like salt and pepper or day and night. There
seems to be a considerable gap between the top spot in the rankings with
no worthy opponent in sight. Federer looks to be unbeatable and might have
an easy time sailing through to victory at the Australian Open.
We feel very fortunate to be able to say that we saw him play live and at
the end of the game, play the part of gracious victor while speaking with
the audience. It was a refreshing experience to see a future legend of the
game let his play speak for his place in the ranking without theatrics,
silly dances and bravado seen more and more in sports today. Roger seems
to be the definition of a true champion and despite the varying
nationalities in the audience that night; everyone seemed to be struck by
his mastery on the court and his humbled nature in victory. Let me be the
first in our family to raise my hand up for Roger, with the #1 sign held
high. He deserves it.
Texans Loose in Melbourne
(this trip wasn't all about tennis, ya' know)
Chicago, New York, and our closest big city, Houston, we thought
Chicago, New York, and our closest big city, Houston, we thought
that there would not be much difference in visiting another
metropolis filled with over 3 million residents. We were wrong.
metropolis filled with over 3 million residents. We were wrong.
Our day started with a visit to the Crown concierge who directed us
to the City Circle Tram, a short walk from the hotel across the
Yarra River. It was not long before we found the station and boarded
an electric tram reminiscent of the trolley cars of San Francisco.
As we studied our route on the map given to us by the concierge, we
saw that this tram circles (although it appears to be a square in
shape) the city and allows you to get off and on as necessary to
cover all of the gardens, cathedrals and sports faculties in
Melbourne. Although Melbourne appears to be a very different city
architecturally than Sydney, it consists of the same Australian
blend of international and domestic diversity. Everyone is
particularly friendly and eager to sort out any details that a
traveler might find confusing or out of the ordinary.
One of the most spectacular sights we toured today was the St.
Patrick’s Cathedral on Nicholson Street. The Gothic Revival exterior
creates a sense of awe inspiring wonder and is only rivaled in
beauty by its interior, whose soaring ceilings and immense spans of
stained glass leave you utterly speechless. It is apparent that
Melbourne is a city where contrasts are the norm and not the
exception, sitting alongside spectacular examples of architecture
from two centuries ago, exist contemporary buildings that blur the
edge of art and the status quo.
Most notable of these were the Southern Cross Station with its
aluminum roof that appears to be a shining sea of rolling waves and
the Melbourne Exhibition Center located on the Yarra River adjacent
to the Crown Towers megaplex.
We found on our short trip around the city today and similarly in
Sydney, there is a plentiful supply of gardens and parks surrounding
the city with one always seemingly being just around the corner. It
seems as though these cities have gotten it right with its mixture
of business and pleasure. The residents seem to take full advantage
of the green space as the garden are full of young and old alike.
As we completed our loop around the city, we decided to walk the
last leg of the journey, from Federation Square to Market Street.
The streets were swelled with pedestrians, most surely due to the
Australian Open at the nearby National Tennis Centre.
We had lost track of the time and realized that a bite to eat was in
order, not a problem here in Melbourne as there is a plethora of
dining options available everywhere. We quickly found a nice café
located at the intersection fronting the Flinders Street Train
Station, a perfect place for people watching and enjoying a filling
meal of fish and chips. As with the architecture, the people of
Melbourne are a wonderful blend of old and young, vintage and
contemporary, existing together between the spires of the concrete
and steel.
We made it back to the Crown Towers and downloaded all of the
pictures we took from our short trip around the city. I uploaded my
images to the Tennis Channel’s FTP site set up for me prior to
embarking on our Aussie Mania Sweepstakes trip.
I can only hope that one day there will be an “experience” feature
programmed into our cameras that passes along to the viewer what it
was like to be there, to be in the space occupied by the subjects of
our photography. Only then could you appreciate what we saw
previously in Sydney and now in the wonderful city of Melbourne.
(this trip wasn't all about tennis, ya' know)
Chicago, New York, and our closest big city, Houston, we thought
Chicago, New York, and our closest big city, Houston, we thought
that there would not be much difference in visiting another
metropolis filled with over 3 million residents. We were wrong.
metropolis filled with over 3 million residents. We were wrong.
Our day started with a visit to the Crown concierge who directed us
to the City Circle Tram, a short walk from the hotel across the
Yarra River. It was not long before we found the station and boarded
an electric tram reminiscent of the trolley cars of San Francisco.
As we studied our route on the map given to us by the concierge, we
saw that this tram circles (although it appears to be a square in
shape) the city and allows you to get off and on as necessary to
cover all of the gardens, cathedrals and sports faculties in
Melbourne. Although Melbourne appears to be a very different city
architecturally than Sydney, it consists of the same Australian
blend of international and domestic diversity. Everyone is
particularly friendly and eager to sort out any details that a
traveler might find confusing or out of the ordinary.
One of the most spectacular sights we toured today was the St.
Patrick’s Cathedral on Nicholson Street. The Gothic Revival exterior
creates a sense of awe inspiring wonder and is only rivaled in
beauty by its interior, whose soaring ceilings and immense spans of
stained glass leave you utterly speechless. It is apparent that
Melbourne is a city where contrasts are the norm and not the
exception, sitting alongside spectacular examples of architecture
from two centuries ago, exist contemporary buildings that blur the
edge of art and the status quo.
Most notable of these were the Southern Cross Station with its
aluminum roof that appears to be a shining sea of rolling waves and
the Melbourne Exhibition Center located on the Yarra River adjacent
to the Crown Towers megaplex.
We found on our short trip around the city today and similarly in
Sydney, there is a plentiful supply of gardens and parks surrounding
the city with one always seemingly being just around the corner. It
seems as though these cities have gotten it right with its mixture
of business and pleasure. The residents seem to take full advantage
of the green space as the garden are full of young and old alike.
As we completed our loop around the city, we decided to walk the
last leg of the journey, from Federation Square to Market Street.
The streets were swelled with pedestrians, most surely due to the
Australian Open at the nearby National Tennis Centre.
We had lost track of the time and realized that a bite to eat was in
order, not a problem here in Melbourne as there is a plethora of
dining options available everywhere. We quickly found a nice café
located at the intersection fronting the Flinders Street Train
Station, a perfect place for people watching and enjoying a filling
meal of fish and chips. As with the architecture, the people of
Melbourne are a wonderful blend of old and young, vintage and
contemporary, existing together between the spires of the concrete
and steel.
We made it back to the Crown Towers and downloaded all of the
pictures we took from our short trip around the city. I uploaded my
images to the Tennis Channel’s FTP site set up for me prior to
embarking on our Aussie Mania Sweepstakes trip.
I can only hope that one day there will be an “experience” feature
programmed into our cameras that passes along to the viewer what it
was like to be there, to be in the space occupied by the subjects of
our photography. Only then could you appreciate what we saw
previously in Sydney and now in the wonderful city of Melbourne.
Yarra River
View from the Crown Towers
| No Farm-To-Market road here |
Waiting for the TRAM
Inside View
Bank of Australia
Flinders Train Station
Flagstaff Gardens
Southern Cross Station
| As long as it isn't a Longhorn |
St. Patrick's Cathedral
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| As you can see, we had a great time on our Aussie adventure! Now if we could only win Tennis Channel's French Open sweepstakes! |
