It’s done and dusted now— but what a blast it was – the Australian Tennis Open for 2025.
First of all the standard of play was at the highest level in both the men’s and women’s categories.
And not just in the final eights.
From Day 1 of the tournament and on all courts.
Is it the technology in the racquets, the lifelong commitment to becoming the best in a highly paid profession, the coaching expertise and the fitness regimes to which the players adhere?
Probably all of the foregoing!
And so many outstanding young players made their first appearance at Melbourne Park.
They looked as if they owned it.
The Melbourne weather was on its best behaviour.
Unfortunately the same could not be said of the crowd—especially in the early rounds when we had some Australians still live.
The raucous barracking for our local hopes and against their opponents was embarrassing, to put it mildly.
The traditional Australian spirit of sportsmanship appears to be a thing of the past.
I personally applauded the young American, Danielle Collins, when she confronted the crowd with their loud and obnoxious heckling of the ‘outsider’.
No doubt the hooligan element in the well-heeled crowd will be slavering at the mouth for her return next year — so they can give her a right royal roasting for her honesty.
One of the early pleasures for me was the probably permanent departure of Kyrgios —probably the worst-behaved Australian to disgrace a tennis court.
But wait, when Yannik Sinner, the Number 1 seed and, ultimately the undisputed champion, defeated a gallant Alex de Minaur in straight sets some media pundits pleaded for the return of Kyrgios.
Why, for goodness sake?
He could never be the saviour of Australian tennis because, at his best, he was never good enough.
So the tournament concluded happily for the champions (great to see the likeable 29-year-old Madison Keys raise a Grand Slam trophy at last) and no one could dispute Sinner’s superiority or criticise his demeanour throughout the entire tournament.
He looks like the new Federer or Djokovic and could be better than both.
Sadly for defeated finalist Sasha Zverev (and for the fair-minded in the audience), one loud-mouthed woman in the audience marred the trophy presentation ceremony by screeching several times at Zverev that we Australians believe that he is guilty of the domestic violence charges that he will face in a couple of months.
Neither the time nor the place, madam.
She was evicted, but she had done the damage for which she probably paid the entrance fee.
And the organisers deserve a big shoutout for putting on once again what the players apparently agree is the best tournament in the world.
Something of which we can be immensely proud.
– Merv Welch,
The Palms.
