You wont believe this, but I just explained the exact same thing to my roommate lol. Cheers Cheryl!

i think we can add the simon-federer match to that list. and its still the second round. we're in for a lot more excitement!

Maybe it's just me, but don't you find that even the colour of the Melbourne courts themselves make the tennis more interesting to watch? And doesn't the Ozzie Open always present us with the fairytale runs, the shocker upsets, and those memorable 5-setters? And let's not forget that this is the place that so many players have made their big break; Tsonga, Verdasco, Djokovic; heck, even Nadal, since he won his first Slam on hards here.

mriiidula - you bet we can! We can add Simon-Federer and Tipsarevic-Verdasco to the list as well.

I was just thinking this morning that last night proved my point perfectly. :)

ashrafr, you clearly have excellent taste. :D

Topspin - I like just about everything about it....and you forgot Baghdatis, who also carved a career from the AO.

I have such large, dark circles under my eyes ... they will probably last for the rest of the season. But I'm loving it. Nice post Cheryl. :)

smr - I get about an average of 5 hours a night in the first week. ;)

--- It's on when most of the rest of the world is sleeping---
Most of the rest of the world is sleeping also during USO.

I'll decide whether it's my favourite tournament or not when I know who wins in 2 weeks time. Seriously, from the timing point of view, it could be agony if you are waiting for the 3rd match on after midnight GMT, which means you could be up all night, but it also means that the evening matches Australian time are on in the morning UK time, so it works quite well as all the matches are completed by midday GMT, and I can have a life.

With European tournaments, I can't find time to do anything because tennis in on all day, so it's kind of nice to be 11 hours behind OZ. With the USA, we are 5 hours ahead, so it can be a bit gruelling, especially with their night matches.

Upsets are fine, as long as they don't upset your player.

Thanks for the correction Cheryl. And along with Baghdatis I'll add to Fernando Gonzalez to the list of player breakthroughs at AO.

WOW! Forgot about Gonzo. Good point, Topspin.

... And what about the nadal-murray 5-setter in 2007 - an early sign of the encounters that lay ahead between these two.

I surely remember that match, Alex. Muzza was gutted to lose that thing...ran out of gas pure and simple.

And today the last match is Baghdatis - del Potro... could be another thrilling match on RLA again tonight. I do love those 5-sets matches, it's all about intensity, mental strength and fighting hard untill you got nothing left in the tank.

Let's hope the players can provide us with some more entertaining matches :-)

del Potro is two sets to love down!

I think Fed vs Safin in 2005 AO semi should also make it to the list of best matches of recent past at AO.

^^^ I agree completely, champ. In fact, it might be THE match of the AO...but it wasn't a breakout for either guy.

Well Wimbledon has always been my favorite. You just can't beat the pompous British with their all-white and strawberries and creme.

Next used to be the U. S. Open but the terrible wind and rain delays have dropped that to third on my list with Melbourne now being second.

Clay is just too slow for me so the French pulls up the rear plus the crowds there and most of the people just have a terrible attitude.

I like the French and Wimbledon about the same. I generally like clay court tennis...I think there's a sadistic part of me that just enjoys watching guys run forever. And Wimbledon is so important to players that we just seem to get heart-stopping finals there (2010 notwithstanding).

I'm not a huge fan of the US Open, but that's mostly to do with the fact that I don't like the court there. It's too big for a tennis court and everything is so stinking expensive.

Great post, Cheryl. Aussie Open is definitely my favorite tournament too, but what I like is that no matter who's playing there always seems to be fans from that country there, loudly cheering their man on, yet they know enough to shut up once the point is about to start.

I like the early start date too, by the time it rolls around I haven't watched tennis in a while and it's just starting to warm up outside, so I can think about playing my own tennis.

I don't prefer one slam over the other, they all have something that I like!

The AO has the fairy tale runs and an exciting road to the final.
The thing I love about RG is all the running and the long rallies :-)
Wimbledon has tradition and the USO has those electrifying night matches, like the one Federer played against Agassi for example.

Still, no tough battles today as it seems but I'm hoping that Wawrinka - Monfils will go the distance :-)

It would be mine but...oh the time difference is killing.....:(

deuce, it does make things difficult, doesn't it?

@ cherylmurray and deuce,

You dont know the half of it! Back in the Caribbean (Saint Lucia) I have to be up from about 1 am to until 8 am to see the matches. Of course, I dose off in between but the TV is on all night and I find myself waking up off and on to watch the matches. I have never really seen Rafa play (tisk!!) bcos I always end up sleeping around that time. But all in all its fun.....except the part of having to be up by 6 am for work!! If only these guys knew what we do to see them play.......lol!!!

VAMOS!!

Monalysa: same here for all the daytime matches eg Andy playing at 1.30am tomorrow morning :( but Rafa is playing at our 9am so will get to see him at least :) and this wonderboy Tomic.

Here in Toronto I have been catching Rafa so far because he's been playing around our 9PM so far...

Our Canadian (Montenegro born Serbian) Raonic is doing fantastic so far ... and has won the first two sets against Touzhny so far... this may be the tournament will remember as his real debut.

I didn't write the bit about Toronto the way I meant it:

Monalysa: here in Toronto we are in a similar timezone to St Lucia. Trying to catch the matches that are not played in the first or last hours of the day has been tough... I admire your staying up so many hours each night.