WHAT'S UP AUSTRALIAN OPEN 08?

the wonderful aussie crowd clad in yellow

I'm kinda late posting this entry coz the Aussie Open started last Monday, Jan. 14, but I think it's a good follow up to my second post. To start the year, the name that everyone's chanting is the great Roger Federer, this year's two-time defending champion & my idol (that's why I love Switzerland-- cheese, chocolates & the tennis genius). Not to mention that it's a great nation to retire to.

His first two games proved to be a piece of cake for him as he beat his opponents easily. But at his third match, Federer took more than four hours to shake Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic before a stunned and vocal Rod Laver arena crowd.

The Swiss sensation eventually winning 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/1), 5-7, 6-1, 10-8 to move into the last 16 of the tournament. But the world no. 1 is adamant that his exhausting five-set struggle against Tipsarevic on Saturday night will not slow his push for a third straight Australian Open crown.

Good luck also to my Maria!

Left: Federer shakes hand with his Serbian opponent after the grueling 5 set match

Right: Maria Sharapove celebrates after winning a point

MON AIMER POUR LE SPORT TENNIS

Pardonnez moi pour mon mots, monsieur dammes. J'ai etudier la langue du Francais a la moment, et je ce aimer!

So much for that. Aside from badminton, bowling, volleyball & basketball (well, actually I stopped playing basketball as soon as I found out that I look awkward in playing, as they said I play like a kangaroo--those jerks), tennis is one sport that really caught my interest. I love it as much as I'm addicted to food & chocolates. And I swear that if I win at the lottery, I'll have a tennis court built in my house. All four surfaces of them--hard, clay, grass & shell!

My love for tennis started roughly 4 years ago. I have to credit Tito Rain for having influenced yours truly to play the strenuous but more exciting sport.

It wasn't easy learning to play it. The grip, footwork, forehand & backhand swing (be it single or double-fisted), volley & some physics of the ball. Admittedly, I have no formal training of the sport and Tito Rain acted as my trainor during those times that I was trying to learn the basics.

Back then I was always up against the wall...hitting, receiving & missing those out-of-control Slazenger & sometimes Wilson balls. It pissed me off when I can't hit the ball even for two consecutive times. Darn! I was hopeless then.

I didn't give up coz my being hopeless was overpowered by my great interest to play the sport. I continued playing, studied the motion of the ball & memorized where the ball went everytime I hit it. From there I adjusted my every hit & swing. I tried & tried to figure out how I will hit the ball if I want it to go that way. The whole thing was trial & error. But every error had helped me learn to play the sport & was all worth the try.

It delighted me to discover that I was hitting the ball 2, 3, to 4 times consecutively. Finally, I was in the groove. And it wasn't long before I started to try my backhand. I prefer to use the single backhand (Federer style). I applied the same strategy and focused on anticipating the ball so I can hit it properly, and where I want it to go. The only thing that's lacking is the chance to test my skills on court (plus my very own racket, hope I could buy my very first in 2 months). Sadly, I never played on real court in recent years.