WHO WILL BE THE NEXT HOME GROWN AUSTRALIAN OPEN WINNER?

SPORTING LINK

By Graham Wilson

A big WELCOME BACK to former Variety Today `Sporting Link' Columnist GRAHAM WILSON (ex the multi-award winning The Four Kinsmen) who's uncanny knack for remembering dates, names and even scores of sporting fixtures around the world, made him a valuable asset to the Variety Today team and, now, we are delighted to have him on board for On With the Show Entertainment. We hope you will enjoy his regular contributions which, although based on the sporting arena, are written from an entertainer's perspective and will, undoubtedly, be full of surprises and a host of interesting anecdotes, as only Graham Wilson can present.

Graham Wilson

Graham writes:

Once again I’ve just come back from Melbourne after watching 2 days of the Australian Open Tennis Championship. I've been going for the last 20 years, daytime, on the Monday and Tuesday of the second week. Why I like these days is because on the Monday you are watching the 4th round & on Tuesday the quarter final matches begin.

Having a ticket to Rod Laver Centre Court normally you are watching the most attractive match, but, if its not a match you want to see you can go and watch matches on the outside courts which might be a better contest.

Many a time I’ve watched champions of the past playing doubles, which is always entertaining and mostly a lot of fun going on. No pressure.

This year, to have 2 new champions is always good value, though I’m always disappointed when Roger Federer gets knocked out. I’m afraid age has probably caught up with Roger. His own countryman Stan Wawrinka, the new Australian Open Champion, is now ranked higher than Roger.

The big question, I keep wondering, is will we ever have another home grown Aust Open Champion. The last winner, Mark Edmondson in 1976, is famous for just that. From memory I can’t remember him winning a tournament after that.

Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt & Mark  Philippoussis just couldn’t do it. There are some younger guys coming through. Will they achieve it for us? Time will Tell.

It is great that we have one of the 4 Majors named after our country. The irony is the countries that have the 4 Majors are all struggling to have a local winner.

Haddin led Aussies to victory

It’s great that the Australian Cricket team once again are the holders of the Ashes. The 3-nil loss to the English cricket team 6 months ago has now been forgotten.

One thing we shouldn’t forget if you look through the score books is the influence Brad Haddin had on the series. The wicketkeeper and his batting at number 7 was outstanding and without his contribution things would not have been so rosy. He never failed.

His numerous batting partnerships, particularly with Mitchell Johnson, were something special and his wicketkeeping was first class. I know Johnson won the Man of the Series Award, but Haddin’s contribution to me was equally impressive.

With the 1st Test in Sth Africa about to commence, the top order batsmen will need to contribute big time if we are to win over there. Their batting and bowling is a class above what England delivered out here. I know I say this all the time but `Time will Tell..'

Time Out!.

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