Anyone watching the Australian Open?

[Matty P]

Anyone watching the Australian Open? :)

I am just wondering if anyone else in IIS is a tennis fan like me. I love this time of year. If it is cloudy outside, I just tune into the tennis and forget that the clouds are even there. :thumbsup: :whistle:

Great to see some of the Aussies through to the 3rd round.

[leon]

Yep Matty don't mind a good match now and then, it can get very close, bets the hell out of footy.

Leon

[matt]

Hi Matt.

Yep. Am a huuuuge fan of the tennis.

I had the pleasure of going to the Open in 2004, as a working journo.

It's a fabulous tournament, and the folks down there do a great job of hosting it.:)

[taz]

Hi Matty,

Yes love this time of year too...tennis, cricket, and sorry Leon, but not too long till the footy season!

Caroline :thumbsup:

[Matty P]

Is anyone watching the match that is progress right now?

Safin vs Baghdatis?

[taz]

Yep, my money's on Baghdatis! (although the girl in me has to say it's a nice lime green shirt on Safin :whistle:).

Seriously though, I've been to a few open's and seen some great matches!

[Matty P]

My money is on Safin, although Baghdatis looks like he has the upper hand.

I'm hoping this one will go into a 5 setter! It is going to be a ripper if it does. :D

BTW the winner of this match will play Lleyton hewitt. :)

[taz]

Going to have to be a good comeback if Safin's to win...but a pretty good match either way! And the next one against Hewitt will be a beauty...shame I'm working Sat night (it'll no doubt be on Rod Laver then).

[Matty P]

That is a real shame that you will miss Saturday nights match.

Looks like Safin has this set won. :shrug: :D up 4 -1.

[Night Owl]

I'll watch tennis when a nickel iron meteor impacts the tennis center and vapourises it.

I personally dislike how the State of Victoria went in to dept to the tune of 17 million dollars plus, while people waited for medical treatment, just so they could build it for a few weeks use a year! And for what? Just so a few over privledged tax avoiders who live in Monaco can travel here from all over the world and make even more millions, for goaning like B grade porn stars and smashing rackets like spoilt brats.

If its got a ball involved, I've got better things to do than watch it.:rofl:

BTW, there is no such thing as a sporting hero...

[taz]

The "spoilt brat" tennis players will earn millions whether the matches are here, Sydney or Beijing. At least if the open has to be here it brings a lot of money to Victoria through the visitors that come here to watch it. I've only lived in VIC for a few years and have plenty of friends interstate over the years whose only reason for coming to VIC is to got the Tennis, Grand Prix or Melbourne Cup. And believe me they've spent a lot of money on those visits. Agreed it may not have helped those waiting for medical treatment, but at least if the decision was made some locals have benefitted.

And for us tennis fans, we have a great tournament to watch!:)

[erick]

I've been to a few good concerts there - out of the cold and wet of a Melbourne winter!

Oh, and basketball games, when they could fill a 15,000 seat stadium back ten years ago - Go Melbourne Tigers!

[Matty P]

All you had to say is that you are not a Tennis fan, simple. :confuse3:

[taz]

Even put a swimming pool in it a while back?

And looks like you got your wish for a 5th set matty!

[Matty P]

I did get my wish. :thumbsup: This is what you call a tennis match, two big guns going head to head. I am so excited.

Are you still backing Baghdatis?

[taz]

Still sticking with him! But maybe only betting my back shed, not my house! :):)

[ballaratdragons]

No.

I don't like watching Tennis. But whenever it's on I get glued to it. Go figure!

[GTB_an_Owl]

WELL !

didn't that crowd get their money's worth

geoff

[taz]

They certainly did! Great match! Hopefully there are a few more to come!

Bring on Hewitt on Saturday, eh Matty! :thumbsup:

[Matty P]

Wow! What a match, I won't forget this one for a long time.

Make sure you tune in on Saturday for Lleyton Hewitt vs Marcos Baghdatis. Looking forward for that one. :thumbsup: :D :)

[Night Owl]

It brings a lot of money for who in Victoria?

I have never seen visitors to the tennis, golf, Grand Prix, etc handing out cash to homeless people. I personally have yet to be handed any money from the government funding any event that my taxes have gone towards funding and running. The Commonwelth games for example, cost enough to build 8 hospitals around the state, so they could have Uncle McGillicuddys Oats sponsored homosexual drug cheats swim in front of a camera for what... two damn weeks! Yep, sport is the saviour of the masses....

Meanwhile the Public schools are delapidated dumps, the reservoirs are nearly empty, the roads are pot holed goat tracks, or choked with tolls on them what? Sport as a substitute for infrastructure?

The only Victorians who benefit finacially from millionaire spoilt brat competitions are the caterers, who hire 16 year old kids for $5 an hour to charge $8 for a cold bucket of chips, and the likes of Conrad Hilton, Qantas, and all the others leeches.

I'll also mention the biggest winners are commercial television stations. They get money from advertisers to show their adds through an event the public has paid to fund and run, so the likes of the media moguls can make a prime time fortune, that they didn't have to outlay one cent to get! What a stooge for the tax payer. And in any event, if the poor old TV station has to fork out some cash to broadcast the event, they then get to claim that on there tax anyway! Money for nothing for the rich, and the poor bloody tax payer pays for it!

Nothing has changed much since Caesar built the Coluseum in AD50. Bread and Circus's, that's all it is.:thumbsup:

If it has a ball in it, you have better things to do with your life.

[Night Owl]

All you had to say was you like tennis, simpler. ;)

[GTB_an_Owl]

and how do you feel about XMAS Night Owl ?

or shouldn't i ask ?

geoff

[Night Owl]

Superchild myth day is great if you believe ancient middle eastern psychotic episodes as fact, are in a church (a brand that subscribes to it), and have shares in supermarket and liquor outlets, and are in retail.

Its also statistically the best season for domestic violence, suicides, head on car crashes with multiple fatalies while driving under the influence, and stacking on a few pounds! :lol:

[Matty P]

Anyone going to tune into the Tennis tonight? :confuse3:

[taz]

Bit of a close one for the Federer fans out there. :scared:

[Matty P]

What a match! I thought Federer was actually going to loose. :lol: :rolleyes:

Can't wait for the next one, Lleyton hewitt vs Marcos Baghdatis!

Hey Taz, Who are going to back in this match? ;)

[taz]

Hmmm, not really a Hewitt fan, so maybe I'll go out on a limb and say Baghdatis :screwy:...just looking for a good match though!

[Matty P]

I'm backing Hewitt for this match. C'mon Hewitt.

Is they playing on Rod Laver Arena?

[leon]

Yep that was some match, they both deserved to win.

Leon

[taz]

Not sure? The ladies match is on now, and I suppose people have paid for the night session, so I guess it's on after that...midnight??? In which case I shall be getting the result tomorrow. :)

[taz]

there's certainly been some good matches already! Hopefully the second week will be the same. :)

[Matty P]

Taz, did you stay up for the match last night?

[goober]

I'll say! Fed's the best I've seen play, and I've seen a lot of tennis. He didn't seem to play that well today, but he wasn't really allowed to. Great match.

(Still recovering from the 2:30am finish last night...)

I think it will be a good night for Cyprus tonight.

[taz]

Yep, my money's with you too!!:)

[GTB_an_Owl]

so you all wnet to bed eh!

geoff

[Jazza]

there's been some absolutely awesome matches... I was impressed by the german dude Kolschreiber in the andy roddick match. Awesome backhand :)