Laura Robson wears a discrete rainbow hair tie to show her support
Kait O'Callahan is a contributing writer for OnTheGoTennis. She is currently at the Australian Open with her brother and will be sharing her stories from the matches they attend.
It's already hot when we turn up for our first match. The wind is blowing strong and it looks like we are in for a day of shanked balls and double faults. It certainly starts that way as we tune in for Frederick Nielson and Kevin Anderson. Nielson, who we developed a soft spot for during his Hopman Cup choke loss to Gasquet, has fought his way through qualifying and been rewarded with a match against the man who donated a huge chunk of his first ATP title's prize money to saving rhinos. Anderson is too good for Nielson, and we leave after the first set.
A Russian woman is seated in front of us, playing with the pearls dangling from her neck. Her matching earrings and expensive looking black dress stand out amongst the masses of t-shirts and denim shorts. She flits on her high heels towards the shade every few games. It's hot work being that glamourous. She's there to watch Nikolay Davydenko, who appears to be playing well against the very defensive Flavio Cipolla. Unfortunately, that all changes when up two sets up to one, Davydenko begins to tire, and eventually loses in five. It's a disappointing first round exit for a man who used to be world number four. We wonder if it is the last time we will see Davydenko live.
Am I late posting this? Yes. Do I care? No. How could I not want dancing, shirtless, happy Nole on my website? I hope he wins at Roland Garros simply so I can see it again. Enjoy!
In this video, Novak Djokovic strikes a pose with his Australian Open Trophy. He also talks about his celebration after winning the AO, and his hopes for the year. Enjoy!
I was so stoked for this final. Everyone had been hyping it up as a potential 5 set blood bath, a collision between the two players that had been consistently knocking on Rafa and Roger's door for several years, and therefore a preview of the future. So I strapped on my seatbelt at 3:30 am, turned on the TV, and waited to be blown away by Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokovic. And I waited, and I waited, and I waited (you get the picture.)
Novak definitely lived up to the hype andcame out of the gates with his foot on the accelerator and never took it off, (as PMac would put it) but Murray just never seemed to find his game. He looked tense, tired, and uncomfortable, and he never varied his tactics even when they weren't working. Not to say that he played terribly, but he just seemed like he didn't want it, he couldn't find another gear.
In saying that, I don't want to take anything away from Nole. I think he would have beaten anyone yesterday. His court coverage and defense to immediate offense was perfection. He was simply brilliant, and I'm so excited to see what the rest of the year holds for him because if he continues to play at this level, I don't think he will be number 3 in the world for long. I just wish that they both would have brought their A-game so that it would have been a more interesting match to watch. But the hug at then end, and then Nole's strip-tease ALMOST made up for it:
The metamorphosis of Novak Djokovic from the kid you'd roll your eyes at when he retired from matches due to mysterious injuries to the confident man who dominated the AO, and then gave a very eloquent speech at the trophy presentation, makes me feel like a proud parent. (See video below.)
Kim Clijsters won the Australian OpenWomen's Final yesterday defeating Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. The Aussie Open is the 4th Major title of her career and the 3rd since returned to tennis in 2009.
I had high expectations for this match, and the first set didn't disappoint with long rallies and powerful forehands. But, midway through the second set and into the third, no one could hold their service game, and it went a little something like this:
Break, break, break, break, break, break, break, break, hold, hold........Kim Clijsters wins the Australian Open! (Probably not quite like that, but close enough)
It was not exactly the match I was hoping for, especially after watching Francesa Schiavone's epic battle, but it did go the distance, which by default, makes it one of the best in years. The most memorable part came last, when both players showed their personality during the trophy presentations.
Kim fulfilled her promise to a dentist that fixed her chipped tooth:
Before I came here I chipped my tooth at the airport and the dentist fixed me up so quickly and so good, he said 'Promise me if you get to the final then you'll thank me,' so I said 'sure.'
(Notice how she forgot to mention his name....I wonder if he is pissed?)
Poked a little fun at her uncle:
My uncle came to watch me in Doha in the ugliest green trousers I have ever seen. I won that tournament. I'm superstitious so I told him if he's going to come and watch me he has to wear them and he was like 'Oh God!' But he wore them here so thanks.
And then said that the locals could finally call her "Aussie Kim" because she won the title. (She got the name from her romance with Lleyton Hewitt and it stuck with her even after they broke up and married other people. Can we say..... awkward?)
And Li Na was just Li Na. Completely funny and charming:
She continued her comedy routine in her post-match press conference:
Q. Are you disappointed afterwards or are you taking positives out of it?
NA LI: I mean, of course, take positives. I think I play great tennis. I mean, she play better than me. After the match, back to the locker room, I make joke, tennis should only play one set (laughter).
Q. Can you talk about the third set.
NA LI: Third set? I lose the third set (laughter).
Q. What went through your mind when they presented you with the trophy?
NA LI: Little bit big. Yeah, because before I saw the TV, I was thinking maybe like this big (indicating small). But today they give me, it was like this big (indicating large). If I take the trophy, maybe they couldn't see my face.
Q. Can you clarify what you said about your husband at the end of the game?
NA LI: Because I was making a lot of joke for him. I say doesn't matter you are fat or skinny, handsome or ugly, I always follow him, always love him.
Q. Kim's coach once promised to shave his hair if she won a Grand Slam. Was there any promise by your coach or husband if you had won this one?
NA LI: Everything is his. So like prize money, always his. He can do whatever he want.
Yeah, I will take credit card, but is nothing. He was totally control, so... (Laughter).
Q. Have you always been somebody that is a stand up comedian, as we would say, funny?
NA LI: This is the real one. I'm not fake.
Q. It's very refreshing. We don't get that very often.
NA LI: Oh, yeah? Maybe because right now they don't have a lot of good China tennis player. If they grew up, they same like me.
To two of my favorite women on the tour. Congrats.
Here are Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray's player profiles for Head Tennis. Nole talks about his desire to be #1 and his rivalry with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and Andy talks about how he likes to vary his game. To see more player profiles, click here.
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 9:41AM 
Laura Robson wears a discrete rainbow hair tie to show her support
