Crashing brand
Hitting a ball inside the lines and managing to do it well at the right time of the match is the thing that I like in tennis. I love the sound when the ball touches the strings and the different spins. I don´t pay much attention to the brand of clothing and racket any player … Continue reading
The magic of saving a match point
The first round of the Australian Open was anything but easy for Angelique Kerber. She fought hard but her opponent matched her stroke by stroke. In the first set Kerber led by a break, but let the lead slip away and lost a tiebreaker. In the second set she led again, but lost the advantage. … Continue reading
Jet lagged, but quite happy
Thank God there is still tennis on TV. Otherwise I would just be terribly frustrated by waking up at midnight. Having just returned from Melbourne, by rhytms are still in Melbourne time. I can´t stay awake beyond 6 pm, but can´t sleep beyond midnight either. I was aiming to wake up just before 2 am … Continue reading
Look at Katerina now
On Wednesday I saw the best hitting in this tournament this far. And it came from a woman I didn´t expect. In the morning I wanted to see Svetlana Kuznetsova because she won Sydney and she is a Grand Slam champion, of course. What I ended up to see was Katerina Bondarenko hitting winners right … Continue reading
Rafa has lost a step
I don´t think if I ever had seen so much tennis I wanted to see in a single day that I had yesterday. I started at Margaret Court Arena which I had tickets for watching Madison Keys against Zarina Diyas, then continued with Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev. Because I already saw the latter matchup … Continue reading
My minute in the spotlight
Standing in the shade, waiting for the Australian Open gates to open, a TV cameraman and a reporter came just beside me with their heavy equipment. “Good place to be here” one of them said and I answered something back. Immediately the reporter asked me “Where are you from?” When I answered and told him … Continue reading
A draw ceremony to remember
In my first full day in Melbourne I wanted to see some qualifying tennis at Melbourne park. So I left my accommodation early and planned to watch some glimpses of play. I don´t want to spend the whole day at the qualifying, otherwise I would be ovet-tennised before the tournament begins. However, I saw something … Continue reading
The most un-Finnish tennis player
This is becoming quite funny. Almost every time I open the TV, there is a Finn playing tennis with an Australian and winning. As a Finn in Australia, this has kept me watching tennis in the evenings in Perth. Henri Kontinen and John Peers just happened to win their first tournament together in Brisbane. I … Continue reading
Amelie is back!
Entering Perth Arena today I immediately noticed somebody who has not been around for about six months. Amelie Mauresmo was there on court with Andy Murray for the warm-up. Andy certainly doesn´t belong to the chauvinist “women players are fat lazy pigs” men. She has often talked publicly very admiringly about various female players. And … Continue reading
Serena away, it was mixed that made the day
Serena, Serena, you let me down. I bought just these tickets to see you, but you didn´t show up. Knee injury, they said. OK, was it just a tame explanation for the fact that you arrived here just two days ago, hoping to be in shape to play. You should ask Andy Murray how to … Continue reading
Tennis-Minna 