It’s the first Grand Slam of the year. This writer has covered the event well over a dozen times and these are his thoughts from the 2010 tournament.

Article By: Dave Worsley

Serena Williams might be a good player. Very good in fact, but she is still rude, bad-mannered and self serving. She also forgets what she stands for in the sport.

The disruptive fans who were allegedly Croatian and caused a bit of mayhem at the start of the tournament, were not Croatian, but mainly Australian born.

Did those who claimed the 2010 Australian Open was boring, actually watch the tournament at all?

Andy Murray can run and hit great angles…so can Nikolay Davydenko. In fact every male player is running down balls which in the past were certain winners. No wonder there are so many injuries. Players are throwing their bodies around the court.

Aussie Open organisors got it right in moving the Booze Area to a new location now called the Grand Slam Oval leaving a place for families to watch the play in Garden Square without some of the near riotous behaviour which occurred in the past.

Henri Leconte, the former French pro is one of the funniest men in sport. Leconte commentated, played in the over 35’s tennis, enthralled fans young and old and was generally a great guy to have around the tournament.

The weather wasn’t that hot. In fact it was more than a little chilly at night

The Chinese are taking over…While 2000-2010 was the time of the Russian female tennis players watch for this decade to be Chinese while the media from the world’s most populous nation are also coming too in droves. Their understanding of the game is improving as well. No longer will Roger (make that Loger) Federer be told by Chinese media that he is popular because he has a nice smile and a big nose.

While one Belgian excelled…another bombed. What the heck happened to Kim Clijsters?

Lilly Allen made a very, non pop star appearance at the Australian Open. Prince William made a royal appearance and even thrilled Federer.

There were a lot of injuries in both the men’s and the women’s draw.

Swedish tennis is even worse off than Australian tennis, but not as bad as New Zealand tennis. Sweden has top 20 player Robin Soderling and then daylight as their second best or around 200+.

Marin Cilic played a lot of tennis – three five set matches and a couple of four setters.

John Isner is tall.

No Australian has won the men’s title since Mark Edmonson in 1976

The Australian Open has been played in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Christchurch and Hastings.

Roger Federer is good.