Time to re-shuffle the deck. After five years on the web, we’ve decided to make some changes in BudCollinsTennis.com – in appearance, incorporating new technology, making dialogue between readers and me easier. Rather than a daily who-beat-whom-and-won-what, I’ll offer my observations and welcome yours.
I’ve been fortunate in being whisked across the globe for decades by this game, and I’ll be sharing some of the fascinating experiences and destinations.
Meanwhile, keep on hacking. While your own game may not take you to Wimbledon, it’s more important than Nadal or Federer’s because it keeps you moving (in whatever manner) and, for a valuable while, rescues you from the cares of the day.

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June 23 2008 | Messages | No Comments »
That 110-year-old pot is around again, in circulation, lusted for but largely unnoticed. It’s the Davis Cup, a wonderful – if wacky – chase for a chunk of silver and bragging rights as world champs for the country that survives.
The first round has been played, and – stick around – we won’t know until December who will grasp the big punchbowl, currently languishing under lock and key in Spain. That’s the wackiness. Though the epitome of tennis pressure and excitement, Davis Cup is about as easy to follow as a maze, stretching across the world and year for three more rounds: July, September and the December climax. continue reading »
Tags: Davis Cup, SERBIA vs USA
March 09 2010 | Davis Cup | No Comments »
On March 7, Ivan Lendl will celebrate being on this earth for a half-century. A half-century was how long it felt that this towering Czech dominated tennis, reaching eight straight U.S. Open finals from 1982-1989, holding the No. 1 ranking for 269 weeks and winning 94 singles titles. continue reading »
Tags: Ivan Lendl
March 04 2010 | Misc. Articles | 1 Comment »
February 16, 2010 marks the 51st birthday of John McEnroe. Here’s his profile as it appears in my book THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS ($35.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com) continue reading »
Tags: Andre Agassi, Australian Open, Davis Cup, French Open, Lleyton Hewitt, New York, New Zealand, Tennis, Travel, Wimbledon
February 16 2010 | Misc. Articles | No Comments »
Federation day fireworks in Melbourne, near the tennis
“This is going to be the greatest Scottish victory since we beat the English at Bannockburn,” a Scotsman was telling me before the Australian Open final commenced.
When was that, sir?
“Why, 1314,” he answered, as though it were yesterday.
Andy Murray, the great bright hope of Scotland and Britain, hopes he doesn’t have to wait that long to win a tennis major and acclaim as his land’s most prominent victor since the Scots of Bannockburn. continue reading »
Tags: Andy Murray, Men's Final Oz Open, Roger Federer
January 31 2010 | Australian Open | 6 Comments »
Shrine of Remembrance seen from the Battle of Lone Pine (6-9 Aug 1915) tree propagated from seeds brought from Gallipoli
Crazy.
Crazier and crazier it got. If this was a prevue of major title bouts in another endless New Year in tennis, get ready for high wackiness – beauty, bizarre and bumbling. But that may keep it as exciting and exasperating as the female end of the Australian Open Saturday night.
It was Sister Serena’s ball game, as it figured to be – her fifth term as champ, receiving the trophy from the only woman to exceed that number, Aussie Margaret Court, a winner 11 times between 1960 and 1973. continue reading »
Tags: Justine Henin, Oz Open Ladies' Final, Serena Williams
January 30 2010 | Australian Open | 2 Comments »
Margaret Court and Bud celebrating the 40th anniversary of her 1970 Grand Slam
How about a party, mate? Aussies love a high-spirited get together, and the chance to throw one. What better reason than to hail the chief collector of important tennis championships?
That would be Margaret Court, the No. 1 guest at a celebratory Melbourne Park luncheon on the day of the female final, an occasion she graced many times.
You might say she crawled into tennis anonymously, yet departed upright, draped in headlines and stardust and all the right stuff that could flow from a racket. continue reading »
Tags: Grand Slam, Margaret Court
January 29 2010 | Grand Slam | No Comments »
A beautiful gum tree at the Royal Botanic Gardens
How many millions of Chinese were tuned in to their fellow citizens, Na Li and Jie Zheng, Tuesday? Good question. Safe to say more than any tennis audience ever, American or otherwise.
This was an historic afternoon for Chinese tennis, long a nothing subject. Na and Jie were the first two Chinese women to crash the singles semifinals of a major, the Australian Open, and they were on live TV in their home towns, Wuhan and Cheng Du respectively, as well as the rest of their vast country. continue reading »
Tags: Jie Zheng, Na Li
January 28 2010 | Australian Open | No Comments »
Court Seven at the Oz Open ... the city nearby
Reporters were scuffling about to discover when, if ever, the Sisters were both beaten on the same day. Venus was out of the Aussie Open, having blown leads while losing to the Chinese Li Na after a strong start, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5. Hard to believe.
Serena, the reigning champ, sporting more bandages than a first aid station, was falling apart against Viktoria Azarenka, down a set and 0-4. The presumed Sisterly semis was not to be. So when was the last time they took a double hit in a major? Go back six years to the French quarter-finals when Venus was downed by the champ-to-be, Anastasia Myskina, and Serena fell to Jennifer Capriati. continue reading »
Tags: Azarenka, Jie Zheng, Na Li, Williams sisters
January 27 2010 | Australian Open | No Comments »
Australian Open 2010
The reign of Rafa I is over.
It was a night of fireworks in Melbourne – in the sky and on the tennis court below as Rafa Nadal lost his crown. The reign from Spain startlingly fell on the plain called Rod Laver Arena as Nadal dethroned Roger Federer a year ago in 5 thrilling sets.
But there was no 1-2 rematch. Nadal was ushered out in the quarter-finals by a brilliant Scottish upstart, Andy Murray. As I have said before, Nadal, though only 23, just ain’t the same guy who owned Paris, won Wimbledon and leaped past Federer to No. 1. continue reading »
Tags: Murray, Nadal
January 26 2010 | Australian Open | 2 Comments »
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