Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 14 - January 28 , 2007
A DOUBLE FOR LORD OF THE SWINGS AND THE LADY OF THE NEW WINGS

The big cheese from Switzerland, the Lord of the Swings, checked into town for his party, and everybody asked, "Who are these 127 other guys? Do they have invitations?"

The big disappointment from Florida arrived as just one of the other dolls. Folks wondered, "Didn't you used to be...?"

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 13 - January 27 , 2007
SISTER SERENA ENDS MASQUERADE AS NO. 81, SEIZES AUSSIE TITLE, BACK IN BUSINESS NO. 14

Sure the name was Serena Williams, but in the pecking order of the tennis universe she was an overlooked No. 81, and hadn't done anything for two years.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 12 - January 26 , 2007
ONE-SHOT GONZALEZ BRANCHES OUT, VARIETY TAKES HIM TO FINAL

He used to be just plain Fernando the Flamethrower or Senor Forehand. His forehand spat fire, exploded with sound and fury, made opponents and nearby observers cringe. It was (and is) a monster weapon.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 11 - January 25 , 2007
Australian Open Day 11

Maybe Lynette Federer told her little boy, "Be sure to be home before dark, Roger."

Whatever the motivation, Roger Federer, who said he was "worried" about wandering Melbourne Park after nightfall with a dangerous character named Andy Roddick at large, waved his racket like a magic wand.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 10 - January 24 , 2007
A HOT TIME IN CHILE AS GONZALEZ SOARS AND WE REMEMBER LIZANA

Does it ever get chilly in Chile?

Probably. But you can bet that millions of Chilean hearts have been warmed by the gigantic exploits of a home boy, Fernando Gonzalez, in the tennis carnival at formerly Flinders Park.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 9 - January 23 , 2007
SISTER SERENA, HANGING TOUGH, AUDITIONING FOR QUEEN'S ROLE

What do you do for an encore?

If you're Sister Serena, aspiring actress whose day job is playing tennis, you take a few bows, smile a lot, and are pleased to be scheduled for another audition Thursday.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 8 - January 22 , 2007
MAN WITH A NEW GURU NAMED CONNORS, RODDICK CONSIDERS HIMSELF A NEW MAN

He was the "Brash Basher of Belleville." Or, as his bygone manager, Bill Riordan, often phrased it: "James Scott Connors, one in a million, the Andrew Jackson of Tennis."

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 7 - January 21 , 2007
IT'S A DAY FOR BIRDS: CZECH LOVE BIRDS AS WELL AS A CHIRPING SERENA

Anxious birds circled and flitted near the ceiling, crying frantically, looking for a way out. The sky had disappeared as the roof of Rod Laver Arena was closed in defense against rain. Magpies, wrens, gulls, crows were trapped. There was no way out.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 6 - January 20 , 2007
REVENGE FOR DAVIS CUP DEFEAT, RODDICK OUTBASHES EX-CHAMP

Hot day. Cold War revisited, tennis style.

That was Saturday when the the late show belonged to Andy Roddick, a revival act in progress. His victim was the powerful Russian arat Safin. As the temperature soared to a humid 90, Andy soared, too, claiming a place in the fourth round.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 5 - January 19 , 2007
SERENA'S GOING DEEPER, WINNING A THIRD ROUND OVER TOUGH PETROVA

Third down and four to go. Suddenly that's the proposition for Sister Serena at the Australian Open, a tennis tournament that she used to own.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 4 - January 18 , 2007
HARD, HARDER, HARDEST -- THE SLUGGING OF CHILEAN CHILLER

Can Fernando Gonzalez be hitting harder than ever? Difficult to imagine, but it has to be seen and heard. It's not just sound and fury. Under the tutelage of his new coach, Larry Stefanki, the Chilean is adding some finer touches, getting more consistent.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 3 - January 17 , 2007
HERE COMES SISTER SERENA AGAIN, SAYING SHE WANTS IT ALL - HOPE SO

Can't you picture the actress, Serena Williams, who also plays tennis, as the dangerous Lady Macbeth? She strides across the green pavement, a baleful look in her eyes, commanding, "Out, damned Kremer!"?

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 2 - January 16 , 2007
AUSTRALIAN OPEN DAY TWO

While the Australian Open cranks up, I think back to the time before opens existed. In the olden days before the decline and fall of the Australian Empire, and the advent of serious cash for flogging tennis balls, there were Empire-builders from this island who were content to play the game for room-and-board, occasional air tickets - and the accompanying laughs.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Day 1 - January 15 , 2007
A SAD AND DISGRACEFUL OPENING DAY AS UNRULY SERBS AND CROATS CLASH

I went to a tennis tournament Monday - and a Balkan war broke out.

As you know, kind reader, we're always using wartime expressions for gamesplaying battles on the sporting fields, and it's usually pretty harmless. Attending a tournament such as the 102-year-old Australian Open is generally a day-not-far-from-the-beach - a time to party in the summertime sun.

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Bud's 2007 Australian Open Diary - Intro - January 14 , 2007
HERE WE GO AGAIN - THE AUSSIE OPEN, LEAD-OFF CARNIVAL OF THE MAJORS

Long way to go, halfway around the world to the global basement. But it's worth it to look in on the Australian Open. This season-opening major, dating back to 1905, is ahead of the other three majors in several respects:

No rainouts. With two retractable roof stadia, the tournament stays in business regardless of precipitation.

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