Bud's Australian Open Diary January 2004

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Time To Talk About The Genuine Grand Slam
Now there are only two. Two people capable of a genuine Grand Slam for 2004: Justine Henin-Hardenne and Roger Federer, Australian Open champs. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #11 - Bye Bye Father Timeless Jan.29, 2004
The young fellow from Moscow put the clock on Father Timeless --Andre Agassi -- and counted him out.  It took a while, almost four hours Thursday night, until the essential time separating them, almost 10 years, became apparent, and the young fellow from Moscow, 24-year-old Marat Safin, continued as The Story of this Australian Open by clipping Andre’s ancient wings. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #10 Jan.28, 2004
The big story of this year’s Australian Open would have pleased a bygone Russian hacker and scribbler named Leo Tolstoy, who had a court at his country home, Yasna Posnaya, a few hours drive outside of Moscow. >>>MORE

Buds' Australian Open Diary - Day #9 Jan.27, 2004
The last of the Americans at the Australian Open are Andre Agassi (no surprise) and Lisa Raymond (quite a surprise).  Also a surprise is the disappearance of Andy Roddick, and his No. 1 ranking. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #8 Jan.26, 2004
Australia Day did not begin or end well in the tennis precinct.  A national holiday Monday, celebrating the arrival of English settlers on this island, which they were to take over from the natives (same as happened in the United States), it was a day for parties, pride, patriotic prattle, performance on sporting grounds. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #7 Jan.25, 2004
Chinese residents of Melbourne paraded Sunday to celebrate their New Year. At Rod Laver Arena an athletic 24-year-old Thai named Paradorn Srichaphan was trying to rain on Andre Agassi’s parade toward another Australian Open title. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #6 Fall of the House of Williams. Jan.24, 2004
The fall of the House of Williams – at least momentarily – was the least expected calamity as the Australian Open completed its first week with a last sighting of Venus. For the first time since Wimbledon 1997 neither Williams is in the fourth round of a major. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #5 France lost its Patience Friday. Jan.23, 2004
OK, I couldn’t help myself, writing that lead. Couldn’t resist. But Patience didn’t resist either. That’s 23-year-old Olivier Patience out of Boulogne, who lost his place in the Australian Open to James Blake quickly, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #4 January 22, 2004
Do or die for dear old Keystone High?
Not exactly for KHS's leading athlete, Maria Sharapova.  Or at least I think she is.  Can I name another?  No.  But neither can she.  But as a junior class member, ranked No. 33 in the world, playing the Australian Open, winning her second round match Thursday over Lindsay Lee-Waters, a young mother, 6-1, 6-3, Sharapova must be making the folks at KHS feel proud.  Whoever they are or it is. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #3 January 21, 2004
Ivo Karlovic has played 6 sets, 39 games, made 44 per cent of his points with aces (54), never lost his serve – and is on his way home to Zagreb. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #2 Venus is back January 20, 2004
Venus is back. That's the best news yet in this two-week carnival called the Australian Open. The game has been without her and Little Sister Serena for six months and they've been sorely missed.  Nobody can match the Sisters Sledgehammer (Venus and Serena Williams) for bash and panache - other than Andre Agassi. >>>MORE

Bud's Australian Open Diary - Day #1 January 19, 2004
In the good old summertime (bottom of the world style), the 99-year-old Australian Championships lifted off with a record throng of 36,398 flowing across the grounds of Melbourne Park, as skimpily-dressed as possible in 90 degree heat. >>>MORE

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