AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2012
Melbourne, Australia
by ATP Staff
|
27.01.2012
ATPWorldTour.com takes a look at the news and talking points at the Australian Open on the second Friday.
BALL KID CATCH GOES VIRAL
Fourteen-year-old Dylan Colaci could not have picked a bigger stage on which to showcase his fine reflexes. In Roger Federer’s Australian Open semi-final clash with Rafael Nadal on Thursday night, the Swiss flicked a ball to the side of the net post, which ball boy Dylan plucked out of the air. A video of the catch has since gone viral on YouTube.
The Telegraph reports: “His speedy reaction to snaffle a stray ball with an outstretched hand drew rapturous applause from the crowd. It even prompted the commentator to compare him to Australia’s prolific slip fielder Ricky Ponting. Now the video footage of his superior skills have caught the eye of online admirers with nearly 800,000 views on YouTube.
Speaking after the match, the teenager said he reacted instinctively when Federer casually disposed of a ball after a fault on his first serve. ‘I didn’t have much time to think about it. I just stuck my hand out and the ball just stayed there. I couldn’t believe it myself but then I just had to get straight on with the match. As soon as I got off court everybody was talking about it. My parents texted me and it was on Facebook.’”
NOT THIS YEAR FOR MURRAY
Speculating in the Channel 7 commentary box, both Lleyton Hewitt and Jim Courier said they did not think Andy Murray would win his first Grand Slam title this year due to the staggering competition he faces from Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Both were quick to add, though, that they believe the Scot will taste Grand Slam glory at some stage in his career, with his best chances coming at the Australian Open or the US Open.
NADAL SUPPORTING GASOL
In a video he filmed for fans following his late-night semi-final win over Federer, Nadal urged his followers to vote for fellow Spaniard, Pau Gasol in the 2012 NBA All-Stars. The Spaniard has also joined the tweet campaign during his Australian Open campaign, using the Twitter hash tag #HagamosHistoria (‘Let’s make history’). “I will ask all my fans to vote for Pau Gasol,” said Nadal. “I think he deserves to be there. He’s a fantastic person, fantastic player. So we will be supporting him and vote for him please.”
FACES IN THE CROWD
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was front row as the gripping semi-final contest between Djokovic and Murray unfolded on Rod Laver Arena on Friday night in Melbourne. Also in the crowd were Australian tennis legends Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall, comedian Andy Lee, Gold Coast Sun’s AFL captain Gary Ablett and Home Away actress Ada Nicademou.
Article source: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/01/4/Australian-Open-Day-12-Diary-Ball-Kid-Catch.aspx
January 27, 2012
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