Australian Open: The Day Roger Federer Struck Out
MELBOURNE, Australia—The man rocks the first weeks of Slams. For 13 straight years, Roger Federer has reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. For 11 straight years, he has reached the Aussie...
View ArticleAustralian Open: The Berd is the Word
By Bill Simons MELBOURNE, Australia—If you want a defiant tennis quote, where you gonna go? To Vitas, of course. That would be the beloved old legend Vitas Gerulaitis, who after finally besting...
View ArticleAustralian Open: Serena Wins, but the Rock Island Rocket Has Launched
By Bill Simons MELBOURNE, Australia—The other night, everyone was recalling the late, great Vitas Gerulaitis‘ defiant boast after defeating his nemesis Jimmy Connors: “Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17...
View ArticleAustralian Open: 20 Takeaways From the Djokovic–Simon Battle
NOVAK’S SCARE WAS A MATCH TO REMEMBER Bill Simons Melbourne 1. At last year’s US Open, Novak Djokovic reached double figures. Translation: he won his tenth Grand Slam. In his 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3...
View ArticleAustralian Open: Federer Wins the Battle, Djokovic Wins the War
BILL SIMONS MELBOURNE—Thanks to Serena, there are no rivalries in women’s tennis. There are many in the men’s game, but none better than Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic. Forty-four times they had...
View ArticleAUSSIE OPEN BUZZ: Of Shot Puts and Shot Poets and the First Teenage Dad in...
YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN MELBOURNE WHEN…They play cricket in the huge 102,000-seat stadium right by the tennis arena…On changeovers they play “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”…People emanate a certain athleticism…The...
View ArticleBLUR-BABY-BLUR: The Considerable Life and Times of America's Andy – Andy Roddick
Bill Simons MELBOURNE – When Andy Roddick – a raw prairie kid with tons of swagger – powered his way to the 2003 US Open title, it was a big deal. “Whiz kid wins America’s Grand Slam” – now there’s a...
View ArticleVENUS AND SERENA – 'The Greatest Sports Story'
Bill Simons MELBOURNE The ecstasy overwhelmed her. The moment arrived. On Venus Williams’ second match point, her foe’s forehand whizzed long. The Australian Open semifinal was hers. She could not...
View ArticleAUSTRALIAN OPEN: Is Roger Human?
Bill Simons Melbourne – In preparation for reporting a story on a Korean tennis player, I watched a documentary on Hyeon Chung’s homeland. It reported that 65 years ago Korea was “a country of abject...
View ArticleThe Fisherman’s Daughter – Cinderella Danielle Collins
Bill Simons MELBOURNE Danielle Collins is into the performing arts. Acting, the movies, theater – all that appeals to the Floridian. She didn’t win a match at last year’s US Open, but she came away...
View ArticleThe Dawning of the Age of Tsitsipas?
Bill Simons MELBOURNE THE KANGEROO WHISPERER – A QUOTEBOOK: “I’m a kangaroo whisperer.” Danielle Collins on her takeaway from going to an Aussie zoo “They only want to talk about fashion and I only...
View ArticleYes, Naomi, Love is Lovelier the Second Time Around
Bill Simons MELBOURNE Tennis finally got it right. In New York at the US Open, a child wonder, an innocent, had won. But what a hollow victory it had been. Everything had gone terribly wrong. An icon...
View Article“You Feel Divine”– Djokovic Wins Australian Open
Bill Simons MELBOURNE The script for the Aussie Open final was simple. The Next Generation stars had huffed and puffed – and they’d again faltered. Fifty-one of the last fifty-six men’s Grand Slams...
View Article