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Home , Brian Tobin (tennis), Centre Court, Don Budge, Frank Sedgman, John Fitzgerald (tennis), Ken McGregor

And so within a month I was reporting on both sports. And, lucky compound my the most break, the 1953 titles were To be not to was believed heir apparent Sedgman’s By consensus, because of a perceived ‘Muscles’ dubbed ironically Rosewall, in less than a year, I covered my first tournament, first Grand Slam the my I covered in less than a year, In since I have championships at Kooyong. the years Australian become the immensely popular to the tournament grow watched mass spectacle it is today. for they heralded the arrival in big-time year, a for many significant (and my champions of Kentennis one of our greatest Rosewall, Frank in , players top previous The long-time hero). secret, turned professional, had recently and KenSedgman McGregor, an act that virtually turned sporting them into as it pariahs, national and state future contesting disqualified them from reserved exclusively were championships; in that era such events as cynics dubbed them. ‘shamateurs’ – or amateurs for Victorian left-hander MervynRosewall but the net-rushing Rose, courts.whose game thrived on grass older Rose years was several He was experienced. and far more Rosewall, than the 18-year-old too. bigger, deficiency in that department, in facing and so shy was so boyish picked who’d him as a schoolboy might have you the press, College. the adjacent Scotch from Kooyong to over wandered and Ken in Australia, little had away years was still three Television of cameras and microphones. in front experience of being quizzed ‘twin’ vulnerable than his so-calledHe seemed much more , looks back at more more at back looks ,

Alan Trengove Alan

The fact is, most of us who record the deeds of , the deeds of Roger Federer, most of us who record factThe is, in 1952 in a dreary commenced My at career own room end Western newspapermanI was just a lowly the covering known station, now served old railway The as Southern Cross, I asked eagerly when he hung up. it?’ if I put in for mind ‘Do you Covering the Open the Covering than 50 years spent covering Open Australian the covering spent years 50 than and other champions didn’t plan our lives this way. this way. lives plan our Rafael Nadal and other champions didn’t a fleeting as a reporter began grabbed we and later Usually, opportunity in . specialise to station. I was then a 22-year-old Spencer Street ’s it might have a job that sounds as though roundsman, Western – but no such luck! do with cowboys had something to were number of trade union offices a large of Melbourne, where was a be hectic My of duties could there round whenever located. train or tram strike, dull at other times. but also could be awfully and on this particular reporters, round I day Western as a base for colleague John Dean someone on the phone my telling overheard had just the Melbourne Argus and golf writer for that the tennis Dean, one of later retired. married and had promptly an heiress the job, been offered said he’d leading booksellers, Melbourne’s and had turned it down. the asking.’ for yours it’s sure ‘I’m he said. ‘Not at all,’ People are always asking me how they can become a tennis writer. asking always writer. they are a tennis can become me how People They rather fancy the Australian watch the idea of being paid to Open every the globe at other times and travelling January, soaking up the sun. It than working civilized more seems so much a living. for Australia’s top tennis writer, writer, tennis top Australia’s

12 | the 13 | covering the open engove looking every inch engove r T (top) serving a (top) Rosewall Ken the part as a reporterleft). (below a part as the above: customer in his father’s groceryshop father’s his in customer in 1956; Rod ‘the Rocket’ Laver (bottom Rocket’‘the Laver Rod 1956; in right); Alan Alan right); ­ y. Now, journalists are housed in a spacious media journalists are Now, y. Most quick workers of these journalists are and so skilled In that period the championships rotated between Kooyong, In between Kooyong, that period the championships rotated the press Usually, primitive. gruesomely Some facilities were only one expeditious was there at these venues, Occasionally, of trans system streamlined was a far cryThis today’s from workroom, with television screens on everyworkroom, screens video with television desk providing it is Thus, plus statistics and interviews. in progress, of all matches media the leaving a tournament ever without cover possible to court and some scribes go near a tennis never the entire room, for of a Grand Slam. two weeks send a 1000-word able to that they’re in the use of computers its At end. the ether within seconds of a match’s epic through destination, a sub-editor slots the story allocated the space into compared is that of a Ferrari process The paper. it in next day’s for casual than it is today. Then, at the end of a day’s play at Kooyong, at Kooyong, play at the end of a day’s Then, casual than it is today. a catching or two beer in the clubhouse before sink a leisurely I’d office. If time did run short, a lift the Argus tram or cadging back to storyI dictated a typist my a public phone to in the office. over phone’. ‘mobile was no such thing as a There City and Milton MemorialWhite (Sydney), Drive (Adelaide), , you (). If the tournament was held outside if time ran short; telegram normally stories by sent your and if tennis set up at the a temporary office wasn’t communications checked find out at what time you with the local GPO to ground, lodged you and made sure be closed, of night the building would the deadline. before copy your the one summer to stadium was not used from at a tennis box next,White a nasty and a close inspection shock. could reveal At high up in the City a decomposed corpse one year was discovered stands at the back of the darkdirty and section press – not a bored been seeking who’d perhaps, fan, but a homeless person, tennis shelter. winter Cola an emptyCoca stuff it into copy: you’d ‘running’ send to way down means of a piece of string, by dangle, which you’d bottle, a by it was snatched level, at ground of the stands until, the rear the cable office. who ran with it to messenger boy mitting cop

n most sports, keen rivalries stir enthusiasm and enhance the I Hoad this time lost in the second round, while Rosewall Hoad this time lost in the second round, marvel another teenage in 1953: the Kooyong illuminated Yet They tennis boom. its first Australia Hoad and Rosewall gave worried about his supposed His fans need not have female and a solid physique With style explosive. was more Hoad’s traditions of a tournament. Down the years, I witnessed gripping I witnessed gripping traditions of a tournament. Down the years, Wilander; Federer and Lendl and McEnroe; between Borg contests and Nadal; Evert and Rosewall But Hoad weren’t and Navratilova. also at times doubles partnersonly rivals; they were and close part a large of their lustre their role, Whatever allies. Cup Davis Australian Nationals. rubbed off on the Reporting in the early events ’50s was far more on major tennis , another 18-year-old and a veritable fair-haired Adonis, Adonis, fair-haired and a veritable another 18-year-old Hoad, Lew and unpredictable. though sometimes moody first nine games againsttook the Rose, he where made the final, the older man, who knew prompting a bit about gamesmanship, Rosewall Ken. couple of games!’ me a Give fair go, ‘Aw, moan: to both the remains and today thrash him, however, continued to title. of the Australian and (since 1972) the oldest winner youngest was one. there all seasons if ever A man for the women’s won American Connolly baseliner Maureen relentless woman the Grand Slam, the first complete on to title and went the right found knowing enthralled, I was completely I’d do so. to sport – and the right report time to on it. everywhere; admired country and in their own were they were value the pennies and to son, raised a grocer’s Rosewall, loved. a woman’s many stirred business, in his parents’ ha’pennies maternal instinct because of his modest build and angelic features. that ruled him out of national ‘physical’ While he failed a fragility. the ruthlessness of service, he had the muscled legs of a sprinter, tactics. His sense of and an innate effortless, a born competitor, backhandslightly undercut ranks as one of the most beautiful strokes of all time. tennis he could burywrists of steel, opponent under a almost any and however, be careless, to devastating He tended barrage. easy on lesser players. sometimes went right sport – and the right time to report on it. report to right time and the right sport – I was completely enthralled, knowing I’d found the the knowing I’d found enthralled, I was completely

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th e to a horse-drawn cart. But those less adept beware – hit the they would cut up the turf too much. Shea protested to no avail, o wrong key and you can lose 1000 words even quicker than you and eventually played in bare feet, continually slipping over, as in pen can transmit them. a slapstick movie. Both Americans were eliminated early and were The lack of television until 1956 was a boon to print so traumatised they never returned. journalists, since they were able to write stories knowing that More serious was the occasion on which few of their readers had actually seen what happened. The suspected that the lines on were incorrectly marked talented descriptive writer still had a role to play, and not until for a doubles match; at one end he simply could not land a service the introduction of TV were shot-by-shot sports reports made in play. I was one of a trio of tennis writers who were rebuffed redundant. by indignant officials when we sought confirmation of Rose’s Today, tennis writers are more intent on obtaining the players’ allegation. Later, as it grew dark, I snaffled a 12-inch ruler from the quotes as a way of giving the public something fresh to read. secretary’s office, and used it to check Rose’s claim. Sure enough, In the old days, however, players did not always wish to be inter­ the service area at one end was 18 inches short – an embarrassing viewed after, say, a bad loss or a tantrum. These days they have error in a Grand Slam tournament. I delivered to my newspaper no choice: interviews are mandatory, and a player may be heavily the result of this dubious venture in investigative journalism, and it fined for avoiding a press conference. Communication, in this age made the front page. of intense marketing, is integral to the promotion of the game. I must admit, though, I suffered a twinge of guilt. In that era, Tennis has changed in other ways. No longer are tennis practically all tennis officials contributed their services on an racquets made of wood. Nor any longer are tennis balls white. honorary basis. You might find a bank manager chauffeuring Once, the Australian championships were played over five advantage sets, and, because tiebreaks had not yet been introduced, a match might stretch to more than 70 games. Conversely, it is because of the tiebreak that a player can lose a match without once dropping . In men’s tennis, a 10-minute interval was usually granted if the score stood at two sets to one. Some spectators who rushed to the bar never saw another shot in the match, such was the attraction of refreshment on a hot January day. Players were forbidden to sit down at a change of ends, as they do now. Nor could they use any type of umbrella to protect themselves from the blazing sun. Some stood, quaffing copious amounts of water, with a wet towel draped over their head, and clinging to any shade caste by the umpire, who sat above them in an elevated umpire’s chair. It would have all been good training for the Kokoda Trail. I recall being surprised at how zealous some officials were in enforcing these tough conditions. One famous martinet was the referee Edgar Stumbles. In 1956 he made life difficult for two American players, Herb Flam and Gil Shea, who’d come to Brisbane in quest of the Australian title. Stumbles bluntly rejected Flam’s repeated requests for the use of a chair at changeovers. Finally, Flam sent a boy on a search for a chair, and the lad returned with one from the kitchen. The match descended into farce as Stumbles and Flam almost came to blows in a struggle for possession of the chair. Finally, Flam, in desperation, turned an icebox into a seat and sat down in temporary relief. Shea’s clash with Stumbles was also good fun. Players were usually permitted to wear spike shoes on wet grass courts, but Stumbles told Shea he could not wear spikes on this occasion as

this page: Australians Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall before their US Open 1956 final, won by Rosewall. In the ’50s, tournament draws in both the men’s and women’s and women’s the men’s in both In tournament draws the ’50s, At Kooyong, to make the early stages of the tournament more Two rank outsiders were and DonTregonning. In The umpire hewas “Myrepeated. adamant.“I wife have to go,” light-hearted put my story Argus and I The page, on the front singles were limited to 32 players. Even then, several first-round byes were needed to pad out the program since there simply weren’t enough good players in Australia – or adequate dressing- room facilities – to make a much larger competition practicable. Only a handful of foreigners played in the event, men’s while the fieldwomen’s was often devoid offoreign entries altogether. theToday, fieldfor the Open comprises 128 players in both draws; and qualifying competitions are necessary as well. entertaining, the committee devised what it called‘Pragmatic a InsteadDraw’. of having byes in the firstround, the committee a more-than-useful‘placed’ Melbourne club player alongside the name of an Australian or foreign drawcard, trusting the latter would pass into the second round, though only after a good match.The practice would have shocked purists had they been aware of it, but it served its purpose and you could mostly rely on seeing an interesting match in the early rounds. I came to know some of these tennis battlers rather well because we were fellow- members of Kooyong, and would occasionally meet in the bar. For me, it provided a more intimate perspective to the Nationals. 1953, they met in the first round, and were engaged in a grim struggle on one of the field courts when, at about sixo’clock, the umpire stepped down from his chair and announced that he had to go home said“But to thetea. you“We players. can’t go now,” need you.” Heis thereuponexpecting departed, me.” as did a couple of ball boys. After a lengthy break, the match resumed, with a makeshift girlfriendumpire andTobin’s (later his wife) Carmen Borelli foxing the balls. Tobin a complimentary and a raise. the editor received from note he became, later Years 10. top subsequently made the Australian of the the president Australia and later Tennis of first, the president (ITF). Federation Tennis International Today, almostToday, all Australian Open staffreceive at least a token Among the problems that referees and umpires had to That was the year Lew was expected to complete the Grand ‘I didn’t have a clue what hethey told were me on about,’ I watched a 21-year-old redhead win his first Grand Slam Grand first win his redhead a 21-year-old I watched against a match saving heat after in withering crown Rocket’) (‘The Rodney George His name: . had when he than dangerous more a player never Laver, wall. the to his back players to their hotel; a railway clerk conducting a tournament draw; draw; tournament a conducting clerk railway a hotel; their to players Shepherd, Jim Kooyong, At courts. practice allocating librarian a or invariably would Fix-it, Mr a as background a with businessman a Some down. broke equipment other or pumps when hand on be jobs regular their from leave annual took staff tournament the of tournament the help to wanted and tennis loved they because though well-meaning, criticise to mean seemed It success. a be stuff-ups. inevitable their for enthusiasts inexperienced, amount for their efforts, and the level of professionalism is high. adjudicate 50 years ago were cases of players cramping, a frequent occurrence in Australia’s hot and steamy summer. Any player so afflicted could not receive medical treatment on court unless he or she defaulted. Some defied their pain and would writhe helplessly until obliged to give up. It was at Brisbane, during an interval in the men’s final, that I walked into the clubhouse and found Rosewall battling cramp under a cold shower. Ken’s jaw, in particular, was painfully locked. He could not speak, yet recovered sufficiently to return to the court and lose in four draining sets to Hoad – Lew’s solitary Australian singles crown. Slam. He had won the Australian title, and had added the French andWimbledon titles to it before going to York asNew a warm favourite to win the US title too. He, rather than , would then have been the second man, after , to win all four majors in a calendar year. From a cab window in Manhattan, Lew saw a newspaper poster acclaiming him as the ‘Grandlikely Slammer from Down Under’. years later. He failed to live up to public expectations and lost the final to Rosewall before adjourning philosophically to the clubhouseThe storybar. seems incredible unless you understand that the Grand Slam concept did not receive much publicity at that time, and that Lew was a casual fellow, more interested in catching up on Snoopy than in reading about tennis.

16 | the AUSTRALIAN OPEN 17 | covering the open engove at work in in work at engove r T Alan Alan Gradually, the situation eased. In the ’70s and ’80s, more In more eased. the situation the ’70s and ’80s, Gradually, Informality of the tournament, with Kooyong became a byword their discard would some male patrons On the warmest days, n Lawrence. n o of Australia (TCA)of Australia Jim and Doug comprising Reid, John Brown, of the Open; their promotion over took Sedgman, and Frank main stipulation was that the tournament must be permanently had been many There in sport-madbased thereafter Melbourne. lost money on the Australia) Tennis (now when the LTAA years including the leading players, Most of the world’s championships. were companies that foreign contracted to were Australians, top play players let their cause and reluctant to the Australian cool to poor; were sponsors often unobtainable. Crowds here. including , Ken Rosewall Aussies, top and John often event women’s The Kooyong. to returned Newcombe, such as Chris superstars Evert, Martinafeatured and Navratilova Hana Mandlikova. If all seats were sit in the sun all day. to than happy fans more v Newcombe the famous Connors for occupied – say another classic battle between Evert yet and in 1975, or for to allowed additional spectators were hundred – a few Navratilova imagine court. of centre surrounds on the grassy One can’t sprawl Wimbledon. happening at that ever shirts Eskies – another no-no much at the All Club. were on the was no decent restaurant in evidence; and though there white along sandwiches, – just a pie stall – people took premises and had a picnic in the stands. cans of Fosters, wine or a few above: Park Flinders at seats press the writers tennis fellow by flanked late the (left)Matthewsand Bruce D The only international correspondent that I recall from those from I recall that international only correspondent The 2010 the Open would that by thought have Who would the 1960 At the years. over historic matches many I attended Amid the splendour of the modern tournament, it is easy to days is the American Will Grimsley of . Will would would Will Press. GrimsleyWill of Associated is the Americandays Challenge Round between Cup a Davis for York New arrive from titles the Australian for stay and America, never but would Australia summed indifference That afterwards. immediately that followed them. the world then rated up how That than 650,000? of more crowds aggregate record achieve 1700? And that the number the media contingent alone would $2,100,100? total cheque would pay winner’s redhead a 21-year-old watched I instance, for Nationals at Brisbane, in withering a heat after saving win his first Grand Slam crown His name: Rodney (‘The George point against Neale Fraser. match than when he had dangerous more never a player Rocket’) Laver, the wall. his back to a gawky named the same championships, 17-year-old At the reigning Court) Margaret defeated Smith (later, Margaret to champion, Maria on her way Wimbledon Bueno of Brazil, Australian singles 11 capturing the first of her incredible service tea silver his victory; a lovely for received Laver titles. long been have Women hers. for an umbrella merely Margaret sport.disadvantaged in Australian existence the championships struggled for desperately how forget Camp Tennis 1972, when a private company, up to in the years Australians are justifiably proud of the Open’s rapid growth. growth. rapid of the Open’s justifiably proud are Australians and with its picturesque chestnut trees Roland Garros, It Open is none of these things. Australian has a distinctThe There was only one regret: hard courts replaced grass as McNamee to (later Paul the view then held by I shared Initially, had no option, as the Australia Tennis the fears, But, whatever grass-court bounces, probably wondered if the curator might also curator if the grass-court wondered probably bounces, used its services have of play. on the field unofficial Mecca, the game’s remains of course, Wimbledon, can be While its crowds and conservativewith an orderly image. tradition has not to its adherence and sentimental, both sedate example of installing ’s following it from prevented court. centre over a retractable roof something of the stark has yet bullring innovations, imaginative of nerve, a punishing test facing skillabout it, with players and with its Meadows, And Flushing clay. red stamina on the turgid and non- its raucous crowds sights, its smells and myriad noise, fairground. activitystop the clock – is the game’s – almost around the character partly of its own, informality, its happy moulded by knowledgegoodwill of the season, the tennis of local fans; and sculpted whose greats Aussie former by the tradition provided tournament is indeed one of our The displayed. proudly busts are national treasures. In Open began with the 1988 a new era of the Australian at Melbourneconstruction centre Park of a national tennis on the fringe business of the central Park), Flinders (originally, stadium, “state-of-the-art” district. It included a comfortable which had a retractable roof. the national court surface, thus ending more than a century of tradition. and others that it was be the tournament director), courts hard believed drastically change would We a bad decision. the character of the tournament – and perhaps the character of Such courts tennis. might become a factorAustralian in eventually all- high-quality, attractive, ability play to weakening our players’ court tennis. financial been built without strong could not have new centre Meanwhile, TCA manager John Brown occupied a reconfigured reconfigured occupied a manager John Brown TCA Meanwhile, eateries at Melbourne numerous but Park, are there Today, Another aspect informality is the friendliness of Australian almost scheduled for matches ‘blockbuster’ with Nowadays, the tournament – such as Arthur to superstars lured few The a by troubled was when Lendl On another visit Down Under, goat was resident Kooyong’s after year, year Meanwhile, TCA managerTCA John Brown occupied a reconfigured double-decker bus, while nearby was a media trailer containing typewriters, telephones, and other o’clock. at five champagne served hostess A paraphernalia. double-decker while nearby was a media trailer containing bus, and other paraphernalia. served A hostess typewriters, telephones, o’clock. at five champagne with of informality, love the Aussie for the tournament still caters barbecues in more and for Square, Garden The in picnics for room corners. remote the then president Sir , visiting players. to shown hosts, generous were Dame Mabel, and his wife Australia, Tennis of Observance (because of the Sunday on Sundays with no play and, and umpires cast of players, the entire invite they would laws), for a garden at graceful seaside home Eliza Mount to their officials party that included social tennis. If be at need to every socialising. you time for is little night, there still on duty in the early at 11 am, and are Melbourne hours Park making left not much energy for there’s day, of the following whoopee. – were Vilas and Guillermo Gerulaitis, Vitas Connors, Jimmy Ashe, but return, that they possibly in the hope would like lords, treated with tournament a good relationship forged also because they’d could not When Stubs. and Colin John Brown directors sweaty get laundry home Ivan’s Stubs took done at his city hotel, shirts, her washer. socks and shorts, put them through and his wife do that! to Wimbledon the brigadiers one of at Ask conveniently own kidney his with him provided officials complaint, hessian discreet by the public gaze shielded from toilet, located Loo”. “Lendl’s They called it sacking. courts and “outside” an embankment to overlookingtethered the job The goat’s eye. with an aficionado’s proceedings watched but some itself, on the bank while feasting trimwas to the grass the vagaries to of not accustomed players, overseas bewildered

18 | the AUSTRALIAN OPEN 19 | covering the open congratulates Raftercongratulates Pat The various roofs have contributed significantly to the to the contributed significantly have variousThe roofs experience a vastly different offers A seat at Melbourne Park are sometimes needed to achieve the best result, especially in a the best result, achieve sometimes needed to are country the elements as Australia. as challenged by know that, Fans the last two decades. concept over ‘Blockbuster’ at one be a good chance of witnessing, there’ll rain, hail or shine, courtsof the show classic – a tennis or at home on television, v Rafter Agassi match in 2001, Roddick Aynaoui v El possibly one to in 2009. Verdasco in 2003, Hewitt Nadal v v Baghdatis in 2008, and night summer Saturday a balmy But if it’s than one at Kooyong. a Grand for two of the leading contenders can watch and you sports a veteran break writer’s even it. I might – go for Slam crown golden rule and buy a seat myself! above: after Agassi Andre winner blockbusterat semi-final their 2001. in MelbournePark As it transpired, the loss of grass was generally forgotten in the was generally forgotten the loss of grass it transpired, As grass-court was one of only a handful of outstanding Cash Pat Australian winner of the men’s been the first have would Cash – Swedes the much admired no grumbles: were There in which I the Sydney Morning Herald a piece for I wrote ‘the best facility in Although she described as Melbourne Park a major problem have going to ‘are she continued, people,’ ‘You It was her last appearance Down Under. – on Rod retractable roofs The criticism was unfounded. Chris’s support from the Victorian government. The government wanted wanted government The Victorian government. support the from a multi-purpose facility particularly pop concerts to suited and the work. like.simply wouldn’t Grass and international tennis players foreign of so many excitement tournament the first for writers on Melbourne descending Park in Januaryheld there 1988. Everyone praise on the new lavished cost us a probably of grass the ditching though even citadel, golden opportunity champion. an Australian-born crown to six months Wimbledon won He had field. in the men’s players in a quarter-final, and Wilander Mats beating Sweden’s earlier, the same baseliners two Now, in the final. IvanCzech Lendl but blocked his path at Melbourne He again beat Lendl, Park. so smart surface,game on a slower at mixing up his Wilander, 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 6-1, 8-6. thwarted final, him in a gripping singles since Mark made the final in 1976. He never Edmondson to the last Australian day this to remains again, and Edmondson his head. above Norman Brookes trophy hoist the coveted Anders Jarryd regarded Edberg, Stefan and others – were Wilander, in the women’s controversy was more There Aussies. ‘honorary’ as Evert Graf and Chrissingles between Steffi when a heavy shower was making a Evert, competitor, a tough always play. interrupted start. confused a slow recovery of the roof from brave But closure German the young 6–1, 7–6. her and she lost to Graf whereas arrived rather late, She’d questioned her preparation. the commencement and had spent time before had come 10 days in a letter Chris, practising court conditions. on centre in different and reckoned on her professionalism ‘slur’ my resented me, to unfairly. been treated she’d in bright 13 days sunlight play ‘To she added: bar none’, the world, indoors in dark conditions is a the Grand Finale play and then to at night under the I had no matches especially when bit unfair, lights previously. practice allow indoors on (a) don’t if you in future with the players the stadium court, one indoor play and (b) make players the top rounds…’ the later before night match Court Hisense – and (soon) Margaret Arena, Arena Arena, Laver Open The wonderfulare been used judiciously. assets and have tournament, subject outoor certain an to fundamentally, is still, But it is also mass entertainment, rules. and sensible compromises