Men tennis stars humiliate their country, but Tennis Australia eyes the main game

Margaret Court will be a “special guest” at this month’s Australian Open to help celebrate the Grand Slam she completed 50 years ago. ABC November 30, 2019:

Court won 24 grand-slam single titles in her career including the Australian Open, Wimbledon, French Open and US Open in 1970. Only two other women have won those four titles in a calendar year: Maureen Connolly in 1953, and Steffi Graf in 1988. “This is an incredible milestone for me, and I can’t quite believe how quickly the time has gone,” Court said. “Tennis is a wonderful sport and I’m proud to be part of the history of our great game.”

We dominated the sport back then. Ken Rosewall won the 1970 US title and John Newcombe won at Wimbledon. In January five years later our ascendancy came to an end. The Australian, September 14, 2017:

The Australian Open final was played on New Year’s Day and the unbackable favourite was a young, aggressive, seemingly invincible American, Jimmy Connors, who, months before, had demolished a 39-year-old Ken Rosewall at Wimbledon. John Newcombe made the final after patchy form in the early rounds. He won 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6.

It was a hot day and hard work. Ron Reed in the Herald Sun, January 16, 2015:

If it wasn’t the finest moment of Newcombe’s celebrated tennis career, it was probably the hardest-earned … It was also the last hurrah, the seventh and final Grand Slam triumph.

And we have been short of Australian winners since. The Australian, September 14, 2017:

He was defeated the following year by Mark Edmondson, rated 212 in the world. Neither would Edmondson win another singles title and no Australian man has won the local open since.

It was so long ago that this battle of the moustaches was called the Marlboro Australian Open: Peter Stone, The Age, January 6, 1976:

It was the greatest upset for years in world tennis and the first time since the Australian title was first played in 1905 that an unseeded player has won the championship.

Australia has Ash Barty, of course, and we hope she breaks the 42-year drought for local women at the Australian Open. But we’re holding out for a hero among the men. Won’t be this bloke. Tony Jones, Channel 9, August 16, 2019:

Yet again Nick Kyrgios has proved himself to be an embarrassment to Australian sport. Quite possibly world sport. At the conclusion of his tantrum-riddled match against Karen Khachanov, Kyrgios appeared to spit in the direction of the umpire. The incident coming on the back of a verbal spray to the chair umpire, which went like this: “You’re a f..king tool, bro!”

Was never going to be this bloke. Wally Mason, The Australian, ­August 22, 2018.

We’ve said it before, but let’s say it again, perhaps a bit louder this time — Bernard Tomic is an embarrassment. Australia’s tennis fans — or, at least, those long-suffering few of us who haven’t long ago given up subjecting themselves to the pain of watching him — can only cringe at the tanking.

But Tennis Australia has bigger fish to fry. Statement by Tennis Australia, December 2, 2019:

“As often stated, Tennis Australia does not agree with Margaret’s personal views, which have demeaned and hurt many in our community over a number of years. They do not align with our values of equality, ­diversity and inclusion.”