As Good As It Goetz Dispatches From A Road Warrior's Trek Around The Globe...

Tennis Anyone?

AUSTRALIA | Wednesday, 31 January 2007 | Views [1004]

On my last night in Sydney, I found myself in front of the Sydney Opera House. But, I wasn’t there for one last nostalgic look at the beautifully designed Opera House, or even an opera. Instead, I came for a tennis match.

My last night on the continent happened to coincide with the men’s championship of the Australian Open. While the tournament takes place a thousand miles south in Melbourne, tournament sponsor American Express erected a jumbotron in front of the Opera House steps to bring the tournament to life in Sydney. They also set up a two-story hospitality suite and VIP viewing section for card members.

Since I happen to hold an AMEX, I thought I'd try to take advantage of the free hospitality suite, not to mention the free food that would help keep my travel budget in check. But, as hospitality suites can often do, it isolated me from the raucous crowd outside of over a thousand people who’d gathered on the Opera House steps to take in the match on the big screen. So, I quickly departed the hospitalty suite, leaving the free food behind, and took a seat on the opera house steps along with the throngs who'd gathered there.

The crowd was more than just random passersby who just decided to catch part of the match. This crowd had gathered for a purpose. Rather, two purposes actually. Half the crowd was decked out in Chilean flags and painted faces, with patriotic chants to accompany them, to emphatically cheer on their burgeoning Chilean tennis star, Fernando Gonzalez. The other half were similarly attired in all things Swiss to support their lengendary champion, Roger Federer in the Men's Championship.

I might as well have bought a ticket to the match itself as my perch on the steps had all the elements of being live in Melbourne. The jumbotron had a better view than any ticket I likely could’ve afforded. I watched the three set match amongst the throngs who cheered every ace, volley and point like it was happening on a court directly in front of them instead of a television screen. Long rallies sent the crown into frenzied cheers and applause while questionable line calls for their respective players were met with disapproving boos as though their disapproval might actually affect the call. The Chileans chanted Gonzalez’s name repeatedly and sang their national anthem with equal frequency while the Swiss cheered surprisingly loudly for Federer though not quite able to match the Chileans enthusiasm.

But, both sides seemed to believe that there fervent and boisterous support from Sydney could somehow carry through the television and into Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. I ultimately found myself enthralled with the match despite not having nearly the vested interest of the rest of the crowd. If anything, it was the crowd itself and the experience they created that I had a vested interest in and perhaps a reinvigorated interest to visit Chile as soon as possible.

When Federer ultimately prevailed at the end of the match, not a person moved as they even waited to watch the trophy presentation ceremony. Throughout both player's remarks, the crowd on the Opera House steps applauded in unison with those in down in Melbourne. When the telecast ended, the crowd dispersed, but chants from the Swiss and Chileans continued down Circular Quay, past the ferries and trains, and out into the city as they made their way home. While I’ll be lucky to remember who won, let alone who played, I’ll be hard pressed to forget my first visit to the Australian Open in Melbourne on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

Tags: Adventures