Australian Open: Sport of Chance? | Teen Ink

Australian Open: Sport of Chance?

May 25, 2011
By Anonymous

The player hovers across the court in an angelic form with nothing but the game on his mind, taking the risk to slam a winner and win the match. You might think that tennis may be a tedious sport, but take in consideration that this sport can be as stimulating and heart-pounding as the climax of a good movie. The preliminary Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year, dangerous and intense, is known as the Australian Open, but what makes this competition so risky? The Australian Open is one of the diciest competitions of the year! The most skilled and proficient players compete basically for the risk and for the essence and psyche of the game. The conditions that the tournament is played in are unbelievable and sometimes critical to the health of the participating players. Australia is a country in the southern hemisphere that is a magnet to many extreme heat conditions because of the dry and arid land.
The Australian Open, also called the Aussie Open, is held in the Middle of the Australian summer, which is the last fortnight of January. The Australian Open is one of the four yearly Grand Slam tennis tournaments, next to the French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon. This time-consuming competition, as serious and hazardous as it is, is held in Melbourne Park. The two primary courts used in the competition are Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena. These courts are also outfitted with retractable rooftops so that the game can still initiate even with the harsh weather. Surprisingly, this tournament is one of the only Grand Slam tournaments with indoor courts (which are very uncommon in professional tennis competitions).
On the court, many professionals never hesitate to bring water and light snacks to a match. It is very important to maintain hydration on the court because of the intense heat. During the year, the extreme-heat policies, vigilant and complex, are put out when temperatures reach dangerous levels. However, there are two types of court surfaces to match the outside atmosphere and weather conditions at the time of the year, Rebound Ace and Plexicushion Prestige. For example, if the majority of the weather conditions for one year are bitter or cold, then Plexicushion Prestige would be used to absorb shock for when a player is recovering from a point or when hitting the ball. Only two players have been able to claim themselves champion on both courts.
When the first ball of the match is served into the court, both the audience and the players go into a stage of focus and intentional silence. The hushed crowd stretches their eyes to the direction of the ball, not knowing what the flexible and clever tennis players may have up their sleeves. Every forced error, winner, or high lobs (which are some of the various types of the winning shots in the game) is a sudden gasp from the audience. The players glide across the court and strike the ball with virtuous strokes. The competing players, heated and ready, face each other, knowing that only one would win. The court experiences in the Australian Open are very electrifying for both the players and the audience, but you can easily be kicked out from a boisterous voice.
Related to just about any professional tennis tournament, the Australian Open also has many specifications for the players. The frame of the racquet must be no more than 29 inches in length and 12 inches in width. The courts also have specifications in length as well, though the material may be in diversity as in other competitions. The scoring in tennis can be very confusing for most spectators, but the players intend to keep the score in their mind at all times, even when they undergo pressure and become nervous or tense. The prize money for the champion for both men’s and women’s singles is 2,200,000 American dollars! Many of the players make sure that they are at their top game and are very eager to get their hands on the prize money.
The Aussie Open is a very exciting tournament and can be easily enjoyed. The high point of all sports is the risk and how hard you try to play your best, especially in this competition. In the Australian Open, many of the pros just play at their peak performance and expect an exceptional outcome, especially when most players can be easily matched by others. The Australian Open gives an excellent example for taking risks in sports, even in serious weather conditions or even if you’re utterly oblivious and you are stuck between approaches. Though, not only pros have the ability to take challenges and be the best athletes in the world. Can you risk it?


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