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by Craig Thomas For many tennis fans, the first few days of a Grand Slam tournament are the best. There is a never ending flow of singles matches on most of the outside courts, and those courts not being used for matches see almost non-stop practice action, often involving the top players. It is a chance for everybody, even if you only have a ground pass, to see the stars close up, take a photo and get an autograph. It is a true tennis fan's delight. One of the highlights for those people who regularly attend the Australian Open over the first few days is the presence of one striking fan, a 6'4" transvestite. Dressed in high heels and extremely brief dresses, she generally spends her time around the two main practice courts which are usually used by the top players. With her sharp wit and loud voice, she on occasion sends the other fans intp fits of laughter with her well observed, sometimes catty and cutting remarks directed towards the training stars (Martina Hingis is a particular favourite). While not all of her performance could be considered G-rated, it is enjoyed by all. One of the surprises of day one occurred on Court 16. Much has been made of a supposed feud between Pete Sampras and Pat Rafter, yet those who saw them training together and chatting like good buddies on that court would have to believe that if there ever was a serious rift between them it has obviously been resolved. Both signed many autographs after their session, to the delight of the huge assembled crowd. Earlier in the day Elena Dementieva and Patty Schnyder also pleased several fans after a practice session. As well as signing for everyone who asked, they were both happy to pose for photos with fans, the photos being taken by Elena's mother and Patty's coach! Another of the highlights for the fans at the Australian Open is the Fan Fest. Here players appear for approximately an hour at a time to sign autographs, answer questions and make themselves available to the fans. Most of the time the top players do not appear at Fan Fest, but today the organizers scored perhaps the biggest coup for an event like this -- Anna Kournikova. While Anna made it perfectly clear she was there to sign autographs and nothing else, the crowd was enormous, forcing the organisers to shut the doors about 20 minutes before she arrived. Still, for those lucky enough to be inside, we can be sure it made their day! |