Musings of Melbourne Park

Don't cry Andy. You are just 22.

The Australian Open in my opinion is probably the most under-rated of the four Grand Slams (my apologies to the Flushing Meadows). I guess the Melbourne Park should garner more fans purely because it's the first Slam of the year and more importantly it somehow consistently throws up newer and unseeded players in the last four atleast.

However great my job description sounds, it's quite difficult to be able to catch all the action or even most of it (in the initial stages for sure). But I did end up watching some of Australian Open 2010.

The good part is, after yet another Slam, a player like Roger Federer reiterates that he is infact one of those few sportspersons who arrive once in a lifetime. We are all pretty sure now that no other generation will see one quite like Federer.

The bad part is, I hated admitting that.

Federer has his follies. Or maybe people like me, just love scrutinising a bit more.

I was surprised by what I witnessed from Andy Murray on Sunday. He showed me, if not anything else, that he had heart... and a lot of it. The scoreline says nothing much. It says that Roger Federer re-claimed the Australian Open beating Andy Murray in straight sets. But I guess this was one of the most intense, emotional matches the Scot has ever played. And not only because it was his first final at the Australian Open.

He had thrown a lot of himself into this match.

The tears told me a lot about Murray. Here was a shy, not so articulate, visibly un-smart, churlish even, quiet, i-try-my-best-not-to-be-so-funny guy who was crying after losing to arguably the best player in the history of the sport.

All I wanted to say was 'Andy don't cry..' Not because you didn't deserve to lose, not because you didn't get to win a Grand Slam title.. but because you want to bet there is more heart left.

But what can I say about the man who went on to win the title... He made sure his not-so-clever joke on Britain unable to shake off the 1,50,000-year drought (I am sorry Federer if i got the figures wrong), did not fall flat. And yes, the effort probably did not sap him much. He however, will most definitely think twice and some more, before scorning the Spaniards.

But scrutinies aside, Federer seems quite invincible really. Critics like that... and dislike that too. It's great to see someone reach dizzying heights, better his own self and challenge all. But it is even greater to see someone else shake him up once in a while.

Rafael Nadal left many disheartened. He limped out of his quarterfinal against Andy Murray even as many willed for him to continue. I cannot help wondering if it is time for this Hailey's comet to disappear.

There is this nagging doubt in the back of the head that this boy-man has probably given the sport his last and its best. You would hate that, because Nadal somewhere has been the only man who succeeded in getting under the skin of Federer.

But more significantly Federer, if he were indeed the true champion, would hate it even more.. because Nadal, 'is just too much fun.'