Tennis--Not what you'd expect!

Many of you, after hearing the term tennis, think of a ritzy, leisure activity that elderly people play in the beaming sun of their southern retirement homes/complexes. A sport so different from that of, let's say football. Of course it is not uncommon in the realm of football to see beer-drinking fans guzzle a few down and then strike up an argument with the opposing team's fans. As for tennis, an outbreak such as this is almost completely unheard of...that was of course until Serbia's tennis star, Novak Djokovic, the defending men's champion, beat Bosnian-born American Amer Delic. Thursday night during the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
News reporters refer to it as ethnic violence. Numerous chairs were thrown around at the conclusion of this match, one chair striking a women and leaving her unconscious. Along with chairs, insults, water bottles and almost anything one could get their hands on to throw were invloved in this chaotic event. Police told reporters that about 30 Bosnian and Serbian youths were ejected from Melbourne Park last night. Some of the men being charged with riotous behavior and one in particular was fined immediately.
Concluding a match, players are brought in to an interviewing room where they are asked questions about thier match, training up to it and how they felt they played. Due to the outbreak during Djokovic and Delic's match all the focus during their interview was centered on the vilence that had occured in the stands between the two players' fans.
On a lighter note, this same day, a man ran down on a court dancing and wearing nothing from the waist down. Security must have had enough antics for the day because he was immediately taken away and arrested for his behavior.
What a day in Melbourne! I can assure you that in all my years of playing tennis, a match has never been so exciting and action-packed as those played yesterday at the Australian Open. However I can tell you that the level of competition the UNK tennis team shows is definitely one reason on its own to come out and support us this season! http://www.lopers.com/tennis/09schedule.htm