Do we NEED the Australian Open this year?
Anyone who knows me a little bit is aware that I am crazy about sport in general and I am a crazy tennis fan. I can stay up late or get up at 1am for a match if there's a tournament going on. That is why it is a big disappointment that the Eurosport opportunity didn't work out for me at the end.
The first Grand Slam Tournament of the Year is coming (?) on January 20th - qualifiers start sooner - in Melbourne. This is my favorite GS, with Safin's 2005 victory I will never forget, and I could continue the list why I am typically not available for almost two weeks in every January.
But Australia is on fire for God sake ....
What is bigger?
I think everyone has read about devastating bushfires spreading across the continent. I wouldn't go into details, there are those of you who have already plunged into the climate problem and some of you who are just shaking your shoulder and focusing on your daily problems.
More and more athletes and other celebrities are coming to offer and support the battle against the blaze. My big favorite, the freakish Nick Kyrgios spoke brokenly about how he felt. There will be a charity gala event, you can read about it.
And in the meantime, the main organizer declares that in extreme cases the tournament will take place on an indoor pitch...
I watch the upcoming tournaments - of course I don't sleep - Sidney, Auckland, Brisbane. I'm trying to perceive that there is a rain delay in Qatar. And I feel more and more like this is FUCKING NONSENSE !!
This tournament should be canceled !!!
Let the tennis players, the judges, etc. stand up together to show that the animals, our planet is more important, cancel their flights, offer the entire prize money to relieve the damage, that's $31 million if all is true ...
And, everywhere, people like Roger Federer raise the attention that we are in trouble. It is crazy that countries are selling their air pollution quotas for money, and the list could go on...
But most of all, during one of the demonstrations would someone smash the Australian Prime Minister in the face please ?!