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    • Scott_Drummond

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Latest Videos

    • CEO of Tennis Australia

    • Steve Woods CEO of Tennis Australia and John Fitzgerald, Board Member of Tennis Australia sit down with Sport Hydrant's Stephanie Brantz. Stephanie starts by asking them about Tennis Australia's vision to become Australia's most popular sport. Considering 3.2 million people current play tennis in Australia, Tennis Australia aims to have 4 million Aussies playing Tennis by 2016. So just how will it be achieved? CEO STEVE WOODS WITH PAT RAFTER   The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.

    • Tennis' Hot Shots

    • Tennis Australia Board Member John Fitzgerald discusses with Sports Hydrants Stephanie Brantz the Hot Shots initiative to get kids on the court.   Todd Woodbridge and Craig Morris then reveal the ideas to engage the new society of Australia's immigrants and youth into Tennis. Morris believes we have to engage with the domestic fight for the best athletes to get the next Australian champion that drives the broadcast dollars.   The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.

    • Tennis' Awesome Foursome

    • The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.

    • Where are the tennis stars?

    • Steve Woods and John Fitzgerald discuss Australia's fall from grace with the giant competition that is the Davis Cup. Do we need to take responsibility or is the changing face of the game itself to blame? Sport Hydrant's Stephanie Brantz asks the CEO and the board member the tough questions.   The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.

    • Leaders of Tennis Australia

    • Tennis Australia's leading representative talk about their first recollections of the community of tennis and where the future will lead today.   The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.

    • Tennis Balls for Kids!

    • Tennis Australia has introduced a new ball for kids. They are call the LOW COMPRESSION BALL. The low-compression red, orange and green balls will help children learn to play tennis quicker and easier. What are low-compression balls? There are three kinds of low-compression balls – red, orange and green – which are all softer and bounce lower than a yellow ball. Because they bounce lower, players have more time to hit them, which allows better control and helps kids develop correct stroke technique. Yellow balls bounce too high and quickly for children. Why use low-compression balls? Ideally, players hit groundstrokes between waist and shoulder height. If children learn with a yellow ball, then playing with efficient, realistic technique and tactics is difficult, as players either have to:  take the ball early,  play most groundstrokes above the optimal strike zone (in line with, and above the head) play far behind the baseline and take the ball late, waiting for the ball to drop. The low-compression red, orange and green balls bounce lower and are slower, which makes them perfect for the varying heights and skills of children.   The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.  

    • Alicia Molik 0 to 100 in 5 months

    • FROM PARLIAMENT HOUSE CANBERRA ALICIA MOLIK TELLS THE GUESTS AT THE SPORTS ADVOCACY GROUPS TENNIS DINNER ABOUT HER DECISION TO TRAIN FOR A COMEBACK TO HER GLORY YEARS. About Alicia Molik Alicia Molik won her first grand slam doubles title at the 2005 Australian Open with partner Svetlana Kuznetsova. She reached the top ten on the WTA tour for the first time in early 2005 following her first Grand Slam quarterfinal singles appearance, at the Australian Open, where she lost 9–7 in the final set to Lindsay Davenport. Molik won the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens in the women's singles competition beating then World Number 3 Anastasia Myskina of Russia in straight sets 6–3 6–4. She has also won the Zurich Open, a Tier I tournament, defeating Maria Sharappova in the final. 2005: Rise to the Top 10 Molik began 2005 by partnering Mark Philippoussis in the Hopman Cup. She then played in the Sydney International, defeating unseeded players the entire way through the tournament before taking the title over compatriotsam Stosur in the final, 6–7 6–4 7–5.[Molik then played in the Australian Open as the 10th seed. She defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues in the first round, Aiko Nakamura in the second round and Tatiana Panova in the third round to set up a meeting with 8th seed Venus Williams in the fourth round. Molik defeated Williams in straight sets 7–5 7–6 to become the first Australian woman to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals since 1988. Molik then played in her first ever grand slam quarterfinal against top seed Lindsay Davenport. Davenport defeated Molik in a marathon three set match, 6–4 4–6 9–7 Molik then won her first grand slam doubles title with Svetlana Kuznetsova. After the Australian Open, Molik rose into the top 10 in singles for the first time in her career, at No. 10. Molik then played in the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, making the semifinals before losing to Amélie Mauresmo 6–3 7–6.However, she defeated Mauresmo in the Tier II Qatar Total Open semifinals 7–6 6–1 to set up a meeting with second seed Maria Sharapova.Sharapova defeated Molik in the final 4–6 6–1 6–4. Molik then rose to No. 8 after the tournament. As the 7th seed at the Tier I Indian Wells tournament, Molik made the fourth round before losing to a returning Justine Henin 6–4 2–6 6–2. This was the second last time in 2005 that Molik won past the first round at a tournament. After crashing out of the tournament in Amelia Island, to Virginie Razzano 6–4 6–4, Molik took an extended break due to an inner ear infection,which caused her to miss the entire clay court season including the French Open. Molik returned at the grass court season in Birmingham, however, lost in the second round after a first round bye to Laura Granville 6–4 6–2. Molik then took another long break, missing Wimbledon, due to the ear infection. She then played only one lead in tournament for the US Open, losing in the first round to Gisela Dulko 6–2 6–4. Seeded 14th at the US Open, she lost in the first round to Shenay Perry 6–4 6–4. Molik then won her last match of 2005 at the tournament in Bali as the third seed, making the second round before losing to Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine 6–4 6–2. Molik then lost in the first round in her last four tournaments of the year, Beijing, Filderstadt, Moscow and Zurich. Molik finished the year ranked 29th, with a 17–14 record. Ear Infection In late 2005, Molik was diagnosed with vestibular neuronitis, an inner-ear condition caused by a virus that affected her balance, vision and energy level. In October 2005, she announced that she would be taking an extended break through the 2006 season in order to recover. However, her recovery appears to have been faster than expected, and in April 2006 it was announced that Molik would be part of the team for Australia's Fed Cup group matches later that month. However, Australian Davis Cup Captain, David Taylor announced that Molik would not be selected as of lack of match play and rustiness. Instead, rookie Casey Dellacqua took her place. 2006: Return from Illness Molik made her return from the ear infection at the Italian Open in 2006, losing in the first round to Katarina Srebotnik 6–2 6–0, and then lost to Austrian Tamira Paszek 5–7 6–4 6–4 in the first round in Istanbul. Molik then won her first match since returning at the French Open of 2006, reaching the third round after defeating two relative unknowns and then losing to 4th seeded Maria Sharapova 6–0 7–5. Molik then played a The Championships, Wimbledon warm up in the Netherlands, losing in the first round to 5th Seed Ana Ivanović 6–1 3–6 6–2. At Wimbledon in 2006, she reached the second round by defeating Yung-Jan Chan 7–6 6–1, but then lost again to 21st seed Katarina Srebotnik, 6–2 6–1. Molik then lost in the first round of Stockholm, Montreal and New Haven. She had high hopes for the 2006 US Open, but was shocked 6–3, 6–2 in the first round by the 17-year old Vania King. She gained revenge over King in the first round of the Guangzhou Open, reaching the quarterfinals after also scoring an upset victory over a top 50 player Lourdes Domínguez Lino and then lost to 1st seed Jelena Janković 6–3 7–5. After these wins she broke back into the top 200 at 179 and then played in Tokyo where she defeated Jelena Kostanić 7–5 6–3, before losing in the second round to Jamea Jackson 6–3 6–1. Molik then suffered first round defeats in Bangkok, losing again to Vania King 6–1 7–5, and Zürich, losing to Shahar Pe'er 6–1 6–2. Molik then finished the year by losing in the first round of qualifying at the Generali Ladies Linz, 3–6 7–5 6–4 to Yaroslava Shvedova. 2007: Comeback Gains Momentum Molik won a wildcard into the 2007 Australian Open by winning the Australian Open Wildcard Play-offs, where she defeated 16 year old Australian Jessica Moore in the final 6–4 6–4. In preparation for the Australian Open, Molik competed in the 2007 Hopman Cup in Perth and scored victories over world No. 6 Nadia Petrova, and Ashley Harkleroad. Molik's final Australian Open warm up tournament was the Moorilla Hobart International were she reached the quarterfinals, beating two higher ranked opponents on her way before losing to doubles partner Sania Mirza. Molik also reached the doubles quarterfinals in Hobart with Mirza, before losing a close match to the number two seeds. During the Australian Open 2007, Alicia Molik won through her first and second round matches against rising Chinese Taipei's Yung-Jan Chan 6–2 7–6, and Estonian Kaia Kanepi 1–6 6–3 6–2, before losing a 3-setter against the eighth seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, 3–6 6–2 6–0. With her impressive 3rd round performance, Molik improved her then-141 ranking to inside the top 100, the first time since withdrawing from numerous tournaments due to that ear infection. After the Australian Open, Molik reached the second round in Pattya, Bangalore, Dubai and Doha, before playing in Indian Wells, where she reached the third round, losing to 10th seed Ana Ivanović 6–2 6–1. Molik then had three consecutive first round losses, in Miami, Amelia Island and Charleston. She then finally won a match in the clay season, in Strasbourg, before losing to Anabel Medina Garrigues. Molik then competed in the 2007 French Open, losing in the 1st round to 9th seed Anna Chakvetadze 6–2 6–3. However, Molik teamed with Mara Santangelo to win her second Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open. Molik then played in two Wimbledon warm up tournaments, reaching the second round in Birmingham, however, lost in the first round in Eastbourne to Melanie South 1–6 6–3 7–6. Molik was able to rebound, and easily won her first round match at Wimbledon, defeating Russia's Anastasia Rodionova 6–3 6–2, before losing in the second round to Serena Williams 7–6 6–3. Molik and Santangelo, the sixth seeds in the doubles tournament, made it to the semifinals before losing to eventual champions Cara Black and Liezel Huber. Also competing in the mixed doubles, Molik and partner Jonas Björkman made the final, before losing to Jelena Janković and Jamie Murray. Molik then lost in the first round of two US Open lead-in tournaments, in Forest Hills and New Haven, before then falling in the first round at the US Open to Katarina Srebotnik. After the Open, Molik then reached the quarterfinals in Guangzhou, losing to Dominika Cibulková, and at the Japan Open in Tokyo, losing to Venus Williams 7–6 6–3. Losses followed in the first round of the Kremlin Cup, and in qualifying at Zurich, before Molik then qualified for the Generali Ladies Linz, reaching the main draw second round before losing to 6th seed Patty Schnyder 6–4 6–4. Molik finished the year ranked 60 in the world, with a 25–24 singles record.   The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.  

    • The Cash J Curve

    • John Fitzgerlad address the issue of the J curve as far as earnings is concerned in tennis to the audience of the Sports Advocacy Group in Parliament House Canberra. During his career, he won 6 top-level singles titles and 30 tour doubles titles, including 7 Grand Slam doubles titles, and a career men's doubles Grand Slam (winning all four titles-the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open). He reached the World No. 1 doubles ranking in 1991. His career-high singles ranking was World Number 25 in 1988. He was a member of the Australian team which won the Davis Cup in 1986. Fitzgerald was formerly the captain of the Australian Davis Cup Team from 2001 to 2010 before Patrick Rafter took over after Australia's World group playoff loss to Belgium. Fitzgerald was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1993.    The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.

    • Todd Woodbridge Mentors

    •   Tennis legend Todd Woodbridge retired from Tennis at Wimbledon in 2005 and is generally regarded as the world’s most successful doubles player. He holds the record for the most doubles titles in history (83), the most Wimbledon doubles titles (nine), the most Davis Cup ties played by an Australian (32), the most Davis Cup doubles wins by an Australian (25) and the most years played by an Australian in Davis Cup (13). Woodbridge also achieved much singles success including two titles: Coral Springs 1995 and Adelaide 1997, and seven runner-up finishes. At his peak, he reached No.19 in the singles rankings (July 1997). Throughout much of his career Woodbridge partnered fellow Australian Mark Woodforde and together they captured 61 doubles titles. He won a total of 16 Grand Slam men’s doubles titles – breaking down to three Australian Opens, one French Open, nine Wimbledons and three US Opens. In mixed doubles he won six Grand Slam titles: one each at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, and three US Opens. He won gold at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics and silver at the Sydney 2000 Olympics (w/Woodforde) and compiled a 30-11 win–loss Davis Cup record from 1991 to 2005 (5-4 singles, 25-7 doubles). In July 2009 he was named national men’s coach and Australian Davis Cup coach. Woodbridge is married to Natasha, sister of former pro Nicole Bradtke. They have one daughter, Zara, and a son, Beau. He was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2010.   The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.  

    • Alicia Molik at SAG 2011

    • Alicia Molik (born 27 January 1981) is a professional female tennis player from Australia. She reached a career high singles rank of number 8 and also won a bronze medal for Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Molik also reached a career high doubles ranking of number 6, and won two grand slam doubles titles, at the Australian Open in 2005 and the French Open in 2007. She retired from the sport in September 2008, however, announced a comeback in 2009. Molik is currently ranked World No. 206 as of 16 May 2011. The Sports Advocacy Group is an independent body, which aims to combine the expertise of the sports industry with the needs and aspirations of the Australian public to provide a voice for sport. We will publish the results of the SAG meetings on these pages and use them as the catalyst for informed debate and ask you to add your views. If you want to be heard this is where you need to be.

    • Volunteer Voices: Pat and Ross Leader, Jan and Tom Condon, World Masters Games

    • Just as Pat and Ross were telling their story about the amazing people they'd met as sporting volunteers, two friends of theirs from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games came by as the perfect illustration of just one of the benefits of volunteering around sporting events.Have you got a great story about your time as a sporting volunteer? You can upload a blog post or record a video and share your experience with other volunteers here on the Sports Hydrant.  

    • From right to left

    • Nike has released a two-minute film to tell the extraordinary story of how Rafa Nadal managed to change from being a right handed amateur tennis player into the most-feared, left-handed champion in the world.The film meets Rafa and his Uncle Toni at home being interviewed in the kitchen. Uncle Toni tells us that although his nephew hits the ball harder with his left hand than anyone in the history of tennis, he is in fact right handed. Toni tells the story of how he convinced Rafa to make the switch from right-handed to left-handed when he was nine years old, believing it would give him an advantage over his competitors.The irony is that, to this day, playing tennis is the only thing that Rafa does left handed. He uses his right hand to throw, write and even for the most mundane activities like brushing his teeth. Though the film explores this in a light hearted way, its objective is to demonstrate that the act of changing into a left handed player was a courageous one.
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    • Rafa at Australian Open 2008

    • This is a photo I took of Nadal practising during the Australian Open 2008 :o)

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  • My name is Julian. My mother pushed me into tennis from the age of 6, I loved it back then. I used to play for the local Church group. However I have not picked up a racket for about 6 years so I dont know how good I would be now.
    Julian Cole, 3 years ago| Flag
  • As I am a beginner, I was just wondering if anyone has any serving tips. I could serve when I started, but the more I practice the worse I get. Any tips?
    MellieJ, 3 years ago| Flag
  • Great to see four members here already - if you haven't already, you guys should introduce yourselves :)

    Karla has requested a new group be set up called 'Rafael Nadal fans unite' so we've set that one up. Anyone else here a Nadal fan?
    Scott_Drummond, 3 years ago| Flag

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