It has been over 50 years since Maria Esther Bueno has been to Australia. In 1960, she won the opening leg of her Grand Slam in doubles at Kooyong Tennis Club in Melbourne and returned five years later with a deteriorating left knee only to be carried off the court with severe body cramps in the final against Margaret Smith Court when the Australian was leading 5-7 6-4 5-2.
In the days when players could not receive treatment, Maria Bueno crashes to the court in agony with cramp during the Australian Open final.
“It wasn’t the event it is these days and players didn’t play there every year but it was just as hot!” recalls Maria.
“In ’65 it was brutal and we didn’t have the benefit of trainers and nutritionists to help us prepare for long matches in hot and humid conditions like that so I had to concede the match and never went back to play again.
“Nowadays the players prepare all the year round with fitness training, special diets and hydrating before their matches, which is why we are seeing these incredible battles on the court.”
Maria may not have been in Melbourne for the Australian Open this year, but she was certainly keeping her eye of what was happening out there.
ITF President David Haggerty, Tennis Integrity Board Chairman Philip Brook, and ATP Chairman Chris Kermode announce an independent enquiry into match fixing in Melbourne, Australia.
(Jan. 26, 2016 – Source: Michael Dodge/Getty Images AsiaPac)
“The scandal that broke on the first day dominated the news off the court,” said Maria, referring to the BBC-Buzzfeed report that accused the Tennis Integrity Unit of ignoring betting corruption.
“I don’t know of any match fixing but it must happen. What concerns me is that this report pointed the finger at the authorities without giving any evidence to back up its allegations. That isn’t fair on the players.
“There is so much gambling around these days and I’m sure it can’t be healthy for the sport to be sponsored by betting companies. That is something that certainly should be looked at because, although it is perfectly legal for the general public to put on a bet on matches, anyone involved in the sport is strictly forbidden from doing so.
“It puts temptation in the paths of the lesser players particularly, and the whole thing, unfortunately, rather overshadowed the tennis but once the story died down a bit, we were able to focus on the matches.
Lleyton Hewitt bids farewell to pro tennis
“It was, of course, Lleyton Hewitt’s last tournament and being the showman he is, he put up a great fight before bowing out to David Ferrer in three tight sets in the second round.
“There were plenty of surprises, as always. That’s the nature of elimination draws – someone has to lose every match!
“Australian-born Johanna Konta had an unexpected run to the semi-finals that must be a huge boost for British tennis. At one point there were two Brits winning on the court, with Andy Murray making it all the way through to the final for the fifth time.
“Konta’s quarter-final against Shuai Zhang pitted a player who was ranked 149 a year ago against a Chinese veteran who was thinking about quitting and becoming a farmer before she toppled second-seed Simona Halep in the first round! Amazing really!
Jo Konta followed up her run to the quarters in New York by reaching the semis in Melbourne.
“The Brit eventually lost in straight sets to Angelique Kerber, the biggest surprise of them all since she survived match points in the opening round and then came through to beat Serena [Williams] in the final to produce the biggest upset for years.
“Everyone thought Serena was going to win her 22nd Grand Slam title to equal Steffi Graf’s record but Kerber raised her game, having changed her diet, dropping some weight and working on her rather weak serve in the off-season.
“On Saturday she mixed up her serve really well and kept Serena guessing, wrong-footing her time and again.
“I’ve never seen her defend so well and attack the openings, using drop shot winners under pressure and actually out-rallying Serena.”
The manner of victory was made all the more remarkable as the German faced a tidal wave that threatened to crash her onto her when Williams broke back in the decider and got the toughest job in tennis done, 6-4 3-6 6-4.
Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber were all smiles following their final
“I must say that Serena, who must have been hugely disappointed, showed a lot of class after she lost that final,” added Maria before turning her attention to the men.
“Roger [Federer] is just amazing, reaching the semi finals with the loss of just one set to [Grigor] Dimitrov.
“He was playing so well, we felt he had a real chance against [Novak] Djokovic, who had struggled through five amazing sets against Giles Simon, but the Serbian was all business again when he took both [Kei] Nishikori and Roger out in straight sets to reach the final.
Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates after winning his quarter-final match against Spain’s David Ferrer at the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park, Australia, January 27, 2016. REUTERS/Issei Kato
“Andy [Murray] had so many distractions with the imminent birth of his baby and his father-in-law’s illness, but still made it through to the final. Perhaps it helped him, who knows?
“His biggest challenge getting there came from Milos Raonic, who seems to have re-invented himself too, but ran out of steam in the fifth set. Murray had to come from behind to win that one and was impressive.
“Djokovic was in search of his sixth Australian Open title and, rather like Serena, looked head and shoulders above the rest of the field.
“So the top two players in the world came through as expected and the final was much anticipated.
“When Djokovic took off in the first set and won it 6-1, I saw my prediction that Murray could win going out of the window but he came back in the second and looked as if he would level but somehow he let him off the hook and he [Djokovic] won that one too.
“It is to Murray’s credit that he fought back strongly in the third, creating so many chances, but too many errors found him defending helplessly in the tiebreak against the relentless Djokovic and it was finally inevitable that he was going down in three straight sets.
Novak Djokovic triumphs in Melbourne for the sixth time.
“Djokovic has that similar quality to Serena and that is his incredible mental strength. He simply does not give up, however he is playing, while his physical fitness, flexibility and consistency are just amazing. It was what got him through on this occasion, again.”
Novak Djokovic claimed his sixth Australian Open championship 6-1 7-5 7-6(3) in two hours and fifty-two minutes of exceptional play to equal the record of Roy Emerson.
There was some Brazilian success also, with Bruno Soares winning both the men’s doubles (with Jamie Murray) and mixed doubles (with Elena Vesnina) titles.
Bruno Soares (left) and Jamie Murray raise the men’s doubles trophy in Melbourne
“Bruno had an incredible Australian Open, adding to his three mixed doubles titles and winning a men’s doubles slam for the first time,” said Maria.
“He and Jamie [Murray] are a new partnership this year and so far it is proving to be very successful. He is a good ambassador for our sport in Brazil.”
With the conclusion of the Australian Open, attention now turns to tennis in Brazil.
“The Rio Open starts on 15th February when we will be welcoming back Rafa Nadal, David Ferrer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga leading the men’s field and with Eugenie Bouchard, Teliana Pereira and Johanna Larson heading up the women’s.
“It’s going to be a great week of tennis and I’ll be there for the whole event!”