As a Scotsman, you may well wonder why I’m backing Spaniard Rafael Nadal to get to not just the semi-finals but the final of the Australian Open.

After the performance of referee Manuel Gonzalez in Scotland’s European Championship qualifier against Italy, Spain is definitely now crossed off most of the Tartan Army’s list of favourite holiday destinations, including mine!

My tennis intake normally revolves around the Stella Artois Tournament and Wimbledon (or end of the football season!), but this year I’ve taken a little extra interest in the Australian Open.

‘McEnroe, Connors, Ivanisevic and Becker all played to the crowd and always lit up normally dull tournaments. They made great TV viewing. Better than Cliff Richard anyhow!’


My overall view on tennis is that the game has been largely dominated by individuals like Borg, Becker, Sampras, and latterly by Roger Federer over the years, but players like McEnroe, Connors, Ivanisevic and Becker all played to the crowd and always lit up normally dull tournaments. They made great TV viewing. Better than Cliff Richard anyhow!

However, the famous Wimbledon Ball must have been a great bundle of laughs over the years with finalists like Federer, Lendl, Agassi, and Philippoussis as guests of honour. Even the humble Stefan Edberg had some charisma, and he won the Oz Open twice. If only tennis had more characters, it would be most people's second sport.

Federer, at the moment, is unique. He’ll make the final of this tournament, no problem, as he’s focused and annoyingly robot-like. He has as much charisma as a Heinz baked bean though. Big name but supremely bland.

Nadal has overcome serious injuries and so far has failed to lose a set in this competition, indicating to me he‘s going to make 2008 HIS year. According to tennis expert, my MUM, he’s not at his best but she reckons he ’should’ pass his previous benchmark of the quarter-finals to progress to the semis and eventually win this Open. I wouldn’t disagree.

I may not be a betting man, but I’d wager that Rafael will get better this year. He’s a clay grandmaster, and adapts well to grass. He deserves to be No.1 and a win in Australia should pip Federer in the rankings and shoot Nadal to world domination, and a good few years as top dog.

Wimbledon may seem a long way off for him just now, but the fact he CAN beat Federer must give Nadal a huge incentive to win this competition and come to Britain in late June and early July and win Wimbledon and dump Federer into submission, AGAIN.

In short, Nadal is in the easier side of the draw and must look down the challengers and be spurred on by the knowledge he can not only win the Open, but could do so without losing a set.