For the thirty year span from 1946 to 1976 only four non-Australian men hoisted the trophy at The Australian Open Tennis Championships. Since 1976 Australia, the host country, has not had a winner of its own competition. Once the most dominant power in tennis Australia, has been overtaken by many ‘new’ countries who have produced quality tennis players that have pushed Australia off the tennis map. Just two Aussie men remain in the top 100 players on the ATP tour, Leyton Hewitt currently ranked 59^th., and big serving Chris Guccione ranked 80^th.

Australia is mired in the 2^nd. tier of the Asia-Oceanic group of countries, and the once proud winner of 28 Davis Cups is unlikely to advance to tier one for at least two more years or longer. Tennis Australia has hired a new Spanish coach to train its players on clay at its newly opened facility in Barcelona. This facility joins those it maintains in Canberra and London. Felix Mantilla has played a major role in establishing Spain as one of the ‘new’ tennis powerhouse countries with 5 players ranked in the top 20, and of course Nadal who is ranked Number 1.The Australian tennis authorities hope that Mantilla can start a rebuilding program that will restore Aussie tennis back to where it belongs. A tall order for any coach.

The Australian Open 2009 may only have 2 or 3 qualifiers representing the host country, a sad comment on the status of tennis in Australia, especially so since in former decades it had as many as 30 platers entered, and as many as 8 seeded players. The giants of Australian tennis are still household names throughout the world, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewll, Lew Hoad, John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Patrick Rafter and so on and so on, no other country in the world has such a list.

Rod Laver the left handed ‘Rocket’ is the only player to have won two Grand Slams, a Grand Slam is defined as winning all four major tournaments in a single calendar year. Laver did it twice! No modern era player has equalled this feat, Andre Agassi won all four Major tournaments but not in the same year. Neither Sampras nor Federer ever won the French, and Borg never won in Australia.
Roy Emerson won more titles than any other player, a total of 28, and he is followed closely by John Newcombe with 25.

Australian tennis is a tradition in the sport, and somehow it must regain its former glory. Hiring coaches, building new facilities, pumping money into junior player development programs will all help, but is it enough? Are young Australians motivated to be like their famous Grand parents, or are other sports occupying their time and capturing their interests? When the 2009 Australian Open begins in January it will dominate Australian TV and radio, the seating in the stands will all be sold out, and the crowds jamming the outside venues will be jostling for a position to watch the action on the big screen TV’s. There is no lack of interest, just a more competitive emerging world.