"I've already posted a couple of times but may aswell introduce myself here.
I'm Alex, 19, English but live in Auckland, New Zealand. I play tennis at my local club and have played for about 3 years (more a social thing to do in summer, I take football in winter more seriously) and am a big fan of tennis, particularly Murray and the Brits. I'll be going to some of the Heineken Open so will try and post some kind of report and some pics, and I'm also off to Melbourne next week to go to some of the Australian Open. Lots of tennis watching ahead....... I have just finished my first year of an economics degree at Auckland University, which incidentally is around the corner from the ASB Tennis Stadium (home of the Heineken Open) so I have played there on centre court a number of times as the Uni Tennis club uses the facilities.
Looks like a good forum and I look forward to reading an posting here more. Best be off to bed now so I can get up early for the bus into the city tomorrow for the Tennis.
"My parents decided to move here for a new start in 1993 when I was 7. Definitely support the England football team, I'm a big England fan in everything. I'm still English through and through, just live in NZ and don't reeally have the English accent anymore. Football is my main sport I would say (I've been an Arsenal fan my whole life) followed by Tennis and Cricket equally. I like to follow the England rugby team aswell but I'm not as fanatical about rugby as the NZers are, its religion here. The economics course went well, I will start my 2nd year at the end of Feb, its a subject I have always been interested in. My degree is Bachelor of Commerce and I am going to major in Economics and Statistics.
I have played on the courts through the university. I joined the Uni Tennis Club last year and they use the stadium as its a 5 minute walk from the Uni. The courts are much faster and more bouncy than anything else I have played on. The Lufthansa Stand which is to the left of where I was sitting is temporary, just there for this tournament, its over the top of a court. Usually there are 6 courts in a row there, centre court for the tournament is court 1, then the stand is over court 2, and they use 4 and 6 for the outside courts. There is also another separate court which is where I met Murray, and theres a couple of indoor astroturf courts.
I have never been to the Aussie Open before, this will be the first time. I have always wanted to go and this year we decided to go to Melbourne on holiday. I will definitely go on the first day, the Monday and then 2 other days, most likely Wednesday and Thursday. Should get to see some of the top players, and hopefully get a few autographs if I go for a wonder around the whole place.
Few of you may remember me from early this year, I'm Alex, born in London but live in Auckland, NZ. Went to Andy's match in Auckland in January and posted a report and pics, also went to Aus Open and posted a few pics. Sorry I haven't been on this site for a long time. Just been going through my bookmarks and rediscovered it lol. Anyway, since I was last here I have come to the end of my 2nd year at uni (doing a business degree). Just had my last day of classes today, and final exams for the year start soon, my 1st is next Saturday (on my 20th birthday would you believe?!)
In the middle of June I was lucky enough to make my 1st trip back home for 7 years and stayed with family in London for almost a month. Went to Wimbledon 1 day so unbelieveably I have been to 2 Grand Slams on opposite sides of the world this year I can post a few pics if anyone is still interested.
Glad to find the site again and hopefully I'll stay a bit longer this time.
Thanks, what degree did you get? I have another year to go next year to finish the degree, and then may do another year if I do honours, or considering taking up another major.
Yeah I'll definitely try and get to the Heineken Open again in January. Hope we get a couple of big names, usually get some. But even if we don't get any new ones, Gonzalez, Hrbaty, Ginepri and the Rochus bros are regulars every year, and obviously this year had Murray and also Ancic and Niemenen. Niemenen won it this year and it was his 1st title so the organisers are hopeful of getting him back to try and defend it although it might be hard as he's gone up in the rankings. Also had Baghdatis although noone took much notice of him, he wasn't exactly very high profile until 2 weeks later at the Aus open. Last year we had Ferrero, Nadal and Coria so we do get some top players here.
Heh, well we are lucky it's the week before the Aus Open so all the big names are in this part of the world, and this tournament does get reasonable ranking points I think.
Hey Alex, I wondered where you went ! Welcome back, make sure you stay this time !
Who did you see at Wimbledon ? Unfortunately I didn't get to go this year due to a succession of mix-ups.
You've done well, they say that one of the 20 must-do things in tennis in a lifetime is to visit all 4 slams, so you're already halfway there. Lots make it to both the French and Wimbledon but few make it to the US Open and Melbourne.
It'll be great to see the pics, which family members do you have in England and how did you end up in New Zealand ? !!
I guess that the exam schedule in New Zealand is opposite to that of the UK, we have ours in June in the summer, is it summer over there right now ? Bad luck about the scheduling that doesn't sound too good, I had an exam on my birthday iin 2005, I got around it by rescheduling my birthday for a month !
What degree are you doing ?
Incidentally, Boggo might be playing the Heineken Open next year, if he makes the cut for the Aussie Open.
Thanks. Only just missed the French Open actually lol, did go to Paris for 5 days during the trip. Few weeks earlier and it could have been 3 in the year.
Stayed with my Grandmother in London. My Dad was going back to see her (his mother) as she'd been on her own for 3 years and as was going in my uni holidays I went aswell. Also have other grandparents in Bournemouth who I didn't see on that trip although they did come to NZ in Janurary this year, and an Uncle in Stevenage who I did see a couple of times. Ended up here cos my Dad was having job troubles and moved to start a new life in 1993.
Yeah it's coming into summer at the moment. I did also have exams in June. The way it works at my uni is there's 2 semesters (terms). 1st is end of Feb to mid Jun and you do a certain number of subjects that your degree requires (typically 4) do various assessments throughout the semester then final exams in June. Then a month or so off (depending on your exam timetable) and 2nd semester is late July to mid November and you do new subjects, so have final exams for them early November. I'm doing a bachelor of commerce, majoring in Economics.
At Wimbledon we just got a ground pass 1 day and saw some of the outside courts. Spent most of the day on court 18 and saw Niemenen, Ljubicic and Dementieva. Then sat on the hill watched Andy Murray on the screen. Opponent's name escapes me, I think it was a French guy It was the one that was postponed until the next day due to bad light. After his match was called off for the day, they let people into court 1 for the end of the Hewitt match so we got in at 5-5 in the 4th set and he lost the tiebreak so it went to a 5th which would be played the next day.
