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The Australian Open has, over the years, been the curtain-raiser to the grueling tennis season. The Australian Open is probably the only Grand Slam where players face extreme heat as it falls during the peak summer season Down Under. Temperatures can rise up to 45°C which is roughly 113°F. The harsh weather conditions make it really hard for the players to adapt.
Held for the first time in 1905, the Australian Open has grown leaps and bounds in terms of popularity and is presently the largest sporting event in the Southern Hemisphere generating significant revenue through tourism for Australia.
The Grand Slam was the first among the Grand Slams to have a retractable roof at the famous Rod Laver Arena and later the Margaret Court Arena. Initially known as the Australasian Championships, the Australian Open is the only Grand Slam to have been played across 7 cities in 2 different countries.
Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Christchurch, Hastings, and Melbourne have all played host to this Grand Slam event. The winner of the Men's Singles competition is presented with a replica of the 'Norman Brookes Challenge Cup'.
We revisit history as we take a look at 5 great Grand Slam champions who astonishingly never won the Australian Open.
#5 Pat Rafter
Since Mark Edmondson won the Australian Open in 1976, Australia has not had one of their own lift the trophy. The drought continues to last 42 years and counting. However, there was no dearth of tennis talent in Australia as more than half a dozen men have all been contenders. One such tennis great was Pat Rafter.
After winning his Grand Slam at the 1997 US Open, the Australian public found a new hero whom they believed could break the long-standing jinx. Rafter enjoyed tremendous success in the late 90's capturing his second US Open in 1998.
Despite being cheered by an entire nation, Rafter did not translate his success in the hard courts of New York to victory at the Australian Open. His best result came in 2001 when he made the semis and lost to eventual champion Andre Agassi despite leading two sets to one. Rafter, however, won the Doubles crown at Melbourne in the year 1999 along with partner Jonas Bjorkman.
#4 Lleyton Hewitt
Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, nicknamed 'Rusty', was a relentless baseline hitter who is most famous for his 5-set duels and remarkable victories salvaged from losing positions.
The last Australian to win a Grand Slam title, Hewitt was the darling of the Aussie crowd each time. Each time he stepped on the Melbourne courts chants of 'Rusty' and 'Let's go Rusty' would reverberate the arenas.
Much was expected of the youngest ever player to rise to the top of the ATP rankings. And he certainly didn't disappoint. Winning the US Open in 2001 at the age of just 20, Hewitt became the first Australian since Pat Cash to win Wimbledon when he did so in 2002.
Hewitt's best performance at the Australian Open was a runner-up finish in 2005. Despite taking the first set and having the entire crowd behind him, Hewitt lost the next 3 sets and consequently the match.
Hewitt has however made Australia proud on many occasions including helping the country win the Davis Cup twice in 1999 and 2003.
#3 John McEnroe
Maverick Germany-born American John McEnroe was one of the foremost exponents of crisp volleying and superior net play in the singles field. McEnroe was a mercurial personality who awed the tennis audience in the 1980's with his firebrand displays. Most people talk only about McEnroe's singles game but he is one of the most under-rated doubles players of all-time with 9 Grand Slams in his cabinet.
McEnroe is the only men's player to have been ranked Number 1 in both Singles and Doubles in the Open Era. The Stanford University graduate provided the tennis world with many memorable matches in the 1980's mostly with his great rival Bjorn Borg. 7-time Grand Slam champion McEnroe never managed to win the Australian Open with his best finish coming in 1983 when he was a semi-finalist.
#2 Andy Murray
Scot Andy Murray part of the much talked about 'Big 4' of tennis has been a consistent performer for well over a decade. The self-proclaimed 'feminist', Murray has won a total of 45 Singles titles including 3 Grand Slams, 1 ATP Tour Finals, and 2 Olympic Gold Medals.
Andy Murray in most people's opinion certainly deserves an Australian Open crown. He has made the final of 5 different occasions only to finish on the losing side on each instance. The man responsible for much of Murray's pain at the Australian Open is 6-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic who has beaten him at the final of the showpiece event on 4 different occasions.
A rejuvenated and rested Andy Murray whose 2018 campaign was hampered by injury will look to finally break his long-standing jinx at the 2019 Australian Open.
#1 Bjorn Borg
Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg was the very definition of composure and poise on and off the court. The popular Swede entertained the tennis world in the 1970s and 1980ss with his flamboyant style and talent.
His rivalry with fellow tennis legend from the same Era John McEnroe is talked about even to this day. The first player in the Open Era to earn more than one million dollars in prize money in a single season, Borg's ascendancy to the top of the tennis ladder came while he was still a teenager.
Borg won 6 French Open titles and 5 consecutive Wimbledon Championships - a record he shares with Roger Federer. Borg never liked to compete in Australia because of scheduling issues and participated in the tournament only once in 1974 when he was beaten in the 3rd round.
In an interview to BBC much after his retirement, Borg asked about his prolonged non-participation at the Australian Open. "I have no reason for any regrets. When I boycotted the Australian, I was trying to make a statement. I had made my mind up. My point was that a player requires some time to himself, he can't keep rushing from one court to another all the time without a break." said Borg.
