Naked Hero - The Journey Away, is set in the week leading up to, and the fortnight of, The Australian Open, which is played every January in Melbourne, since it was decided in 1972, to hold the tournament in the same city each year. It has been played at Melbourne Park since 1988.
Its main stadium and centre court is the 15,000 seat Rod Laver Arena, named in 2000 after Australia's tennis greatest male player - Rod Laver - who is the only man in the history of tennis to have captured two Grand Slams (1962 and 1969) by winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open singles titles in the one calendar year.
The second largest court is the Hisense Arena, which was opened in 2000. It has a capacity of 10,500, and like the Rod Laver Arena, has a retractable roof, so there will always be play. There are
also three show courts, with the former Show Court 1 now named the Margaret Court Arena after Australia's greatest female player. Margaret also won the allusive Grand Slam, and did actually win a lot more titles than Rod. She holds the record for the number of Grand Slam titles (24), which is something Rod does not do in the men's game (a certain Roger Federer has that honour at present, although Rafa Nadal is closing in!) Yet Rod has the main court and a roof over his head, whilst Margaret get's the side one and is exposed to the elements! It's not just homophobia that the sport has to contend with - there's still a fair amount of chauvinism as well!
At least the prize money has been sorted! Well done Billy Jean.
Now here's a snippet from Melbourne Park on the opening day of the tournament...
The organisers were predicting record attendance figures for the tournament, and it appeared to Scott that they were off to a flying start. The place was heaving with humanity - more like a carnival than a tennis tournament. As he struggled through the crowds, he had the impression that every nation on earth had a delegation representing it. Youngsters mainly, casually dressed for the hot conditions, broadcasting their patriotism with painted faces and ruckus singing. The American flag was most in evidence - Jackson supporters were everywhere, still celebrating their countryman’s victory earlier in the day.
Its main stadium and centre court is the 15,000 seat Rod Laver Arena, named in 2000 after Australia's tennis greatest male player - Rod Laver - who is the only man in the history of tennis to have captured two Grand Slams (1962 and 1969) by winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open singles titles in the one calendar year.
The second largest court is the Hisense Arena, which was opened in 2000. It has a capacity of 10,500, and like the Rod Laver Arena, has a retractable roof, so there will always be play. There are
also three show courts, with the former Show Court 1 now named the Margaret Court Arena after Australia's greatest female player. Margaret also won the allusive Grand Slam, and did actually win a lot more titles than Rod. She holds the record for the number of Grand Slam titles (24), which is something Rod does not do in the men's game (a certain Roger Federer has that honour at present, although Rafa Nadal is closing in!) Yet Rod has the main court and a roof over his head, whilst Margaret get's the side one and is exposed to the elements! It's not just homophobia that the sport has to contend with - there's still a fair amount of chauvinism as well!
At least the prize money has been sorted! Well done Billy Jean.
Now here's a snippet from Melbourne Park on the opening day of the tournament...
The organisers were predicting record attendance figures for the tournament, and it appeared to Scott that they were off to a flying start. The place was heaving with humanity - more like a carnival than a tennis tournament. As he struggled through the crowds, he had the impression that every nation on earth had a delegation representing it. Youngsters mainly, casually dressed for the hot conditions, broadcasting their patriotism with painted faces and ruckus singing. The American flag was most in evidence - Jackson supporters were everywhere, still celebrating their countryman’s victory earlier in the day.