Off to Australia-

stringwalla · 12-30-2012, 06:34 PM

Not much of a regular poster here, but have enjoyed reading some of the threads. Fun to see the enthusiasm of beginners, as well as the over-analysis from the more experienced hands.

I leave for the Australian Open Tuesday and just wanted to share my excitement. Though I haven't worked Wimbledon or Roland Garros to compare, I do love the tournament and the Aussies passion for tennis. I guess because there's not much else beyond cricket, soccer, and rugby. It's much more a festive atmosphere vs the US Open, which tends to be a little too proper and uppity at times.

Great energy in Melbourne for the tournament. They even have a humongous bigscreen in the center of downtown showing live matches for anyone in the area to sit for hours and watch. As well as 2 bigscreen parks at the facility for ticket holders

Wish us yanks had this much love for the sport-

mmk · 12-30-2012, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stringwalla

Not much of a regular poster here, but have enjoyed reading some of the threads. Fun to see the enthusiasm of beginners, as well as the over-analysis from the more experienced hands.

I leave for the Australian Open Tuesday and just wanted to share my excitement. Though I haven't worked Wimbledon or Roland Garros to compare, I do love the tournament and the Aussies passion for tennis. I guess because there's not much else beyond cricket, soccer, and rugby. It's much more a festive atmosphere vs the US Open, which tends to be a little too proper and uppity at times.

Great energy in Melbourne for the tournament. They even have a humongous bigscreen in the center of downtown showing live matches for anyone in the area to sit for hours and watch. As well as 2 bigscreen parks at the facility for ticket holders

Wish us yanks had this much love for the sport-

No, Aussies are just mad for sports period. They watch old-lady indoor lawn bowling, darts, and netball. But having said that, enjoy your time, I'm jealous.

drakulie · 12-30-2012, 07:19 PM

have fun!!!!!

cluckcluck · 12-30-2012, 07:53 PM

Knock em dead and keep your knots tight.

tbuggle · 12-31-2012, 05:48 AM

slay a few aussie babes while you're at it.

db10s · 12-31-2012, 06:14 AM

That sounds like a blast! Have fun!

sixone90 · 01-03-2013, 01:55 AM

Can I say hi to you in the stringing room?

aussie · 01-03-2013, 06:41 PM

Have a good time but watch your budget. Australia is a great place but expensive eg. Macca's Big Mac meal is around $9 AUD compared to about $6 in the USA. That's because hourly wage rates in Aust are very high. Basic waitress wage start at about $18/hour. Good news is tipping is not expected in Aust so don't tip!

Also many goods are imported into Aust (just check out racquet and string prices) so that makes everything so expensive. We don't care because we all get paid so much. Basic jobs pay around $60k a year so we live well. Also, with the Aust dollar buying around $1.04 USD we love to travel to the US - I get over every 2 years and come back loaded with racquets, string, shoes, clothes etc!!

However you will still have a fantastic time as Aussies are very relaxed and friendly and will show you a good time. Aussie

stringwalla · 01-09-2013, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixone90

Can I say hi to you in the stringing room?

Sure can. I'm at the machine on the left at the window.

stringwalla · 01-09-2013, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussie

Have a good time but watch your budget. Australia is a great place but expensive

Not my first Aussie open so I'm well aware of the prices. Luckily we get on site food covered.

zapvor · 01-09-2013, 10:31 PM

very cool! represent!

Lakers4Life · 01-09-2013, 11:15 PM

Who was the stringer that was stringing Andy's racket during the Aussie Finals? He had curly hair and glasses.

stringwalla · 01-10-2013, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

Who was the stringer that was stringing Andy's racket during the Aussie Finals? He had curly hair and glasses.

Benoit was stringing Andy the last couple of years for RPNY. But I don't think it was him then. Grant Morgan was his personal stringer for a while, but he doesn't wear glasses or have curly hair so , not sure

kkm · 01-10-2013, 01:24 PM

Todd Mobley strung the on-courts Andy Murray sent during the 2011 final against Djokovic.

stringwalla · 01-10-2013, 02:46 PM

Yeah sorry, I'm kinda tired and thought you were talking about Roddick years ago. Murray is with P1, so his on courts are handle with us. It was Todd. Hair isn't curly though-

Lakers4Life · 01-10-2013, 03:01 PM

I recall he was in the on-court stringing room. P1 couldn't string his racket because they were too far, and Andy needed a tension change in the middle of match. They kept showing the stringer on TV, stringing Andy's racket.

I always see a stocky Asian guy in most of the stringing room videos. What's his name?

stringwalla · 01-10-2013, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

I always see a stocky Asian guy in most of the stringing room videos. What's his name?

That would be Tadashi Hosoya (aka Spikey). He's a grizzled veteran of tour stringing from Japan.

zapvor · 01-10-2013, 05:08 PM

yea but we got stringwalla aka the walla stringmeister from america

Oz_Rocket · 01-10-2013, 10:25 PM

Looks like I'll be there on Tuesday with my two boys. Will drop by and say hello. I've just started stringing for my eldest boy so he is currently fascinated with all things string.

bosssauce · 01-21-2013, 10:31 AM

Post pictures

12-30-2012, 06:34 PM	#1
stringwalla Rookie Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 198	Off to Australia- Not much of a regular poster here, but have enjoyed reading some of the threads. Fun to see the enthusiasm of beginners, as well as the over-analysis from the more experienced hands. I leave for the Australian Open Tuesday and just wanted to share my excitement. Though I haven't worked Wimbledon or Roland Garros to compare, I do love the tournament and the Aussies passion for tennis. I guess because there's not much else beyond cricket, soccer, and rugby. It's much more a festive atmosphere vs the US Open, which tends to be a little too proper and uppity at times. Great energy in Melbourne for the tournament. They even have a humongous bigscreen in the center of downtown showing live matches for anyone in the area to sit for hours and watch. As well as 2 bigscreen parks at the facility for ticket holders Wish us yanks had this much love for the sport- __________________ MRT '94. "Stringing like the wind" for the Joe's and the Pro's Babolat Star 3 w/120K+ frames(what a workhorse!!!). Baiardo just for weekend kicks

12-30-2012, 07:19 PM	#3
drakulie Talk Tennis Guru Join Date: May 2004 Location: FT. Lauderdale, Florida Posts: 23,916	have fun!!!!! __________________ Head Stringer @ the LTC, Babolat Star 4 Stringer http://www.youtube.com/user/drakulie

12-30-2012, 07:53 PM	#4
cluckcluck Hall Of Fame Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Between the baseline and netcord. Posts: 1,655	Knock em dead and keep your knots tight. __________________ Former Donnay X-Dark Red 94 user now onto Mantis Pro 295 @ 333 grams.

12-31-2012, 05:48 AM	#5
tbuggle Hall Of Fame Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 1,931	slay a few aussie babes while you're at it. __________________ I got some rackets, and I got a stringer.

12-31-2012, 06:14 AM	#6
db10s Hall Of Fame Join Date: May 2012 Location: S. FL Posts: 1,971	That sounds like a blast! Have fun! __________________ Dunlop D-Squad Member... So I'm biased towards Dunlop. Biomimetic Max 200G x3 and a few others...

01-09-2013, 10:31 PM	#11
zapvor Legend Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: tennis courts Posts: 7,963	very cool! represent! __________________ Member of TW MAC. yes, we are better than you. and we bout to hop on a court to make another 'mil