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We learnt a lot about Australian tennis on day two of the Australian Open. Firstly, Lleyton Hewitt is a champion fighter, the like of whom we may never see again (but then we already knew that).
Secondly, Australian Tennis has lots to be excited about in teenagers Nicholas Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
And finally, Bernard Tomic is destined to underachieve and continue to polarise Australian fans.
It has been suggested it was unAustralian to jeer Tomic after he retired after just one set in his match against Rafael Nadal. I was one of the near 20,000-strong crowd and I was leading the boos and jeers.
In my view, it would have been Un-Australian not to heckle Tomic for what was a cowardly display.
There is not much Australian sports fans love more than a winner, but someone who fights hard, courageously gives their all and overcomes adversity surely trumps that winning feeling.
Tomic supposedly tweaked an injury in his upper leg in his opening service game of the match. After receiving an off-court medical time out at the first change of ends, he returned to the court and played quite well, holding his service games and edging ahead 4-3.
During this time, he appeared to be managing his injured leg well. He was matching it with the best player in the world.
It wasn’t until he dropped serve and lost the opening set 6-4 that Tomic decided, presumably, his injury had all of a sudden become too unbearable to play on.
Sure it was a daunting task, he was playing the world number one, he was not 100% fit and he had dropped the first set.
Realistically, not many would have given him a chance to win from that position, but it was not unfair for people to expect Tomic to show some degree of heart, courage and determination.
To go down fighting, throwing some punches of his own, so to speak.
But he didn’t. He chose the easy option, retiring without a whimper. This was truly unAustralian.
What didn’t help Tomic’s cause was some of the highly commendable efforts by other Aussies on day two.
Marinko Matosevic battled hard, coming back from a set down twice to take talented Japenese 16th seed Kei Nishikori to five sets.
Matosevic went down, but lost no admirers for his competitiveness and effort in temperatures approaching 43 degrees.
Similarly, Lleyton Hewitt, also competing in the heat of the day, fought back from two sets down, and early breaks in the third, fourth and fifth sets to push Andreas Seppi all the way.
He too may have lost the match, but the ageing warrior added to his legacy of being the greatest competitor we have ever seen. I hope we do see him in 2015 to contest his 19th consecutive Australian Open.
Impressive youngsters Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios both recorded four set victories in their opening round matches. Both had to overcome adversity in the form of the heat and injuries throughout their matches.
Kyrgios had a shoulder injury he had carried into the tournament and Kokkinakis was suffering from cramp from late in the third set but managed to push through to win in four.
More impressive than the wins was the way both overcame the difficulties in their matches, and showed grit and determination in the their performances.
Bernard Tomic didn’t have to look far for inspiration in preparation for his match against Nadal. He simply needed to turn on the TV in the locker room and have a look at performances of his countrymen, Hewitt, Matosevic, Kokkinakis and Kyrgios.
They didn’t all win, but they all won respect from the Australian fans. Seemingly, Tomic will never learn.
If it was unAustralian to boo and jeer Tomic’s performance, I am guilty as charged.
But is it really unAustralian to ‘give it’ to someone who hasn’t given their all?
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