Hitting The Streets

So, after writing yesterday about how tennis is in no way Australia's favourite sport, I thought I would hit the streets, so to speak, and see what the public has to say. Well, the public is a bit of a stretch - my two subjects here are my brother Josh, who is twelve and a 'sport freak' and my sister Hayley, who is eighteen and a self-described 'non-sporter.'

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Josh says:

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"No, [tennis is not Australia's favourite sport] yet. It can be, if we get other people... We'd make them interested in the sport... we'd give them a tennis racquet and they'd go 'cool, this is cool!' I got interested in tennis because my friends were playing and Mum ordered me to play - she said, 'Jack and Alexander and all those guys are playing, so why don't you play?' So I went along on Mondays and got hot chips and after that we play tennis and now I do that every Monday."

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Josh, it must be noted, is twelve and not very articulate, but he is interested in tennis - in fact, he's a bit of an idiot savant. He hasn't had a lot of training, but he regularly wins his Saturday competitions. He is, I think, an example of an Australian who is genuinely interested in tennis. His favourite player is Roger Federer (taking after me there) but he plays tennis more like Rafa - he's left-handed and loves topspin. Josh also claims he hits the ball hard like Rafa, but the jury is still out. I'll believe it when I see it. (He just saw this and said, 'I'll play you and I'll smash you! Wanna see my topspin? You just wanna get smashed, don't you? You're just asking for it!')

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Hayley says:

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"Hell no [tennis is not Australia's favourite sport.] It isn't, because - everyone thinks it's all right, no one hates tennis - no one thinks it's a boring sport like golf or cricket and all that terrible... it's instantly entertaining, but no one's into tennis... all of Australia's not INTO tennis. [Dramatic hand gesture.] I enjoyed the tennis when Jodi took me to the final. I'm not into sport at all, but tennis is the one sport I can go and see and enjoy. I don't understand sport, but tennis is fine, because it's simple and enjoyable. There aren't many hardcore tennis fanatics like there are for other sports, though."

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Glowing endorsement for tennis there from Hayley - tennis is fine, but it's no one's favourite (except hers, clearly - my influence, perhaps?) And that really is Australia's view on sport. Tennis is fine enough, but it doesn't really rock many people's socks. So is that enough to get it named Australia's favourite sport?

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Me, Hayley and Josh are in accordance. NO.