Players were hot, weather was not

THE 2010 Australian Open didn't disappoint with nearly every men's player of note making it into the second week, comeback queen Justine Henin showing the world that she still knows a thing or two about the top level, and the veteran women teaching the kids that they still have a lot to learn about grand slam play.

Here are some things that caught my eye:

Breakout player (men): Young Croatian Marin Cilic proved that despite a thin frame and relative lack of experience, in good health he's a grand slam winner to be. The 21-year-old pulled off two amazing five-set wins, over Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick, and then played Andy Murray tough in a four-set loss. Who says that tennis is meant for players 198cm and under?

Breakout players (women): China's Li Na and Zheng Jie roared to the semi-finals, leaving a slew of good players in their wake, and proved that China is no longer a sleeping giant in tennis. Their standout performances are sure to give inspiration to millions of Chinese kids who are in search of fame and fortune.

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Unusual pre-tournament favourites: Going into the event, many analysts had as their top four favourites 2008 champion Maria Sharapova, comeback queens Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, as well as Serena Williams, the only one of the group with a top-10 ranking, which was a very unusual forecast.

Best celebrity guest: During his tour of Australia, Prince William made sure to stop at the tournament and sit through part of a match by Roger Federer, who addressed him as "Your Highness". He also met Serena Williams, who said he was dapper and suave and "just basically, shazam".

Most embarrassing moment: A Croatian fan ran on to the court to shake Marin Cilic's hand after Cilic's defeat to Andy Murray before security guards were even aware he was there.

Fashion disasters: Venus Williams wore underwear that was the same colour as her skin and that were way too short under her yellow and brown dress; the tabloid photographers were in seventh heaven.

Biggest complainer: Australian teen Bernard Tomic soured his solid performance in a five-set loss to Marin Cilic by saying that being put on the night match was a disadvantage because it ended way past his bedtime.

Most surprising score line: US Open champion Kim Clijsters being wiped out 6-0 6-1 by Nadia Petrova.

Biggest meltdown: The combative American Andy Roddick has developed a habit of dressing down chair umpires Down Under, and launched into an expletive-laced tirade during his win over Feliciano Lopez. Roddick may not have compatriot John McEnroe's talent, but he's coming close to matching him in the short-fuse department.

Going in wrong direction: Once again, the award goes to the once highly touted nation of Serbia, home of two former No 1s, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, and a former Aussie Open champion, Novak Djokovic. Ivanovic went down in the second round, Jankovic in the third and then Djokovic couldn't keep his nerves from invading his stomach and could barely compete in the last two sets of his loss to Jo Tsonga. Serbia's rise may have been premature.

Best first-week matches: The second-round match between Justine Henin and Elena Dementieva had the quality of a grand slam final, while US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro's courageous victory over American James Blake, 10-8 in the fifth set, was an instant classic.

Best tournament addition: The Australian Open's new Grand Slam Oval makes the tournament much more interactive and fan friendly and gives folks many more options when they are spending a full day at the venue's courts.

Oldies but goodies: At the age of 39, Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm qualified in singles and vowed to play past the age of 40, while Australian Rennae Stubbs, who is 38, reached the doubles semi-finals with Lisa Raymond and looks prepared to make another run at a grand slam title.

Most amazing record: Roger Federer's streak of 23 straight grand slam semi-finals dating back to the 2004 French Open is more than double that of the next closet man, Ivan Lendl, who reached 10 straight.

Biggest upsets: Spunky Russian Maria Kirilenko sent 2008 champion Maria Sharapova packing in the first round, while the hard-hitting eighth seed Robin Soderling of Sweden was also sent home in his opener by the obscure Marcel Granollers of Spain.

Fond farewells: We thought that the 38-year-old Frenchman, Fabrice Santoro, had retired last year, but he came back to play one more Australian Open so he could claim to have played a major in four straight decades, an incredible achievement. However, he went out in the first round.

Best co-operation: Unlike other years when the oppressive heat exhausted many of the competitors, this year was quite mild and the heat index rule never came into play.