The Social Serve – Edition 1
Social media allows access to a player like never before. Our social media investigator, Joel Smith, digs up the best of Australian players on social media this week.
31 March 2015 | Tennis Australia
After defeating top-100 player Aljaz Bedene in the qualifying stages of the Miami Open, young gun Omar Jasika demonstrated exactly that.
Hard work does pay off !! First top 100 win for me tonight can't say how happy I am let's hope there's more to come pic.twitter.com/PPTj7oThG4
— omar jasika (@OJasika) March 24, 2015
Omar was not the only one making waves in Miami. Plenty of other Australians took centre stage – Daria Gavrilova stunned Maria Sharapova, Thanasi Kokkinakis made his debut on Stadium court and James Duckworth qualified and made the second round.
https://instagram.com/p/0vAysqjJpZ
Thanks @MiamiOpenTennis for the opportunity. Dissapointing performance from me today but looking forward to next year! #Hometime #beenagrind
— Thanasi Kokkinakis (@TKokkinakis) March 25, 2015
Thanks for having me @MiamiOpenTennis had a lot of fun this week. Too good….again @FerVerdasco good luck mate
— James Duckworth (@JamesDuck21) March 29, 2015
Veteran Lleyton Hewitt surprised everyone by arriving to play at Key Biscayne.
Welcome to Miami @lleytonhewitt @MiamiOpenTennis pic.twitter.com/eQxQwfnH5R
— Jaymon Crabb (@CrabbJaymon) March 24, 2015
Hewitt may have not passed the first round, but there’s always the excitement of Australia’s upcoming Davis Cup tie in Darwin to focus on. He’s also excited about being on Twitter and how easy it is now to talk to One Direction band member, Niall Horan.
How good!!! Grasscourt being laid in Darwin. @TennisAustralia #cantwait #GoAussies pic.twitter.com/GW5Up0BQ4q
— Lleyton Hewitt (@lleytonhewitt) March 25, 2015
I know the feeling champ @NiallOfficial 10min ice bath should do the job! #wimbledon
— Lleyton Hewitt (@lleytonhewitt) March 27, 2015
Twitter has been proving a positive platform for the Australian players, with the camaraderie between them at an all time high – and it’s been great to see.
Congrats to @JamesDuck21 on making top 100 and winning his 1st rd @MiamiOpenTennis #stillhasashockingheadtho #madeit pic.twitter.com/L9bSM6PZ1U
— Matt Reid (@MattReid12345) March 25, 2015
Massive congrats to @JamesDuck21 he won't brag about it but I will. Making top 100 is a huge effort. Congrats #upupcronulla
— Benjamin Mitchell (@BenMitchell_11) March 26, 2015
What an amazing effort @Daria_gav !!! So good!!!
— Storm Sanders (@stormsanders94) March 27, 2015
Massive win by @Daria_gav well done also to @prattstar22 . Keep going and push on in the @MiamiOpenTennis
— Luke Saville (@LukeSaville18) March 27, 2015
Big from you @Daria_gav ! Great effort, keep it rolling.
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) March 27, 2015
Even Andy Murray and Todd Woodbridge weighed in on the Aussie’s momentum.
Most asked question by tennis commentators this year… Which of the 3 young aussies has the most upside?
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) March 25, 2015
@toddwoodbridge I would need to spend a couple of weeks training with them to see work ethic and discipline… You would know better?
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) March 27, 2015
.@andy_murray tough call… atm most dynamic #Kyrgios , temperament #Kokkinakis, strategist #Tomic. All positive for #australian #tennis
— Todd Woodbridge (@toddwoodbridge) March 27, 2015
.@toddwoodbridge not sure you could have sat on the fence there anymore if you had tried! Your mate @BjorkmanTennis is happy he has got you
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) March 27, 2015
Apart from the tennis action, you may have noticed that the Cricket World Cup (#CWC15) took over the Twittersphere for the past six weeks. It was only a matter of time before our Aussie tennis players added to the conversation.
Good luck today boys!!! @CricketAus @CAComms @scg
— James Duckworth (@JamesDuck21) March 26, 2015
Let's go boys! Big day @scg The whole country is behind you #Believe #GoGold @CAComms @MClarke23 @stevesmith49
— Lleyton Hewitt (@lleytonhewitt) March 26, 2015
This only increased when Australia was crowned World Cup champions for 2015.
Rugby league World Cup, cricket World Cup, next rugby World Cup and davis cup champions @lleytonhewitt @CAComms @FOXSportsNews #aussies
— Matt Reid (@MattReid12345) March 29, 2015
Bravo Aussiessss Cricket World Cup champions 🙂 you beauty
— Matt Ebden (@mattebden) March 29, 2015
Elsewhere, Oliva Rogowska, Anastasia Rodionova and Nick Kyrgios used Twitter this week to make community announcements.
Umpires in America can not pronounce my last name no matter how many times I teach them.. Is it really that hard? #ragahwaska
— Olivia Rogowska (@oliviarogowska) March 25, 2015
Dear thief, can you please return my dad's bike. Thank you
— Anastasia Rodionova (@arodionova) March 24, 2015
Morning world!
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) March 26, 2015
In the world of photo sharing, Storm Sanders (@stormcsanders) used Instagram this week to announce that she is on the comeback trail. Welcome back Storm! Meanwhile, Thanasi Kokkinakis (@the_kokk1) has announced that he is now preparing for the clay season.
Ben Mitchell (@benjamin_mitchell11) had these wise words for the week …
https://instagram.com/p/0pErQpyo84
… while Harry Bourchier (harrybourchier) was either passing time or hanging out with his nanna.
And in case you were wondering how Nick Kyrgios (@k1ngkyrg1os) is spending his time during his recovery from an ankle injury – he’s helping #findacure for cancer. Good on ya Nick!
Finally, it wouldn’t be a ‘Social Serve’ without an obligatory #selfie. This week’s winner: Seone Mendez (@seonemendez)
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