Australia and First Tennis Grand Slam of 2006!

World No 3 Amelie Mauresmo (Fra) bt World no 8 Justine Henin-Hardenne (Bel) 6-1 2-0 ret. Amelie Mauresmo has charged to her first ever grand slam title with an emphatic victory over 2004 champion Justine Henin-Hardenne in the Australian Open final, the first ATP Grand Slam of the year 2006.

The Frenchwoman put to bed once and for all the label of 'best current player not to have won a major' with a demolition job before the more favoured Belgian pulled out of the contest.

Mauresmo took the match 6-1 2-0 when after Henin-Hardenne retired because of illness, and never looked like loosening her grasp on the title she first missed out on in the 1999 final against Martina Hingis.

For the usually composed Henin-Hardenne it was a performance worth forgetting as her powerful opponent coaxed her into an uncharacteristically high number of unforced errors. More on Major Win At Last For Mauresmo!

There is much to love about Melbourne. Just ask the locals. This sophisticated world city in the south-east corner of mainland Australia inspires a deep passion in those lucky enough to live here. They love its vibrant energy, staggering choice of restaurants, funky boutiques, café-filled laneways, cool bars, unbeatable galleries, luscious parks and village-like inner suburbs, each with its own special character.

Melbourne, a relatively modern city which is less than 200 years old, never sits still. New futuristic designs add to the fascinating mix of architecture and ensure the skyline is constantly changing. Melbourne is very much about lifestyle. It is no huge surprise to residents that their city has been named in an international poll as the world’s most liveable city.

Melburnians embrace three things in particular:

sport (Australian Rules football is almost a religion);
fashion (the look is chic with a dash of quirky); and
festivals (the calendar is packed year round).
They even embrace their notoriously changeable weather. A standing joke in Australia is that Melbourne can experience four seasons in a day. But, really, it’s just another example of how they have it all!

Sometimes, the best part of visiting a new city is when you unexpectedly depart from the tourist trail and glimpse the city’s “real” side. While the big attractions can be great fun, often it’s the more subtle “insider” experiences that leave you feeling really satisfied.

Here is some inside information to help you discover Australia's second largest city (also the capital of Victoria).

Warning: you might never want to go home.

Matt, a friend who is going on a World Tour and visiting Australia is the reason why I compiled this information. He is a well-read man but as he is a very busy man too, I thought I'd help find some info about the Antipodes. I hope you find this link About Australia useful Matt.

Happy travelling, take care and God bless

Alan Aldana