Thanks for the response. When you put it like that, it does make sense which i didnt think of before. Silly me. Yes, the hospitality area that are also short term for the Australian Open.
Yes I agree,the ball kids should be paid,
I think a lot of this comes down to the same mindset that people use to justify things like unpaid internships and junior wages being less than the adult minimum wage.
Arguments like ‘it’s good experience’ and ‘back in my day we did this and that for free’ increasingly aren’t cutting it.
Young people today are rightfully angry with how the odds are stacked against them economically, it doesn’t surprise me that this is one area they are pushing back.
Just a non-story from the 7NEWS outrage machine for me but anyways…
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So good to be back here after four years and it’s a privilege to be able to attend one of the world’s Slams within a hop, skip and a jump 
Thought some of my pals here might appreciate a MS-perspective snap:
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Nice. Enjoy the matches and the atmosphere
Hope it was worth the wait.
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Thank you!
Look, not going to lie, it was definitely missing ‘something’, a spark I guess? Put it down to the combo of (some unforseen) extremes like no more Barty (for now 
), top Aussie players including Kyrgios injured, Federer and Serena retired, Nadal gone and Aussies not progressing as far like last year, no to mention last year’s ‘fairytale’ climax of first Aussie winning in decades and Nadal winning and in 5 sets over 5 hours against Medvedev.
But… It was still packed (or at least felt like it - heard nearly 50,000 yet Monday did a recodx nearly 80,000 - so can’t imagine the sardine crush that would’ve been) and so many new facilities/activations and had a great time as always catching-up with acquaintances. $59 well spent IMO.
Hoping things really lift-off from tonight and into Week 2, but so many upsets already, who knows. All this is of course ‘tennis is tennis’ and ‘sport is sport’
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That’s a bit rough. Popyrin just won thru to the 3rd round. Deminaur and the big Kokk playing tonight.
We don’t need Kyrgios et al.
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You can punish me later
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Well that escalated quickly 
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Such a good match so far between De Minaur and Mannarino so far.
Can’t put my finger on it but the courts do not look good this year. There is something off balance or out of proportion.
Bring in a designer, and bring back the planter boxes or something. Minimalism is on the way out and the lack of linespeople make the court look particularly sterile.
Americans are doing well; they have 8 of the 32 places in the men’s 3rd round so far.
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I agree. The courts looking vary sparse indeed.
AO served another late night classic which finished just after 4am AEDT today after nearly six hours of play.
(from Herald Sun website)
When I went to bed at 1.30am Thanasi Kokkinakis was leading Andy Murray two sets to love and 5-2 in the third set. When I woke up more than six hours later, I found out that Murray not only won the third set (in a tie break), but also the next two sets to take the match.
What a comeback by Murray.
P.S. after Kokkinakis tweeted “this f-ing sport man 
” post-match, he received many messages of support from not only tennis journalists, but also official Twitter acconts of ITF, Tennis Channel and Davis Cup.
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This was 100% me 
Lost for words! Kind of wished I’d stayed up now, although knowing Kokk lost is heartbreaking, after what he’d done earlier in the match, his progress this tournament and recent successes plus all the injury and health battles he’s been through. Sir Andy Murray, applause of the highest order.
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I didn’t watch this match - went to bed after DeMinaur, but was very happy for Popyrin and DeMinaur.
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I was thinking that for night matches in Grand Slams, can there be a rule that gives the chair umpire the option to suspend a match in progress, if a set finishes after midnight? That means the players come back in the morning to start a new set and complete the match.
Also, the Grand Slams should also consider a new rule that no new match can commence after 11pm local time.
I don’t know why they do. It’s completely ridiculous. They need to work the schedules better.
Great idea - Wimbledon has an 11pm curfew as well, but only because it’s in a residential area.