In The Heat Of Battle, Green And Gold Fans Cheer Until They're Blue

THIS is January in Melbourne. Thirty-odd degrees with a big sun. More than 41,000 people at the tennis - 15,000 inside Rod Laver Arena alone - the roof open, sandwiches, beer, sunhats, tanned summer holiday shoulders and singing sports fans in green and gold wigs. They sing songs of Australiana from every corner.