Tennis: What happens in Melbourne today
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MELBOURNE - Brief stories from the Australian Open on Thursday.
Putting her feet in it
Serena Williams is on course to become the greatest women's player in history, but she's not brilliant at everything.
Take diving into swimming pools, for instance. "I'm terrible. I go feet-first. I hear it's head first or arms first. That's how bad I am," said Williams, who was watched by some of Australia's greatest swimmers during her semi-final win over Agnieszka Radwanska.
"But I'm working at it -- work in progress."
Andy's Army
Andy Murray's appearances at Melbourne Park are usually accompanied by his unofficial cheer squad, four young men who wear shirts spelling A-N-D-Y.
As well as loyal, they are brave souls who are prepared to stand up during changeovers and belt out their self-adapted songs dedicated to the man from Dunblane.
One of their favourites goes "A little bit of Andy in my life", to the tune of Lou Bega's Mambo Number 5, and another is set to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens.
Murray reportedly looks after Andy's Army, supplying them with tickets for his matches.
The Scot is also sometimes followed by a kilted bagpiper who performs on Princes Bridge in central Melbourne when he is playing in the Australian Open final.
Making a racket
Milos Raonic is becoming a big noise in the tennis world and his fans are getting louder too. Raonic, who won the Brisbane International before reaching the Melbourne semi-finals, said his Canadian fans were becoming more and more audible -- something which isn't always welcome to the world number 14.
"It's an amazing feeling. Tennis is growing quickly in Canada," he said after his quarter-final win over Gael Monfils.
"To see and hear some improvisations of the national anthem was a little bit distracting at times, I have to say. But it's fun to be here and to be in front of this crowd and make the most of the opportunity."
Raonic's rise coincides with the emergence of fellow Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, who seems to be returning to her best after a head injury.
