Unearthing hidden gems in the land of the Great Barrier Reef Premium

Unforgettable moments of triumph and heartbreak at the Australian Open, where young talents shine and legends are made.

The pinnacle of sport as you know it. Grand Slam tennis – there’s nothing like it. There’s no room for error. Perfection is the norm. Anything below, and you will struggle to keep up. Show the slightest sign of crumbling — one bounce more than optimal before your serve, two extra sips of water to calm your nerves, three beads of sweat that don’t belong and stand out like a sore thumb — and you’ll be eaten alive.

Majors are the best test of your endurance – mental and physical. Three or five sets of gruelling, mind-numbing, and terrifying tennis that will have you craving for respite. That is why the favourites remain the favourites. What sets them apart from the rest, you ask? Winner’s mentality.

In a year when the usual suspects proved their mettle and soared to greater heights Down Under, a fair few unusual “unsuspects” took the world by storm with the upsets they caused at the Happy Slam.

Four hours and 49 minutes. That’s how long it took for 19-year-old Learner Tien to achieve the greatest win of his career as he beat last year’s runner-up and the then World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling five-setter.

In his first Grand Slam tournament outside the US Open, Tien took on Camilo Ugo Carabeli in the first round of the main draw. He displayed great resilience and character to beat the Argentinian 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 and claim his maiden Major win. The reward? A marathon with a former World No. 1.

Tien was immediately thrown straight into the deep end as the rookie was to match up against the stone-cold Medvedev. If the tale of David and Goliath were ever to have a live-action adaptation, this would have been it.

Medvedev is a Goliath of tennis in every sense of the word. US Open winner, three-time Australian Open runner-up, 380 career singles victories, and more. Once you look past all that, his freakishly towering height, at 198cm, would make most players feel infinitesimally small and powerless on the court.