Sport is a funny thing. When it comes to following sports, I'm kind of all over the place - I watch a lot of cricket and a lot of AFL football, partly because they're hard to avoid in this country, and also because I'm well versed in the rules & structure of these games.
I also have a habit of casually following a number of other sports, often just for the spectacle because I have no idea of the exact rules. I don't "get" ice hockey yet I own 5-6 games in EA's NHL series. I religiously watch the Superbowl every year (and I've got a few Maddens) but it's still a foreign concept no matter how many times it's explained to me. I've also been know to play a lot of (real-world) golf but I have this debilitating problem where my club selection always seems to be limited to a 7-iron and maybe a putter (if I'm lucky).
Another sport I can't quite grasp (but still casually follow) is tennis. On average, I would watch exactly one tennis tournament each year and it would appear that everytime this happens, I start ranting about it here on Pants. Well, we're only in January and I've already found my tennis tournament for 2006. Incase you couldn't notice the recurring theme in my 2004 & 2005 posts, I'll give you a subtle hint on what this year's tennis update will be about...:

After three years away from tennis due to injury, my childhood sweetheart Martina Hingis made her return to top-level competitive tennis at the Australian Open this week. It's quite remarkable to watch the Swiss Miss play tennis again - despite being out of action for over three years, Martina has shown in the past few matches that she hasn't lost any of the timing and skill that had won her three Australian Open championship victories from 1997 to 1999.
In my eyes, she is not only a good and very competent player, but she is also incredibly fun to watch. From her graceful serves to her powerful hitting, even when she isn't kicking ass, you'll still see her smiling after she's hit the net or lost a point. She is clearly enjoying her return to the sport she loves, and that makes for great viewing... If you still don't understand that Martina's return is good for tennis, then there's obviously something seriously wrong with you.
Speaking of which (on both the 'good for tennis' and 'something seriously wrong' angles), this year's Australian Open broadcast has been made even more enjoyable by the return of Jim Courier to the commentary team. I applaud Seven's decision to bring him back, because (as I mentioned in last year's update) sections of the media had been very critical of Jim's style.
Although some may call him arrogant (he's American, after all...), his commentary is articulate & informative, plus he has no problem saying exactly what is on his mind. There was the famous incident last year (calling co-host Johanna Griggs a "blonde bimbo" on air) and his regular subtle jabs and sarcasm. He's just being himself, so it's fun to watch him hug the players in the post-match interviews or to ask fellow commentators if they know what the internet is.
He is also somewhat of an enigma for two reasons. Firstly, he is an American but his accent is so soft and smooth, so refreshingly un-American. Secondly, everytime he is on-screen I become mesmerized; my eyes remain fixated on him just trying to figure out whether his hair is 2 sizes too big for his head, or if it's actually the other way around.