Australian Open<br>SECRETS

US star Serena Williams pumps her fist after defeating Yuan Meng of China during their Australian Open match in Melbourne on Tuesday. Williams won 6-3, 6-2. Photo: AFP

In a move that may startle some Melbourne motorists, tennis star Venus Williams has revealed she has taken to driving on what she regards as the wrong side of the road in Australia.
Venus said she was initially hesitant about driving on the left -- the opposite to her native America -- but had become used to it after years of visiting Melbourne for the season-opening Grand Slam.
Now she says there's no stopping her from cruising the Australian city's streets, with a drive-through restaurant her next destination.
"I've driven downtown. I make that wide turn. I get lost. I take detours. I double back and I succeed," she said.
"I want to try a drive-through. That's next."
She said the adjustment to the left was not easy.
"It's taken me about 10 years, suddenly I was ready," she said. "I have a lot of confidence now.
"It's much more fun driving here than at home because there it's a chore and here it's like a luxury, kind of like an adventure, because you might not know the way, but you still get there."
Obama inspires apolitical Serena
She may be a Jehovah's Witness and determinedly apolitical, but Serena Williams says she can't help but be inspired by the impending inauguration of Barack Obama.
Williams said she saw some parallels between the careers of her and sister Venus and Obama's.
"I definitely think myself and Venus have opened up a lot of doors, being the first African-Americans to do so much in tennis," she said.
While she won't set the alarm and get up early to watch Tuesday's swearing in ceremony, which will be the early hours of Wednesday morning Australian time, she said she would be recording it so she can watch it later.
"This is an amazing moment for American history," she said.
"Even yesterday, (in) the United States it being Martin Luther King's birthday.
"To have his birthday and Obama's presidency fall so close to each other ... this morning I was watching on the TV before I went out to play, I looked at my arm and I literally had chill bumps.
"I'm a big fan of African-American history, learning my roots so I can be a better person.
"You just look at all the things that we've come through. Now to have this opportunity in less than 24 hours is amazing."
The two Williams sisters were brought up as Jehovah's Witnesses, a religion which does not allow its adherents to follow secular politics or cast votes in elections.
But Serena said that did not mean she hadn't followed Obama's political ascendancy.
"I didn't vote (in the US election) because I am a Jehovah's Witness -- I try to stay politically neutral, don't get involved in worldly matters," she said.
"It's easy for me because I was born and raised a Jehovah's Witness.
"For me, because I am black, seeing that (Obama) happen, I would be blind if I didn't take interest in it or I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested in what was going on.
"Obviously I am. Obviously I was listening to a lot of points that Obama was giving for his election.
"Some of the things that he said in order to get elected was interesting.
"But it (being apolitical) is not a hard position for me to take.
"I mean, hopefully the right thing will happen but, you know, I think it's an important position for me to take in my faith."
Lose cap play better
Britain's Andy Murray reached the top of world tennis with intensive training, working year-round with his team of coaches and physios.
And he's taken off his cap.
Since losing the ever-present white headgear, the world number four says he's in the form of his life.
"I don't know, it's just something that I changed. Since I stopped wearing a cap, I've played much better," he mused after making the Australian Open second round on Tuesday without a hat despite blinding sun.
Murray has remained hatless in recent months as he became tennis's hottest property, beating Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer and being named the bookies' favourite for the Australian Open title.
"I used to always wear a cap for matches, and didn't used to practice with one really at all. I wanted to get a bit more sort of continuity in what I was doing," he said.
"I just felt like when I was playing, if I had really long hair I would still wear a cap because it would obviously get in my eyes.
"But when I'd keep my hair short, I don't think it doesn't make a huge difference. Even when the sun's there, the cap doesn't really protect you that much."
Novak Djokovic is the only top-four player who regularly wears a cap, with Federer and Nadal usually staying bare-headed.
Cap-wearing Andy Roddick's last Grand Slam win came in 2003, while Lleyton Hewitt, who famously prefers his hat backwards, has slid down the rankings to 70.