The Sun Shines For Australian Sport Again | Thebigtip

It has, overall, been slim pickings for Australian sport these last couple of years and whilst we may marvel at the superstars of our home-bred games, on the international scene we have struggled. But judging by the performances of the last two weeks, we may be turning a corner.

Name a sport, a popular sport, which has been on top of its game since the end of the Beijing Olympics? Maybe track cycling, but they had to fight through a few years of ordinary performances and seem to be the weird, shunned, cousin of the road warriors.

Even Netball had a semi-slump, and judging by the hockey results we have nose-dived considerably in that realm.

Yet in the last fortnight or so, Australian sport is beginning to once again prosper and the next month could really put us back on the sporting map and claim what is rightfully ours – the ‘batting above our average’ trophy.

Starting with tennis and although some may be disappointed about Samantha Stosur and Lleyton Hewitt’s early exits, there is some hope that we can rise again in this proud sport of Australia.

Ashley Barty won the won the Girl’s title and Luke Saville the boys to cement only the 6th time the same country have held both trophies aloft. This obviously makes both in the top echelon of junior players in the world. More importantly, only a couple of years older, Bernard Tomic pushed eventual winner and world number one, Novak Djokovic, all the way in the quarter finals.

Coming out after the match and saying that he could win a Grand Slam in the next two years may be a little ambitious but the way he pushed Djokovic and thrashed number five seed Robin Soderling suggests he may not be too far off. Remember the days of Pat Rafter? Well he had Philippoussis, Arthurs, Hewitt and even the two Woodies underneath him to push the Australian cause. With Tomic and Saville coming through the ranks, there is hope for Australian tennis in the future.

And it is important for Australian sport psychologically, that those traditional games that we have always been good at are maintained for a long time to come. Otherwise we will have to rely on basketball and surfing as the go-to sports of our nation, and without insulting these skillful games, there is a great sense of hollowness when these men and women win and old school sports are losing. They just aren't as important.

This is why the Netball World Championships are so crucial over the next few weeks. The Australian Netball team can push the momentum for all Aussie teams. Anything less than a final playoff however, and we will have to start questioning the whole structure of that sport.

Cycling too will be put through the paces during Le Tour de France. With six Australians competing and one with a real chance of winning it, this is a great time for Australian cycling. A fast growing sport, yet with traditional and proud histories - Lance Armstrong felt fit to signal his comeback in Australia – the current crop of road racers are heading into a golden era.

Cadel Evans showed true grit in winning his first stage, holding off the Schlek brothers and two time winner Alberto Contador, and he is setting himself up to lead the race come the second week. It is doubtful he can hold on with the class of the other teams, but he will, like a proper Australian sportsman give us a whole lot of sleepless nights.

Below him is the old timer, Stuart O’Grady, in his 15th Tour but still up the front doing the hard yards for his team. There have been a few great Super Domestiques in the history of the sport and O’Grady is surely up there with them.

A couple of new kids on the block, both from Tasmania, have super important roles that show their rising status in the sport. Matthew Goss has the lead out role with another Australian, Mark Renshaw, for fastest man in the world Mark Cavendish. After already winning a stage in the Giro D’Italia and having a very big two years, he is tipped for huge success in the coming years.

Another on the path to glory is Richie Porte who has the hard job of lead out man through the mountains for Alberto Contador, a job made even harder by the Spaniard’s disinterest in the first few stages leaving him almost two minutes behind the Schlek brothers and Evans. Porte has won the best young rider category in a Grand Tour already and he has the potential to take Evans’ mantel in the next three years.

This all bodes well for Australian cycling and there must be a real push now to get even more limelight upon this sport by introducing an Australian team. The French, Russians and Spanish all have their own teams in this year’s event; we now have the class to supply our own.

In horse racing (a sport we have claimed as our own even though the English have found it hard to accept), we have now a reason to crow - Australia has possibly the two best horses in the world. No one disputes Black Caviar, but there have been a few speculations about So You Think’s credentials after his half head defeat at Royal Ascot.

Admittedly I was one of those that took the extraordinarily generous $2.10 odds on offer last weekend in the Coral Eclipse Stakes, but his devastating win against the best horse in England, Workforce, surely has cemented his world-beating stature. He has won a group 1 in three different countries now. Not many horses are good enough to do that and it is a kick in the pants of the English racing establishment and a great boost for Australia’s number one past time.

Another huge sport in Australia, motor racing, is regaining respectability in the world scene once again. Casey Stoner won at Silverstone, and made the podium at the last two races to be on top of the Moto GP standings.

Yet the real glee for racing fans is the glamour sport, Formula 1, where not only Mark Webber is getting faster, but this week, will see the debut of a potential champion in Australian Daniel Ricciardo.

The young man from Perth has huge wraps on him, coming through the Red Bull structure to secure a championship and second place in lead up categories. He now is the heir to Webber and his potential is putting stress not only on the drivers from sister team, Torro Rosso, but even the likes of Lewis Hamilton who is seeking a switch to the fastest team once his McLaren contract runs out.

For the Australian old timer, Webber, he has been nothing but impressive in the last three races. His qualifying lap at Valencia says that he is now back in one with his car and ready to defend his Silverstone title this Sunday.

He may have to rely on a couple of non-finishes from Sebastian Vettel to win a championship but he is now the favourite to finish runner up.

All this positiveness about Australian sport is great for a fan. I for one do not want to turn to sailing, bowls or fishing to hang our sporting crowns on. We need to perform in the big, traditional sports so that Australians remain happy while other countries become envious. It should happen, until the Australian cricket side plays again, that is.