Feisty Fans Boost American at Open

M E L B O U R N E, Australia, Jan. 27 -- On a sunny day 10,000 miles from home, Jeff Salzenstein, a 30-year-old American tennis profrom Orlando, Fla., was hard at work.

Salzenstein and Glenn Weiner, a South African-born American transplanted to Bradenton, Fla., were facingeach other across the net in the first round of theAustralian Open, one of tennis' most hallowedchampionships.

They were almost alone.

With fewer than 50 spectators, Court 5 — theirtiny patch of real estate in vast Melbourne Park —felt like a ghost town. Sounds of cheering andshouting wafted from distant stadiums and grandstands,where thousands of spectators were watching featuredmatches.

Court 5 was a tomb.

But suddenly, three young Australians arrived andbegan cheering for Salzenstein.

David Coghlan, a 20-year-old business school graduate,sat between two friends: Amy Herrick, 21, a nursingstudent, and Mark Mastores, 21, a finance and bankingstudent.

An Unexpected Rally of Support

"C'mon, Jeff, hang in there, mate!" shouted Coghlanfrom under a white baseball cap and a fresh dose ofsunscreen.

A few spectators glanced up but said nothing. Theywere following the tradition of politely applaudingafter a good shot by either player.

"All over him, Jeff, now!" bellowed Mastores. "All over him!"

When Salzenstein lost the first set, his fans lost no enthusiasm. If he was surprised by the attention, Salzenstein didnot show it. A journeyman professional who playedcollege tennis at Stanford University, he earned$78,970 in prize money last year, his seventh on themen's world tennis tour.

Weiner is a former top junior player who was injuredlast year and earned only $13,618 in prize money (plus$15,000 from World Team Tennis bonuses). He ignoredthe shouting, calmly walking past the enemy fans as heand Salzenstein switched ends of the court every twogames.