NOTEBOOK: Eager Eagles on alert for use in war on swooping seagulls

Jan 25, 2012, 0:39 GMT

Melbourne - Australian Open officials could be pondering a move to bring in the big birds - a pair of no-nonsense wedge-tailed eagles - to solve the tennis seagull problem once and for all as the fortnight heads for its climatic weekend.

Melbourne's Herald-Sun reports that both Zorro and Matilda are on standby in case of need to keep flocks of pesky, hungry seagulls away from night matches under the open roof of the Rod laver arena.

The gulls created a sanitation problem this week with their 'gifts' from the skies falling on court and spectators alike. In Australia, where Big Brother is much in evidence, health risks are cited.

The gulls are only doing what comes naturally, circling an arena teeming with tasty crickets and moths attracted by the massive stadium lights.

The pair of steely-eyed eagles have a perfect track record after keeping lesser birds out of action during the key Australian Rules football final last year. Their owner, Alison Galbraith of Full Flight Birds of Prey, said that the two-meter wingspan of Zorro merely strutting his aviary stuff would send the seagulls flocking.

The fearsome feathered carnivores on currently on display at Melbourne Park as part of the Open but could easily be called into action if Tennis Australia gives the word.

If Zorro and Matilda do go to work, it won't be the first time the animal kingdom has been called into tennis. Wimbledon regularly uses Hamish the hawk to send pesky pigeons on their way from the All England club during their own tennis spectacular.

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NOTEBOOK: Federer can sense the tensions in the women's game =

Melbourne (dpa) - Roger Federer is surprised by the intensity of women's matches as the fist pumps increase under pressure at the Australian Open, with deposed WTA number-one Caroline Wozniacki having perhaps more reason than others to use the psychological crutch.

The 16-time men's Grand Slam winner can sympathise with the plight of the 21-year-old Wozniacki, who stood atop the women's game until her quarter-final loss this week. She held the lead ranking spot at the end of the last two seasons but has yet to lift a Grand Slam title.

'I can imagine it could be tricky because it's been like this for a while now,' Federer said of the ranking situation. 'Many world number ones in the past have not won slams.

'That makes it difficult out there on the court, I guess. I see many women's players being extremely sort of tense and fist pumping after every single point. It's to me pretty surprising to see that.

'I have fist pumped maybe five times at the most (in a match), and they do that in one game. It's incredible to see how intense they are.'

He said that Wozniacki should not worry. 'She did her work, and I think she deserves to be number one, but there's no free pass. She wasn't just there for a week, either. You have to credit her for taking advantage of it and doing the best with it

'It's not all about the slams anyway. They're big tournaments, but it's not only about them.'