Sunday, 21 January 2018:
For years the Australian Open has served up plenty of aces, volleys and rallies but the Cairns Taipans are planning on adding dunks, fast breaks and three pointers to the highlight reels.
The Snakes will take on Melbourne United at Hisense Arena on Wednesday, smack bang in the middle of Australian Tennis' premier event.
Originally slated for January 14 at the 3,500 seat State Netball and Hockey Centre, the match was instead moved and the venue updated to the 10,300 seat Hisense Arena, thanks to some wheeling and dealing between the NBL and Tennis Australia.
Cairns Captain and Australian International Cam Gliddon can't wait to take centre court.
"I don't watch much tennis but hopefully I can catch some, we are really keen to play there," he said.
"Hopefully they can open the roof for us, we'll see. We need the win."
Taipans coach Aaron Fearne is similarly excited, but with his team needing 5 straight wins to make the playoffs, he was quick to temper the mood.
"I hope it is an unbelievable experience for everybody, I hope we get an awesome crowd," he said
"It'll be a lot of fun, it's another NBL game but the atmosphere will be what it will be, we have another NBL game we have to win."
Chief among Fearnes' job will be to prepare his men for what will be another but a normal NBL encounter.
"There will be a lot of strange things going on during the game just because it's the Australian Open," he said.
"Both teams will be having to deal with it it won't be a routine straight up NBL game. Mentally we have to prepare for that."
Cairns have beaten Melbourne twice this season, but were destroyed by 22 points at Hisense Arena in November; the Far North Queensland club has only won five games from 46 attempts in Victoria.
