Opinion: Nothing tops TV tennis for drama, emotion

Watching tennis on TV always puts me on the edge of my seat, and I was a nervous wreck by the time Roger Federer and Andy Murray faced off in the Australian Open final.

I yell and ooh and aah more than the players do every time the ball is hit, wondering if a) it is going to go over the net and b) whether it will land in court.

The longer the rally, the more likely I am to go blue in the face from holding my breath.

Watching the reaction of the players and their support crew, complete with mothers and Twags (Tennis Wags), also adds to the drama and emotion of the occasion.

No other sport has me more engaged as a remote spectator.

In particular, I feel I know Andy Murray's mother, Judy, on an intimate level, having seen close-ups of her intense "tennis mum" face regularly during her son's duel with Federer.

I was biting my nails for 40 minutes watching the All Blacks lose to France in 2007, but that was one game and one moment in history I don't want to ever experience again (but possibly could).

Unlike rugby-worry, tennis-anxiety is strangely enjoyable. Any sport in which two individuals are pitted against each other tends to have this impact on me, more so than team sports and competitions against the elements.

Perhaps I find it more enjoyable watching tennis than rugby because I'm also not heavily invested in tennis on a personal level.

The chess-like strategies each athlete employs, the eyeballing across the net, the mind games and the athleticism on display make for a great spectator experience.

Either way, as the games progressed in Melbourne, I enjoyed watching chinks appear in the armour of some players, while others rose to the occasion. In a nutshell, mental toughness and an endless range of shots were what took the champions to the top.

Many thought Federer might have lost the killer instinct after the birth of his twin daughters, and the inevitable broken sleep that ensues.

But the Swiss is one cool dude, and with the prize money he has accrued over time he can afford a nanny and strict sleep routines that allow him to perform.

Federer killed his opponents, playing mind games with them via the press, taking strategic toilet breaks, staring them down at the net, and delivering killer blows that robbed his challengers of hope and self-belief .

Serena Williams also displayed her determination and grit when she overcame her bad girl image from the US Open and criticism for her lack of fitness and focus to beat crowd favourite Justine Henin to retain her title.

During her acceptance speech, Williams made a comment about having to put her cheque down in order to hold the trophy, which didn't go down too well with the crowd, but at least she is honest - she enjoys the fame, fortune and celebrity status tennis provides.

It is disappointing that the women don't play to five sets because I'm sure many of the female athletes would flourish in a five-set game.

Women are great endurance athletes, and a five-set match might take a bit of sting out of bigger players, like Serena Williams.

Whatever the reason for the discrepancy in match length at the Grand Slam events, I enjoyed watching both the men's and the women's games.

Bring on the next televised tennis tournament.

I'm hooked.