Everyone on the women’s tennis tour knows that giant-killing Bulgarian, TzvetanarnPironkova’s relationship with her coach is a feisty one. It does complicaterntheir professional tenure that they are also personally involved. Not that you’ll find that factoid in the WTA media handbook.

rnPlayersrnsleeping with their coaches is not unusual on the gruelling pro tennis circuit,rnwhere living from a suitcase is hardly conducive to stable off-courtrnrelationships, and the balance of convenience leads to locker room liaisonsrnmore often than the media cares to report.

rnUntil yesterday, Pironkova was better known on therncircuit for her firecracker on-court temper and her locker room outburstsrn(often aimed in highly personal terms at her entourage), than her clean andrnconsistent strokeplay.

rnMaybe yesterday’s win over Venus Williams will change that: now Pironkova has to grow up. Shernhas broken through the Top 100 and now has a major scalp – the teen tantrumsrnmust be left behind.

rnYou will not see tantrums from the Chinese contingent herernat Melbourne Park. They are well-drilled, polite and destined for successrn– if not here, than certainly on the Olympic courts at Beijing in 2008. Lastrnnight’s gutsy performance by China’s number one ranked player, Li Na, againstrnSerena Williams demonstrated how far they’ve come in a short time.

rnLi took Williams to three sets and, with three game points for a two-love leadrnin the third, looked to be on the way to a massive upset against the reigningrnchamp. Serena fought back like a champ and overpowered Li. Her claim,rnhowever, at the post-match press conference that the win shows she’s fit indicates she’s either mildlyrndelusional or simply playing mind games.

rnToday, we will be watching Mark Philippousis try to prove his claim that “my best tennis is ahead of me.” The 29 year-old Scud will have to start by running down balls at practice,rnsomething he hasn’t been doing in the lead-up to this tournament. We wish himrnwell, but facing Sebastien Grosjean today, to put it in punting terms, the Scud is the layrnof the tournament.