Australia-bound: Ashes Twitter mix-up sees babysitter hit for six

She's Australia's - and England's - latest cricketing celebrity, but 22-year-old American Ashley Kerekes has never lifted a cricket bat. And now she's in line for a free trip to Australia.

Monday afternoon, Qantas offered her flights from New York to Australia to watch a Test between Australia and England.

"Qantas wants to see @ in Australia. We'll fly her from New York to Australia for the Ashes!," the airline tweeted Monday afternoon.

The young Massachusetts babysitter, originally from Maine, became an instant Twitter celebrity when she declared to the world: "I AM NOT A FREAKING CRICKET MATCH!!!".

Ms Kerekes wrote the tweet in response to cricket-related messages due to her Twitter username, @TheAshes.

Ms Kerekes told this website what happened next hit her for six.

"I was out Christmas shopping with my aunt and I got a Twitter [direct message] from a friend of mine telling me that some guy was trying to get information about me," she said.

"I'd turned off notifications on my phone right after my first outburst so I had no idea. After that I went looking around and found that I had hundreds, maybe thousands, of messages about The Ashes."

Ms Kerekes had about 300 followers at the start of the first Test at the Gabba. As of Monday afternoon, she had more than 5200.

And it was all thanks to a username that had more to do with her given name than a biennial cricketing contest between Australia and England.

"My boyfriend gave me the nickname years ago, maybe because of the cricket tournament. We don't remember. He's been calling me The Ashes forever," Ms Kerekes said.

"When we started Twitter accounts back in 2007, before Twitter was cool, it was just something we used back and forth so I used my nickname he gave me."

Ms Kerekes said despite the confusion she would never change her username and said becoming an overnight Twitter celebrity was "amazing".

"I've been into social media for a long time, but I was never this popular," Ms Kerekes said.

Ms Kerekes said even her mother was getting in on the action.

"She thinks it's amazing that her daughter is getting famous for making a bitchy comment," she said.

"But now she's known for being even bitchier on twitter! So now everyone knows where I got it from."

Ms Kerekes said the incident had sparked in her an interest in cricket and she was keen to learn more about the game however she was choosing to remain neutral on which side she was backing.

"I intend on reading up on rules and such as soon as I recover from the shock. Right now, I'm just having a blast reading everyone's tweets to me," she said.

And as for a #gettheashestotheashes movement on Twitter, directed mainly at airlines and broadcasters to fly her to Australia to witness Test first hand, Ms Kerekes said she was keen on the idea.

"I most certainly would not object to a free trip to Australia!" she said.

"I'm working with some people on some things."

A spokesman for VAustralia, one of the airlines targeted in the online campaign, said he was aware of the movement, but there was "nothing in it" at this stage.

Vodafone also seems keen to help Ms Kerekes get to Australia recently Tweeting – "We want to #gettheashestotheashes so if @theashes can get over here we'll pony up #theashes tickets & a phone so she can tweet."

According to Ms Kerekes, Vodafone has already been in contact with her and the prospect of visiting Australia for the first time was looking good.

In a bid to start fundraising for the trip Ms Kerekes has begun selling t-shirts online featuring the slogan 'I am not a freaking cricket match'.

While some Twitter users have criticised her for trying to make a quick buck, Ms Kerekes has defended her actions.

"I hope no one is offended by me making t-shirts. I probably (sic) make 2 cents a shirt. I'm not trying to get rich just have fun," she tweeted.

Source http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/australiabound-ashes-twitter-mixup-sees-babysitter-hit-for-six-20101129-18dkf.html?from=smh_sb

Serena Williams pulls out of Australian Open


THE Australian Open suffered a huge hit today with the withdrawal of five-time champion Serena Williams due to an ongoing foot problem.

The 29-year-old might be a player who divides fans' loyalties but she certainly brings them through the gate, no matter if they love her or hate her.

And the holder of 13 grand slam trophies is the defending champion after beating comeback queen Justine Henin in last January's decider.

Williams only played six tournaments in 2010 due to a left knee injury suffered earlier in the season, and then encountering serious problems with here right foot which required surgery.

“As I recently learned, pushing myself back into my intense training too early only caused me further injury and damage,” Williams said in a statement today.

“While I desperately want to be back on the court and competing in the first grand slam tournament of the year, it is imperative for my health that I continue to work with my doctors to ensure my foot heals properly.”

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has been in close contact with Williams ever since the American had her second operation on the foot in October.

“I know how disappointing it will be for Serena that she's unable to come back and defend her title at Australian Open 2011. We all know how much she enjoys playing here, and how much she loves her Aussie fans,” Tiley said

“Serena is a great champion and we will miss her in January. We send her our very best wishes for a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming her back to Australia soon.”

Source http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/serena-williams-pulls-out-of-australian-open/story-e6frg7mf-1225961066636

Putter sputter hurts Tiger Woods

TIGER Woods has done a lot of fighting lately - with his ex-wife, his ex-mistresses and his formerly flawless swing.

The world golf's best putter spent all round arguing with a surprising foe: his trusty flat stick.

As a result, Woods failed to plunder a golf course there for the taking, settling for a respectable two-under 69.

With Woods still well in contention there was no harm done, but by his own reckoning he could have topped the leaderboard if the putts had dropped.

"If I make a few putts, I am at five or six under," was his assessment after missing just two of 18 greens following his 7.27am start.

"It was probably the highest score I could have hit today. I played really well and gave myself a bunch of looks early for birdie, and every putt was a little bit shy."

The remodelled swing on which Woods has worked so hard held up remarkably well.

In benign conditions, with Victoria's greens surprisingly receptive to his wondrous iron game, Woods gave himself look after first-class look.

But nothing went in, and Woods threw his putter to the ground in frustration on his ninth hole after another putt stopped on the edge.

But three birdies from his precise iron play kept him in the hunt.

The morning stillness gave the former world No.1 the perfect opportunity to iron out the kinks in his swing, and he certainly took that chance.

If the searing irons that lazered in on the pin last year were absent, he played just the type of smart, calculating golf that will keep him in contention to defend his title.

In fact, Woods said he was hitting the ball as well as at any time this year.

"I hit the ball pretty good in China last week in the first round, but not like this," he said.

And then came a warning: "Today it could have easily have been four or five or six under -easily - but I am right there, I am only four back.

"I don't know what the guys are going to do this afternoon, but I am right there."

Source http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/golf/putter-sputter-hurts-tiger-woods/story-fn6u4cn0-1225952297375