Federer and Nadal Play on Water to Open 2011 Tennis Season.

Federer and Nadal Play on Water to Open 2011 Tennis Season.

After another brief off-season, tennis in 2011 began at the crack of midnight on January 1st with a slew of tourneys and exhibitions all leading up to this month’s Australian Open in Melbourne. And since Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal ended 2010 with their “Match for Africa” exos, it’s probably appropriate that the two greatest players in the sport kick off 2011 by proving they can play on any surface. Even water.

As part of the promotion for the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, both men showed off their skills on a partially submerged court. I’m not sure how both men will top this photo op next year, but the amount of buzz and response photos and videos from it have earned so far will hopefully propel tennis to even new heights of popularity.

Happy New Year to everyone who has visited the site, emailed me, left a comment or tweeted me online. May your 2011 be filled with health, prosperity and lots of tennis.