Louisa Wall: Tennis the best entertainment around

The Australian Open has been enthralling and I've spent many an evening up well past midnight enjoying the quality of the tennis, which has been outstanding.

I've enjoyed both the men's and women's singles equally but I have felt a little cheated that the women don't play five sets.

Although the quality of most of the women's three-set matches has made up for this lack of quantity, maybe it is time that this is reviewed - and women themselves have to initiate this.

This distinction has been thrown around in such debates as should women players get paid as much as the men.

Apparently, up until the late 1800s, women did play five sets, but this changed to three in 1902. The rationale was that women could not stand the rigours of five sets.

What an unbelievable few weeks for Cypriot phenomenon Marcos Baghdatis, who will play his first Australian Open men's final tomorrow. On the way he beat highly-ranked Argentine David Nalbandian, who has now reached the quarter-finals at eight of his last 10 Grand Slams. Sooner or later he must make a final, but it was not to be this Australian Open.

Baghdatis won the Australian Open junior boy's crown in 2003, and he said of his semifinal performance that it was like a dream.

What is more unbelievable is that Baghdatis lost to Jarkko Nieminen in the first round of the Heineken Open in Auckland, which Nieminen went on to win. Nieminen lost in the third round of the Australian Open to Nalbandian.

Isn't it funny how things sometimes work out. With Baghdatis playing the best tennis of his life and world number one Roger Federer not playing to his normal standards, but still probably getting through to the final overnight, the ultimate upset might be on the cards.

And well done Martina Hingis. Many thought she was robbed during her quarter-final match with Kim Clijsters. Clijsters had looked good to back up her first Grand Slam win in the 2005 US Open with an Australian Open title, but she was forced to retire in her semifinal against third-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo.

So, Mauresmo will play bookies' favourite Justine Henin-Hardenne, who has a chance to claim her fifth Grand Slam title and a second Australian Open trophy to add to her 2004 victory. I'd like to see Mauresmo take it out in a three-set battle.

Like Hingis, Henin-Hardenne has made a remarkable comeback from illness and injury, and it is great to see such depth in the ranks of the world's leading women's players.

I enjoyed the performance of new Aussie sensation Sam Stosur, who won all the hard points against Hingis, breaking back numerous times only to lose on serve or when the pressure was neutral.

One day she will achieve what Leyton Hewitt has been unable to do at home, and can you imagine how well appreciated by those Aussie crowds that will be.