It’s early morning tennis time!

You don’t have to be a tennis fan to appreciate the talents of Maria Sharapova, Novak Djokovic and more at the 2013 Australian Open. I won’t spoil anything for anyone, but some great matches take place overnight.

Serbian Djokovic is playing this morning in a real nail-biter. Last year, he played in the final match that took 5 hours and 53 minutes — the longest final in history, but not the longest match by any means.

If you’re a tennis fan, early morning TV is live with the Aussie Open, or check out all the coverage at AustralianOpen.com.

Sharapova has had some great years and some real disappointments after shoulder surgery several years ago. She has been “steamrolling,” the Aussie websites say, this year. Good for her. Serena Williams is playing well also, but sister Venus is out of singles play.  But as a doubles team, the Williams sisters are still contenders.

Matches like these are something to see. For those of us who have played tennis every week for decades, or even if you just take the game up tomorrow — it’s great exercise, great fun and exciting to watch — especially live in the early mornings. G’day!

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa. She is the mom of three, stepmom to three and step-grandmom to one.

In this AP photo by Charles Krupa, Venus and Serena Williams wave to fans after a 6-1, 6-4 loss to Russia's Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova at the U.S. Open.

The Williams sisters, pretty much unbeatable in major doubles’ competitions,  met their match Sunday at the hands of Russian players Maria Kirilenko and  Nadia Petrova. Venus suffers from  Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease, and it clearly affects her play at times. I feel awful for her — she tries so hard.

Victoria Azarenka takes on Samantha Stosur, and the stats side with Azarenka, but Stosur is the defending champion. No matter who wins this one – -the road ahead is not easy.

Sara Errani plays  Roberta Vinci, and these two Italians are a doubles team — after they play doubles today, they will face off in singles.  Serena Williams plays Ana Ivanovic, and Maria Sharapova plays Marion Bartoli. That will whittle it all down to a final four.

I’ve seen Errani play and she has beaten some big names. Williams is playing some of her best tennis ever. Maria can always pull off a surprise and no can count out Stosur, Bartoli or Azarenka.

On the mens side, Andy Roddick plays Juan Martin del Potro tonight, and this will be Roddick’s toughest match yet. I have watched a lot of Roddick because every match could be his last.  Novak Djokovic will take on the winner, so we can all hope Roddick has an extra bag of tricks to extend his wins, but the closer we get to the finals, the more I wonder if Roddick has the steam to get there. And  Roger Federer is guaranteed to be well rested because his opponent American Mardy Fish defaulted yesterday due to health problems.

I am loving the coverage — just loving it — you can watch live on http://www.usopen.org/index.html and of course on TV.

Pam Parker has been a tennis player for more than 35 years.  She is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

It’s an odd year when nearly 31-year-old Serena Williams starts interviews with “I’m not retiring.” But who can blame her when 29-year-old Kim Clijsters announced last week that she would retire from singles after the U.S. Open.

Not 24 hours later, 30-year-old Andy Roddick added that it was his swan song as well. He plays today — read the US Open discussion of his chances here.

Serena is having one of her best years ever, and I would be surprised to see anyone beat her. She has come back from some major health problems, and had a disastrous French Open — losing in the opening round. She came back to win her fifth Wimbledon in record fashion with 24 services aces in one match and a record 102 in the tournament at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships. She also won the gold medal in the Olympics’ singles tournament and gold in the doubles with her sister Venus.

What’s to become of American tennis after Roddick leaves the game?  John Isner, 27, is moving up the ranks along with Jack Sock, 20.

On the women’s side, Sloane Stepens, 19, is making some waves as a younger American to be reckoned with. Her late father was a pro football player and her mom is a former All American swimmer.

Pam Parker has been a tennis player for more than 30 years. She is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

Even if you’re not a tennis fan, you’ve probably heard of Venus Williams and Serena Williams, two women who pretty much changed the face of professional tennis more than 10 years ago. And they are American women who pretty much learned the game on public courts in Compton, outside of Los Angeles.

For the first time in 47 professional tournaments, Serena Williams,30, lost in the first round at Roland Garros in Paris during French Open, the prestigious clay tournament.

Venus Williams, just shy of 32, was booted one day later in a second-round match when Agnieszka Radwanska beat the champion 6-2, 6-3 in an hour.

Age, illness and injury are creeping up on the champion Williams sisters. Radwanska, 23, had no fear and plenty of energy against Venus, who is publicly battling Sjogren’s Syndrome, something that often robs her of energy.

What a run they’ve had. Venus has won $28 million in prize money since turning pro in 1994. Serena has won more than $36 million since turning pro in 1995. I don’t think they’re done. The Olympics are coming, and they will hopefully mentor some more Americans, and give us something to cheer about.

Pam Parker is an award-winning writer and editor for Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.