when the year began, the backing track was the sound of silence. fans were still some way behind. covid's cancellations and chaos continued, the pandemic still providing all the background noise. the empty stadia, a stark, constant reminder that no amount of fake sounds or even fake crowds could drown out. that was over here. over there, well, this was how the world's best tennis players were preparing for one of the first major sporting events of the year, the australian open. strict total quarantine divided opinion. strict hotel quarantine divided opinion. novak djokovic became the men's champion, the first of three grand slams for him this year. naomi osaka, the women's champion, herfirst and final grand slam of 2021. her withdrawal from the others to protect her mental health, the starting point for another of the year's major sporting narratives. in truth, many were still questioning whether sport should