Maria Sharapova wrapped ice around her neck in a bid to keep cool during her first round win over Bethanie Mattek-Sands at the Australian Open. 
Playing earlier in the day, Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro felt the heat during his win over American Rhyne Williams. 
Italy's 15th seed Fabio Fognini took an outdoor shower in a bid to stay cool. 
Some fans also adopted the Fognini approach.. 
While supporters in the Rod Laver Arena could at least take cover under its roof, fans on the outside courts were exposed to the elements. 
While some chose to head to Melbourne Park, other Melbournians chose to hit St. Kilda beach. - Canada's Frank Dancevic faints during his opening match at the Australian Open
- Temperatures reached 107.96 degrees Fahrenheit in Melbourne
- Dancevic described the conditions as "inhumane"
- Tournament organizers introduce "extreme weather" contingency in the women's draw
(CNN) -- Players and ball boys fainting and accusations of "inhumane" treatment.
If it's hot on court -- temperatures of 42.2 Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) were recorded Tuesday -- at the Australia Open, the mercury is also rising for tournament officials at Melbourne Park.
Canadian Frank Dancevic fainted during his match with Frenchman Benoit Paire, before he got really hot under the collar over the conditions players had to contend with at the first tennis grand slam of 2014.
"I think it's inhumane, I don't think it's fair to anybody, to the players, to the fans, to the sport, when you see players pulling out of matches, passing out," the world No. 122 told reporters.
"I've played five set matches all my life and being out there for a set and a half and passing out with heat-stroke, it's not normal.
Eastern Europe's Davis Cup domination 
Who will be the tennis ace of 2014? "Having players with so many problems and complaining to the tournament that it's too hot to play, until somebody dies, they're just keep going on with it and putting matches on in this heat.
"I personally don't think it's fair and I know a lot of players don't think it's fair."
It wasn't just players who succumbed to the elements. One of the ball boys fainted during 11th seed Milos Raonic's four-set defeat of Spain's Daniel Gimeno-Traver.
"Of course there were a few players who experienced heat-related illness or discomfort, but none required significant medical intervention after they had completed their match," chief medical officer Tim Wood told reporters, as organizers defended the decision to play in the heat.
Caution urged
But with temperatures above 40 Celsius expected for most of the week, Briton Andy Murray urged caution
"Whether it's safe or not, I don't know. You've just got to be very careful these days," he said. "There's been some issues in other sports with, you know, players having heart attacks."
In the women's draw, Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki claimed the weather caused her drinks bottle to melt on court while second seed Victoria Azarenka described playing at the Rod Laver Arena as like "dancing in a frying pan."
The tournament's "extreme heat" contingency was introduced for matches in the women's draw, allowing for an extended break between the second and third sets.
Rather than solely using a temperature reading, organizers use a measurement which also considers humidity and wind to decide whether or not conditions have become unplayable.
Is Murray ready for the Australian Open? 
Marion Bartoli: Why I left the game "We have to reach a minimum threshold and have a forecast that it will be sustained for a reasonable time," tournament director Wayne McKewen said in a statement.
"That didn't happen. While conditions were hot and uncomfortable, the relatively low level of humidity ensured play would continue."
Read: Venus refuses to blame health for exit
While some players wilted, Roger Federer was typically unflappable in the stifling heat.
"Just deal with it, because it's the same for both (players)," said the 17-time grand slam winner, seeded sixth, after defeating spirited Australian James Duckworth 6-4 6-4 6-2.
When asked if he thought organizers should close the retractable roof over the Rod Laver Arena to help lower the temperature on court, the 32-year-old Federer, who last won one of tennis' four majors at Wimbledon in 2012, replied: "No. I think it should always stay open, honestly."
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal played in the last match to get under way in the Rod Laver Arena against Australian Bernard Tomic.
Thirteen-time grand slam winner Nadal took the first set 6-4 before the 57th-ranked Tomic retired with a leg injury.
Novak Djokovic contemplates his fate ahead of his retirement with heat exhaustion in a quarterfinal match against Andy Roddick at the Australian Open in 2009. 
Djokovic used ice-soaked towels in an attempt to cool down in the searing afternoon temperatures in Melbourne. 
Spectators wear towels to beat the heat as Tatsuma Ito of Japan played Nicolas Mahut of France on the fourth day of the 2012 tournament in Melbourne. 
Maria Sharapova described conditions as "inhuman" after her infamous 2007 encounter at Melbourne Park with France's Camille Pin. 
Spectators during the 2009 tournament use a time-honored fashion to cool themselves down in the blazing heat. 
Andy Murray tries to acclimatize himself to the searing conditions during the hottest championship on record in 2009 at Melbourne Park. Feeling the heat: Australian Open fears 
Two legends of tennis came together in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open getting underway next week. Roger Federer, a 17-time grand slam winner, and the great Rod Laver delighted the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena by exchanging a couple of rallies ahead of a charity match. 
Laver may not be as agile as he once was, but world No. 6 Federer was delighted to be able to take to the court with one of his heroes.
During his 13-year playing career, Laver reached the top of the world rankings and won 11 grand slam titles. The lefthander retired in 1976. 
Federer and Laver played in the Rod Laver Arena, which annually hosts the Australian Open finals. 
A host of stars turned out to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation. From left to right, Pat Rafter, Tony Roche, Federer, Laver, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Lleyton Hewitt pose for the cameras. Roger Federer vs. Rod Laver Nadal will play Tomic's compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round.
Murray made a strong start in his bid to finally capture Melbourne glory, beating Japan's Go Soeda 6-1 6-1 6-3.
The world No. 4 has been runner-up at the season's first grand slam in three of the last four years, but enters this tournament short of match practice after undergoing back surgery.
However the Scot looked sharp, taking just 87 minutes to dispatch his 112th-ranked opponent in punishing heat and set up a second round meeting with Frenchman Vincent Millot.
U.S. No. 1 John Isner's tournament is over after he was forced to withdraw from his match with Slovakia's Martin Klizan due to a foot injury.
Isner, the only American male seeded in the draw, has been battling ankle and shin problems during the offseason. The 28-year-old missed last year's tournament with a knee injury.
Read: Ivanovic searching for the winning formula
Another American to fall at the first hurdle was Rhyne Williams who, despite winning the opening set, suffered a battling 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 6-4 6-4 loss against fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro.
Bernard Tomic is a former junior world No. 1 and he has produced some big wins on the men's tennis tour, most notably at his home major in Australia and at Wimbledon. But his indiscretions and the behavior of his father, John, have made headlines for the wrong reasons. 
Tomic was one of the most highly-touted tennis juniors of recent decades, and boasted he would one day win all four major tournaments and become the world No. 1. 
In 2009 Tomic became the first Australian to win the U.S. Open boys' title in 25 years when he beat American Chase Buchanan. 
On the pro tour, Tomic has had memorable runs at the Australian Open the past three editions. It took Roger Federer to stop him in 2012 and 2013. 
Tomic has also fared well at Wimbledon. In 2011 he became the youngest man since Boris Becker to reach the quarterfinals at the All England Club. 
Despite his junior success in New York, he has never done well in the Big Apple in the senior ranks. And at the clay-court French Open he owns a poor 1-4 record. 
Andy Roddick thumped Tomic at the 2012 U.S. Open. Afterwards, Australian Davis Cup captain Patrick Rafter called Tomic's performance "disgraceful" and John McEnroe added that he "tanked," or threw in the towel. 
Legendary Australian coach Tony Roche, right, reportedly berated Tomic during a Davis Cup encounter against Germany in 2012, just weeks after losing to Roddick. A month later, Tomic said he gave only "85%" in a loss at the Shanghai Masters. 
Tomic's father and coach John, pictured, received an eight-month suspended sentence in September after he head-butted the player's former hitting partner Thomas Drouet. He has been banned from attending tournaments. 
Drouet is pictured here after the assault. In a diary that was later published by an Australian newspaper, Drouet claimed John Tomic punched his son in the face and shot him in the leg with a BB gun. 
What next for Tomic? Only time will tell. But he'll be hoping for another good Australian Open when the tournament begins in the middle of January. Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent? Argentina's Del Potro is looking to build on an encouraging 2013 season which saw him reach the last four of a grand slam, at Wimbledon, for the first time since 2009.
But Del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, struggled with intense heat.
"You are thinking about a lot more things than the tennis match," said the 25-year-old, who plays Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut next.
"You are trying to drink a lot and always thinking about your body, your physic, and not about the game.
"I know tomorrow and after tomorrow it's going to be worst, so I will try to be ready for the weather conditions, too."
Empty seats were prevalent as many fans stayed away in heat, but those that did go to Melbourne Park were treated to a gutsy performance from Australian stalwart Lleyton Hewitt in his five-set battle with 24th seed Andrea Seppi.
The Italian took a two-set lead before former world No. 1 Hewitt rallied to draw level.
To the disappointment most of those in the Rod Laver Arena, though, Hewitt's comeback was thwarted and Italy's Seppi eventually triumphed 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 5-7 5-7 7-5.
Tenth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, beaten in the quarterfinals in 2013, beat Seppi's compatriot Filippo Volandri in straight sets.
No comments:
Post a Comment