A distressed Michaella Krajicek became the first victim of furnace conditions at the Australian Open on Saturday when heat exhaustion forced the Dutch teenager to concede her third-round match.
The sight of the 17-year-old breaking down in the heat after playing a single set on Melbourne Park’s centre court has again raised questions about the safety of conditions at the season-opening grand slam.
”I can’t play,” Krajicek said to the umpire before bursting into tears and handing victory to French third seed Amelie Mauresmo.
Krajicek, one of the youngest players on the tour, said her former Wimbledon champion brother Richard had warned her conditions would be hot in Australia, but the temperature far exceeded her expectations.
”I felt like I was going to throw up,” she told reporters after cooling down by covering her entire body with ice. ”I couldn’t even see the ball because my eyes were burning.”
The Australian Open’s extreme-heat policy meant play was suspended on Melbourne Park’s outside courts while Krajicek faced Mauresmo.
But because their match was on the s how courts and had already started, the rules state it must continue without the retractable roof being closed.
The extreme-heat policy takes effect at 35 degrees Celsius, although the sun bouncing off Melbourne Park’s rubberised Rebound Ace surface means the on-court temperature is sometimes closer to 50 degrees Celsius.
Asked if it was dangerous to play in such conditions, Krajicek replied: ”Well, you saw the result.”
Over the years, players have tried various ways to prepare for the Melbourne heat — four-time champion Andre Agassi trains in the Nevada desert, while this year’s Belgian number-two seed Kim Clijsters hit the sauna before travelling to Australia.
Many arrive a week or more early to give their bodies a chance to acclimatise.
Mauresmo said there would be objections if the rules were changed to make more allowances for the heat.
”It’s very tough to make these rules,” she said. ”Some players like to play in these conditions and want to play because they say, ‘I’m stronger physically so it might be an advantage for me to play in these conditions,’ some others would prefer to have the roof closed and everything.”
Men’s second seed Andy Roddick proved her point earlier this week, when he called for the roof to remain open for his match on Sunday, when the mercury is forecast to top 41 degrees Celsius.
Czech Iveta Benesova complained she felt dizzy in the heat as she played former world number one Martina Hingis, believing it effectively ended any hope she had of repeating her upset win over sixth seed Mary Pierce.
”It was too much for me today,” she said.
Three-time champion Hingis, who in 2002 wilted in the Melbourne heat in a marathon final against Jennifer Capriati, said coping in Australia is all about preparation and conditioning.
”It’s really important to be in good shape, that’s all that counts because under these circumstances, to play with this heat, only the fit survive,” she said. — Sapa-AFP