Australian Open organisers will review their heat policy after scathing criticism by top players and concern from Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) boss Larry Scott.
It follows disturbing scenes on Tuesday when top seed Maria Sharapova wilted in the 40 degrees Celsius temperatures and said afterwards she was ”delusional” in her match against Camille Pin of France.
Scott, head of the women’s tour, described the scenes as ”troubling” and expressed concern to organisers.
”I didn’t see the whole match but I was very concerned by what I saw,” Scott was quoted as saying by the Australian newspaper on Thursday.
”I don’t remember conditions like that and seeing a match carry on so long. At least for the WTA, it is absolutely something we are going to look more closely at.
”It was troubling. It is something that is going to get a fresh look.”
Sharapova and Pin had to complete their centre court first-round match, which the Russian won in three sets, because it was already under way when organisers invoked the tournament’s extreme-heat rule.
This allows play to be stopped on outside courts when the mercury touches 35 degrees Celsius but the roof cannot be closed on the Rod Laver Arena or Vodafone Arena until the current match ends.
”It’s inhumanly possible to play three hours in that kind of heat — I don’t think our bodies were made to do that,” Sharapova said afterwards.
Argentine eighth seed David Nalbandian was playing on the Vodafone at the time and branded the conditions ”terrible” and ”disgusting” after his distressed opponent Janko Tipsarevic withdrew.
American fifth seed James Blake, who is vice-president on the Association of Tennis Players player council, said it was paramount to think about the players’ health.
”I think at some point we’re going to run into trouble where it gets serious,” he said.
”I’d hate to see … someone go down, go to the emergency room, be in real tough situations over a tennis match.”
Tournament director Craig Tiley confirmed that the heat policy would be examined before next year’s event.
”That is something we will review, no question,” he said.
But he also said the existing policy was based on player feedback from as recently as two years ago that matches in progress should finish whatever the temperature, and suggested not all players want it changed.
”I was in the locker room and had players asking me why they couldn’t go on,” he told the same newspaper.
”They said they play in Bangkok, Dubai and Doha and in the US when they felt it was hotter.”
Men’s world number one Roger Federer suggested that if both players on court at the time agree they don’t want to continue, then they should be allowed to go off.
”But at the same time we need to be fit,” he added. ”Got to bite the bullet sometimes.” — Sapa-AFP