Melbourne Heat Becomes A Major Concern For The Australian Open

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 14th January 2014

Melbourne Heat Becomes A Major Concern For The Australian Open

epa04020462 Tennis fans cool off during a heat wave on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 14 January 2014, on a day of 42 Celsius temperatures which are expected to linger throughout the week at the hothouse Australian Open. EPA/JOE CASTRO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Today wasn’t the first time and it probably won’t be the last when the excruciating Melbourne heat became a major issue at the Australian Open. Tennis Australia and tournament supremo Craig Tiley put the entire tournament’s medical staff on high alert but once again the organizers of the calendar’s first Grand Slam event stand accused of forcing players to compete in ‘inhumane conditions’.

As forecasted, temperatures rose to a brutal 42.2 degrees Celsius (107.96 degrees Fahrenheit) on Day Two of the year’s first major and as widely predicted, there were casualties. Canada’s Frank Dancevic collapsed during the second set of his first-round match against France’s Benoît Paire on the uncovered court six at Melbourne Park. Reports from those at the court maintained he was actually unconscious for more than a minute.

In the women’s singles, China’s Peng Shuai found the conditions too much as the heat had caused her to both cramp and vomit as she was being helped off the court following her 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 defeat against Japan’s Kurumi Nara.

And it wasn’t just the players who were put in danger. A ball boy had earlier required medical attention after collapsing during Milos Raonic’s 7-6, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Daniel Gimeno-Traver on court eight which has no means of shade.

In all, six players were forced to withdraw during the initial two days of the Australian Open including big Australian hope Bernard Tomic who quit after just 41 minutes against top seed Rafael Nadal because of a leg injury. The other male retirements were 12th seed Tommy Haas, 13th seed John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber. However all maintained their issues were not heat related.

But Dancevic was not in a forgiving mood and maintained: “”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,” he said. “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”

“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.”

Dancevic, a 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 loser added: “I was really close to stopping completely,” he said. “I wasn’t really running too much towards the end. I wasn’t tired, I just felt my body temperature was too high.”

Tennis Australia employ the Wet Bulb Global Temperature composite, as a means of gauging court conditions. This logs humidity and wind as well a temperature. According to newly promoted tournament director Wayne McKewen conditions had never reached the point where play would be stopped.

McKewen said: “We have to reach a minimum threshold and have a forecast that it will be sustained for a reasonable time. That didn’t happen. While conditions were hot and uncomfortable, the relatively low level of humidity ensured play would continue.”

Topics: 10sballs, Australian Open, Benoit Paire, Frank Dancevic, John Isner, Melbourne, Peng Shuai, Rafael Nadal, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Tommy Haas