Heat takes its toll in Sydney
REIGNING French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko has joined fellow top seed Kristina Mladenovic in suffering shock first-round exits at the Sydney International.
Fifth seed Mladenovic was trailing 6-4, 4-2 to Australian wildcard Ellen Perez when she succumbed to fatigue during yesterday’s record-breaking heatwave.
However third seed Ostapenko, who is ranked No.7 in the world, became the second big-name to fall after falling 7-6 (6-3), 6-1 to Ekaterina Makarova. The Latvian shot to stardom last year when she became the first unseeded player in the Open era to win at Roland Garros, defeating current world No.1 Simona Halep.
However she will now need to turn around her form heading into next week’s Australian Open, having also lost her tournament opener in China last week.
Earlier, Perez defied scorching temperatures to claim her maiden WTA tour victory against the world No.11 Mladenovic in just her second tournament. The world No.343 progresses to the second round where she is likely to face Australian No.1 Ashleigh Barty, who opens her campaign against qualifier Veronica Cepede Royg today.
Fellow Australia hopeful Sam Stosur will also be in action, while top two seeds Garbine Muguruza and Venus Williams enjoy a first-round bye. Defending women’s champion, Johanna Konta, faces Agnieszka Radwanska.
The heatwave proved too much for Mladenovic despite play starting an hour earlier than scheduled.
The mercury soared to 39.1 degrees at 10.30am yesterday, forcing tournament officials to activate their heat policy just half an hour into the opening day.
Players on the outside courts at Homebush were offered up to 15-minute breaks between the second and third sets, however it is believed no matches were suspended.
Temperatures hit a high of 44.5 degrees just after 1pm, and not long after Mladenovic pulled the plug on her match.
Mladenovic had been treated a handful of times by trainers during the match.
The 22-year-old Perez said she embraced the challenge of playing in stifling heat.
“It was definitely hot. I’m not going to lie. I do enjoy the heat and I definitely think it was getting to me a little bit but maybe not as much as she felt it, but it was hot out there,” Perez said.