Air quality conditions ‘not healthy’ for Australian Open hopefuls
Australian Open officials say they have a plan for dangerous air quality in Melbourne, caused by smoke blowing in from devastating bush fires to the west. They’ll play tennis matches on the three courts that have retractable roofs, they say. The air-conditioning systems will filter out any dangerous particles in the air, they say.
But qualifying for the tournament began on outdoor courts Tuesday morning amid air quality that was designated “very poor,” the second-worst of six levels. Victoria’s Environment Protection Authority warned Melbourne’s citizens to stay indoors, and keep windows and door shut, and the state’s chief health officer called the city’s overnight air quality “the worst in the world.” Nevertheless, after a short delay because of the conditions, the players took the courts.
The results were unsurprising.
Dalila Jakupovic, a 28-yearold Slovenian trying to make the main draw, had to retire from her qualifying match against Stefanie Voegele after dropping to her knees in a coughing fit. Eugenie Bouchard, the 2014 Wimbledon finalist, needed medical assistance against You Xiaodi before winning a match that lasted almost three hours. She told medical personnel that it felt as if there were “spikes in her lungs,” and her opponent was so affected by the conditions that she hit only underarm serves in the third set. Bernard Tomic needed a medical timeout for breathing issues in his loss to Denis Kudla.
“I was really scared that I would collapse,” Jakupovic told the Australian Associated Press. “I never had breathing problems. I actually like heat. But ... I just couldn’t breathe anymore and I just fell on the floor.”
“I think it was not fair because it’s not healthy for us,” she told the BBC. “I was surprised. I thought we would not be playing today but we really don’t have much choice.”
During a match between Blaz Kavcic and Jay Clarke, a ballkid got treatment after collapsing.
“Personally I don’t think qualifiers are treated the same way as the main draw players,” Britain’s Liam Broady said after losing his qualifying match against Ilya Ivashka. “I think that is the same at every tournament. Maybe we have to earn the right to be treated like the main draw players do but at the same time we are all human beings and there is no doubt that this is pretty bad for you to be running around in these conditions.”
Broady said he was “absolutely gassed” after just four games despite being “properly fit at the moment” and was “gasping for air” at one point during the match.
The main draw of the Australian Open begins Monday (Sunday night for Canadians watching at home).