Murray hopes extinguished as players fear death in extreme heat
Britain’s remaining Olympic tennis hopes went up in flames on a day organisers acceded to demands to change the schedule after one player suffered heatstroke and another questioned whether they would “die” in Tokyo’s sweltering temperatures.
Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury were the first Britons to exit, losing 4-6, 7-6, 10-7 to Croatia’s Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig in their men’s doubles quarter-final. Any lingering GB hopes were later dashed when Liam Broady was beaten 7-6, 4-6, 6-1 by France’s Jeremy Chardy in the third round of the men’s singles.
But the main talking point was once again the heat and the startling impact on several players, with the International Tennis Federation later announcing that from today matches would start from 3pm, rather than 11am.
The ITF said in a statement: “In the interests of player health and welfare and following extensive consultation, the ITF has announced a change of schedule due to the increasing heat and humidity currently being experienced in Tokyo.”
Spain’s Paula Badosa needed treatment after losing the opening set of her singles quarter-final 6-3 to Marketa Vondrousova, of the Czech Republic, leaving the court in a wheelchair. She later pulled out of her mixed doubles opener alongside Pablo Carreno Busta.
Men’s second seed Daniil Medvedev, of the Russian Olympic Committee, also struggled during his 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 third-round win against Italy’s Fabio Fognini, taking a medical time-out on court and calling the trainer on two other occasions. When asked by the umpire if he was all right, he was heard to say: “If I die, who will take responsibility?” The switch in schedule was welcomed by world No1 Novak Djokovic, who had been among the leading players to complain. “It was nice news to receive. It should have been done a few days earlier. But it is what it is,” the Serb said after beating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-1 in his quarter-final.
“It’s very good because you don’t want to see situations like we saw today with Paula Badosa. I’ve never faced these kind of conditions in my entire life on a consecutive daily basis.” Murray, meanwhile, did not rule out trying to extend his Olympic career to an unlikely fifth Games. Asked whether he would consider trying for an appearance on the clay courts at Paris 2024 at the age of 37, he said: “I don’t know. I’ve got to get the opportunity to play again. I’ve loved every minute of playing in the Olympics. It was another chance, with Joe, to win a medal. We were so close, that’s what is disappointing.” The Scot said he would also “wait and see” on whether he would play at the US Open, which starts in less than five weeks, depending on how the thigh strain that caused him to pull out of his Olympic singles defence heals.