The second day of the Grand Chelem tournament was disrupted by the stifling heat, interrupting the matches, as provided for in a regulation established since 2019 to protect players.
by Elisabeth Pineau (Melbourne, Special Envoy)
“With two eggs, I was making you a small quiet omelet for the little duty!” La Boutade, signed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, dates back to the 2014 Australian Open, when the French had felt his shoes Melt – literally – on the court. Players or players of balls victims of discomfort, spectators who suffocate and desert the stands … The first big home of the season, which takes place in the middle of the southern summer, is renowned for its sometimes extreme conditions.
“We push our limits super far. I have the impression that they [the organizers] wait for there to be a drama to change [the rule]”, had alarmed the player Alizé Cornet, she -Mend victim of a heat stroke during the 2018 edition. To remedy this, the tournament adopted, in 2019, a specific scale (” Heat Stress Scale “), which takes into account not only temperature, but also other variables like humidity and the wind. Tuesday, January 17, on this scale which has five levels, the last one was reached shortly before 2 p.m., when the Mercury displayed 38 degrees in the shade, resulting in the interruption of the matches until 5 pm, except on the three shorts Main, which have a roof: the Rod Laver Arena, the Margaret Court Arena and the John Cain Arena.
Straw hat on his head, iced yogurt in hand, Jane understands the decision of the organizers: “This is not a problem at all, the health of players imports more than anything”, estimates the 67 -year -old sexagenarian , coming from South New Wales, the State in the north of Victoria.
the head in the fan
On court number 15, Benjamin Bonzi saw his match (4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-4) against the Italian Mattia Bellucci stopped at the end of the third set: “It was The first time I expressed these regulations. Honestly, I felt good when we stopped, and seemed to have taken a hit so I would have liked to continue. I found the conditions very worse on Saturday in training, where the air was hot. Afterwards, these are the rules, you have to bend it, “comments the 26 -year -old French (48
Programmed in the second match of the day on the central court before the roof was deployed, Caroline Garcia, she, sent her first round in just over an hour (6-3, 6-0). “We felt that it was heating up well,” says the French, seeded n o 4 of the tournament, but the exchanges were rather short, it helped. “
Benefit of an invitation for the big painting, his young compatriot Diane Parry (20 years old), on the other hand, experienced a ordeal on the modest court n o 16, swept away under the stuffy gusts by his Opponent, the American Taylor Townsend (6-1-6-1), also invited by the organizers. “It is the hottest day since I arrived in Australia. The heat intensified, the ball was very lively, it was difficult to control it. It is always complicated to play in these conditions, but We have to adapt, “reacted the player on the back to one hand, who did not want to look for excuses, praising the quality of the ball and the superiority of her opponent.
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