Zee Media Bureau/Jayanta Oinam
New Delhi: As temperatures crossed 42 degrees on day four of the ongoing Australian Open, tournament referee Wayne McEwen finally invoked the Extreme Heat Policy. The decision did helped many a players, bellboys and attendants, but the organisers have already endured their share of heat.
The policy, first introduced in 1998, allows the organisers under the tournament referee`s discretion to suspend the commencement of any further matches on the outside courts. If roofs are available, matches will continue after they are closed. And for matches currently in progress, they will continue until the end of the current set.
As many as nine players retired on day two of the year`s first Grand Slam with the extreme heat being the main reason. Andy Murray, disconcertingly commented about the unbearable heat `it only takes one bad to happen`. And it almost happened, when Canadian Frank Dancevic collapsed during his opening round defeat to Benoit Paire.
Besides the Scots, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Caroline Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova also voiced their concern over the playing condition. The former World No.1 from Russia, after surviving a three hour duel against Karin Knapp, was specially vocal over the lack of transparency on deciding when to use the Extreme Heat Policy. She and her Italian opponent were forced to continue their deciding set even after the policy was invoked.
However, tournament referee McEwen believes that `the temperatures can fluctuate very quickly, and if we know it`s going to cool down in the next half an hour or so we`ll push through that period`. But for the players and many in the stands, who are exposed directly to the heat, feel it otherwise.
