Stifling air quality marked qualifying for 2020’s first slam, ending hopes for some of a season-changing, main-draw place
The year’s grand slam action got under way on Tuesday at a Melbourne Park wreathed in noxious fog. Organisers of the Australian Open delayed the start of play by an hour but that was still not enough to avoid the nightmare scenario of a player on their knees hacking in agony and short of breath. This is an event that sells itself to the world as the happy slam.
Qualifying rounds should provide a grand slam with a soft launch. Not this year.
Written by Jonathan Howcroft at Melbourne Park
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jan/14/no-soft-launch-for-australian-open-as-melbourne-chokes-on-smoke-tennis under the title “No soft launch for Australian Open as Melbourne chokes on smoke | Jonathan Howcroft”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
