Tennis Australia Affirms Air Quality Policy With Players Affected

Tennis Australia is "holding firm on its hazardous air quality policy as bushfire smoke interrupted the first day of Australian Open qualifiers" today. Player Dalila Jakupovic "had a coughing fit on court at Melbourne Park" and withdrew from her match, while Bernard Tomic and Eugenie Bouchard "needed medical time outs because of breathing difficulties during their matches." Jakupovic said that it was "'not fair' that officials asked players to take the court in the conditions." Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said that "on-site air quality testing and medical, environmental, scientific and meteorological experts would continue to be consulted when deciding if it was safe for play to go ahead" (Melbourne AGE, 1/14).