Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Banner Left
Banner Right

Players sweat it out on first day

Players sweat it out on first day

MELBOURNE – Jelena Jankovic thought her feet were on fire and Marcos Baghdatis wanted to throw up as the opening day of the Australian Open turned into a battle of the fittest.

Australia’s notorious summer sun made an unwelcome appearance on the opening day of the two-week tournament, forcing organisers to invoke their extreme heat policy within the first hour of play.
The women’s and junior players were given 10-minute breaks between the second and third sets of their matches while all players were offered ice vests and bags of ice as the temperature climbed past 37 degrees Celsius.
Jankovic, the number one ranked woman in the world, said the ground was so hot during her first-round win over Yvonne Meusburger that she could feel the soles of her feet burning.
‘One problem that I had was my feet were burning,’ the Serbian said. ‘The soles of my shoes got so hot. ‘Probably you have seen in the changeovers I was putting my feet on ice, you know, kind of trying to cool it down.’
The Australian Open has long been at the mercy of the weather as it is traditionally played in late January, the hottest time of the year.
Tournament organisers have developed their own policies, in conjunction with the men’s and women’s tour officials, to protect the players from the worst of the conditions.
The extreme heat policy is applied at the referee’s discretion, allowing for longer breaks between sets and the use of ice vests.
In severe cases, when the temperature climbs above 40 degrees Celsius, officials can stop play altogether and order the closure of the roofs on the showcourts. – Nampa-Reuters

Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!

Latest News