Conditions at the Australian Open

F

Fedforever

Hall of Fame
Can't link to the article (paywall) but Stuart Fraser in the Times scathing about the decision to play qualies yesterday.

Cavalier incompetence led to a shameful day for tennis

Said that many leisure facilities, including tennis courts had been closed due to the conditions. Yesterday the people of Melbourne [were told] to stay indoors and keep their windows shut after a thick haze of smoke engulfed the city. AO officials....forced players out on to the court at 11am...…It was patently clear that it was not safe for players to contest a tennis match....it is unfathomable that organisers - no doubt siiting in the comfort of an air conditioned office behind the scenes -allowed play to continue. Also mentions the dangers for the ball boys and girls, and the officials who were outside for hours.

Sounds very worrying for the next two weeks
 
D

Deleted member 769694

Guest
The AO used to be my favorite grand slam. They dont care about the players or fans, only a dollar.

Very bad look for tennis austrialia, I expect it with the sleezeballs at the us open/french, but not the AO.
 
R

reaper

Legend
Fedforever said:
Can't link to the article (paywall) but Stuart Fraser in the Times scathing about the decision to play qualies yesterday.

Cavalier incompetence led to a shameful day for tennis

Said that many leisure facilities, including tennis courts had been closed due to the conditions. Yesterday the people of Melbourne [were told] to stay indoors and keep their windows shut after a thick haze of smoke engulfed the city. AO officials....forced players out on to the court at 11am...…It was patently clear that it was not safe for players to contest a tennis match....it is unfathomable that organisers - no doubt siiting in the comfort of an air conditioned office behind the scenes -allowed play to continue. Also mentions the dangers for the ball boys and girls, and the officials who were outside for hours.

Sounds very worrying for the next two weeks
Click to expand...

Conditions at the AO should be pretty good. Melbourne is predicted to be OK today and tomorrow, smokey on Saturday then improving Sunday, with rain predicted in Victoria on Monday. There's quite a bit of rain predicted in eastern Australia over the next few days, so by the time the main draw starts conditions could be ideal.
 
One Handed Dynasty

One Handed Dynasty

Semi-Pro
They’re going to have to change venues, worst air quality in the world currently and it’s hazardous for the player’s health.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
O

Old Gregg

Rookie
Lleytonstation said:
Well, there are three options, play, delay (cram matches), or cancel. The latter wont happen, and the other two options there will be complaints no matter what. No win scenario. What would you have them do if this happens next week?
Click to expand...

They will utilise the courts with roof's to capacity (3 main courts) and push other matches back dependent on the weather that day.

It will be doable.
 
Lleytonstation

Lleytonstation

Talk Tennis Guru
Old Gregg said:
They will utilise the courts with roof's to capacity (3 main courts) and push other matches back dependent on the weather that day.

It will be doable.
Click to expand...
Doable sure, but imagine a scenario like the French again. Next week if it rains, things will get pushed back for sure, and things will be a mess. Maybe it is the right thing to do for health, but there will be complaints for whoever it affects. So, no matter what they will get ridiculed.
 
T

tonylg

Legend
Although not talking about it publicly, it would be irresponsible if TA weren't making contingency plans to relocate it.

The qualies should have been played in Sydney or Brisbane, for a start.

Decision to relocated needs to be made in next 48 hours if the forecast doesn't change dramatically in that time.
 
Tshooter

Tshooter

G.O.A.T.
One Handed Dynasty said:
They’re going to have to change venues, worst air quality in the world currently and it’s hazardous for the player’s health.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

You can always find more tennis players after the current crop are dead. China can send plenty and they don’t complain about trivialities like air quality. But you can’t recover the lost revenue or the costs involved in changing venues last minute. Keep your priorities straight.

Ready. Play.
 
R

reaper

Legend
octobrina10 said:
Melbourne's air quality will worsen:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1217673170821533696
Click to expand...

I think you'll find the air quality has actually improved overall. It was hazardous on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, significantly better today and tomorrow, then deteriorating Saturday/Sunday, but not to the extent of Tuesday/Wednesday, then improving from Monday next week. There's rain predicted on Monday for both Melbourne and the fire affected areas which should result in good air quality by the time the tournament starts.
 
BeatlesFan

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
octobrina10 said:
Melbourne's air quality will worsen:
Click to expand...

I'm not understanding the mindset. Nadal has been chasing Fed's slam count for 14 years. In two weeks he finally has a chance of equaling Roger's record. You'd think the Nadal fans would be climbing the walls in anticipation of this happening instead of whining about the air and hoping the AO will be postponed. Doesn't make sense.
 
octobrina10

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru
BeatlesFan said:
I'm not understanding the mindset. Nadal has been chasing Fed's slam count for 14 years. In two weeks he finally has a chance of equaling Roger's record. You'd think the Nadal fans would be climbing the walls in anticipation of this happening instead of whining about the air and hoping the AO will be postponed. Doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...
I'm not understanding why you commented on your own imaginations. :unsure: I posted only a tweet of the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (= a fact).
 
S

Stilljonesing

Rookie
While part of me says you choose to play in these conditions so I shouldn't feel bad for them, it's just pretty ridiculous they are going to try to run it like normal. While these are professional athletes a lot of them aren't rolling in money I suspect and feel obligated to play or lose out on a big chunk of salary they were counting on and will probably do about anything they are told to so it falls on the tourny to protect them from themselves in many cases IMO.

If they are insistent on playing it they should really trim the tourny down a couple rounds and play it all indoors IMO and salvage what money they can. At the end of the day it's all about money for the players and tourny, city etc so that's the best compromise IMO. I read they had 12 covered courts. Trim some of the field and you should beable to get through a tourny. I really don't need to try to kill or harm players with heat and smoke to feel like they won, there is a dangerous amount of stress on players already. Playing indoors is fine for me regardless.
 
R

reaper

Legend
Stilljonesing said:
While part of me says you choose to play in these conditions so I shouldn't feel bad for them, it's just pretty ridiculous they are going to try to run it like normal. While these are professional athletes a lot of them aren't rolling in money I suspect and feel obligated to play or lose out on a big chunk of salary they were counting on and will probably do about anything they are told to so it falls on the tourny to protect them from themselves in many cases IMO.

If they are insistent on playing it they should really trim the tourny down a couple rounds and play it all indoors IMO and salvage what money they can. At the end of the day it's all about money for the players and tourny, city etc so that's the best compromise IMO. I read they had 12 covered courts. Trim some of the field and you should beable to get through a tourny. I really don't need to try to kill or harm players with heat and smoke to feel like they won, there is a dangerous amount of stress on players already. Playing indoors is fine for me regardless.
Click to expand...

Why would they trim the tournament when it's likely to be completely unaffected next week by the conditions that have prevailed this week?
 
S

Stilljonesing

Rookie
reaper said:
Why would they trim the tournament when it's likely to be completely unaffected next week by the conditions that have prevailed this week?
Click to expand...

Can you count on that? I haven't read where they expect it to get any better, I believe they said they didn't expect rain until March. What if it's worse? When the government officials are telling people to keep their pets indoors but the tourny is trotting out qualifiers in those same conditioins I think there is a major issue at hand that needs something adjusted. Do we really need qualfieres and a 1st round in this situation? They have 12 roofed courts, they could run a safe tourny if they made some adjustments.
 
I

icazares

Semi-Pro
I've heard that inhaling smoke particles can have an everlasting impact. I think we need to hear the medical facts and assessments, above everything else. And yes, if necessary we must adapt to the new reality. There are too many fire prone regions in the world.
 
D

Deleted member 769694

Guest
Raizu said:
your sources are pretty off... coaches and players state the the Aussie Open is the most player friendly tournament on tour.
Click to expand...

Hence my "used to be". They arent as bad as the french who makes you play 2hours and 1 min in the rain so they dont have to give tickets, but this is pure greed. Something, like you said wasnt expected of the AO
 
R

reaper

Legend
Stilljonesing said:
Can you count on that? I haven't read where they expect it to get any better, I believe they said they didn't expect rain until March. What if it's worse? When the government officials are telling people to keep their pets indoors but the tourny is trotting out qualifiers in those same conditioins I think there is a major issue at hand that needs something adjusted. Do we really need qualfieres and a 1st round in this situation? They have 12 roofed courts, they could run a safe tourny if they made some adjustments.
Click to expand...

Plainly the qualifiers last Tuesday/Wednesday should have been moved to Sydney if possible. They were actually predicting no rain in eastern Australia until April. It's hammering down in Sydney at the moment...which is in eastern Australia. It's predicted to rain in Melbourne on Monday with that rain also falling in the fire affected areas. The chances of the tournament being significantly some affected aren't non existent....but they are very low.
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

G.O.A.T.
They should cancel the bloody thing. Risking the health of the entire tennis elite - for one event? Absurd.
 
Last edited:
Big_Dangerous

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
FedFosterWallace said:
Agreed.

Was already boring. Basically been retired now.

Maybe if they shut 'er down, someone else might follow suit. :sneaky:
Click to expand...

tCbJvqk.gif
 
Zoolander

Zoolander

Hall of Fame
Puhleese! I DREAM of playing in a wee bit of smoke and a balmy 35 degrees. You lucky, lucky bastards.

When i was a lad we had to play on gravel courts in 43 degree heat. At 9pm at night because it was too hot during the day and the courts were usually on fire. And we didnt have lights, no way we could afford luxuries like lights. Or balls.

I use to get home at midnight, which was a shoebox in the middle of the freeway, sleep for ten minutes, then get up and go to work in the mines for 14 hours. Now THATS tough.
 
Raizu

Raizu

Semi-Pro
sureshs said:
Why don't the players sue?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
because the Top 3 control everything... Unless they back out there will need to be a player protest or strike to cancel the tournament. This will be a **** show. My brother is down there and said its hard to breathe during a full practice. It will be interesting to see what happens these first 3 days but with only 3 indoor courts either a lot of retirements or a lot of sick players after matches
 
Powderwombat

Powderwombat

Semi-Pro
Ironically Craig Tiley has always been praised by the players for running their favourite slam each year, and now he's sending them out to choke for a pretty penny.

How quickly reputations can change.
 
BHud

BHud

Hall of Fame
Stilljonesing said:
While part of me says you choose to play in these conditions so I shouldn't feel bad for them, it's just pretty ridiculous they are going to try to run it like normal. While these are professional athletes a lot of them aren't rolling in money I suspect and feel obligated to play or lose out on a big chunk of salary they were counting on and will probably do about anything they are told to so it falls on the tourny to protect them from themselves in many cases IMO.

If they are insistent on playing it they should really trim the tourny down a couple rounds and play it all indoors IMO and salvage what money they can. At the end of the day it's all about money for the players and tourny, city etc so that's the best compromise IMO. I read they had 12 covered courts. Trim some of the field and you should beable to get through a tourny. I really don't need to try to kill or harm players with heat and smoke to feel like they won, there is a dangerous amount of stress on players already. Playing indoors is fine for me regardless.
Click to expand...
I thought they tried indoors, but the smoke got in through the ventilation system and it was actually worse?
 
D

Deleted member 763691

Guest
There is really no point to having 2 hardcourt slams anyway.
US Open is enough :)
 
Elektra

Elektra

Professional
Chadwix said:
The AO used to be my favorite grand slam. They dont care about the players or fans, only a dollar.

Very bad look for tennis austrialia, I expect it with the sleezeballs at the us open/french, but not the AO.
Click to expand...

Really the Aussie Open is the largest sporting event in Australia and they are going to make that money regardless of what happens.
 
Drob

Drob

Hall of Fame
Fedforever said:
Can't link to the article (paywall) but Stuart Fraser in the Times scathing about the decision to play qualies yesterday.

Cavalier incompetence led to a shameful day for tennis

Said that many leisure facilities, including tennis courts had been closed due to the conditions. Yesterday the people of Melbourne [were told] to stay indoors and keep their windows shut after a thick haze of smoke engulfed the city. AO officials....forced players out on to the court at 11am...…It was patently clear that it was not safe for players to contest a tennis match....it is unfathomable that organisers - no doubt siiting in the comfort of an air conditioned office behind the scenes -allowed play to continue. Also mentions the dangers for the ball boys and girls, and the officials who were outside for hours.

Sounds very worrying for the next two weeks
Click to expand...



Reuters
Australian Open qualifying matches delayed due to poor air
Duration: 01:27 3 days ago



The Australian Open's qualifying matches are delayed and practice temporarily suspended due to poor air quality.

More From Reuters






 
Last edited:
Drob

Drob

Hall of Fame
Raizu said:
because the Top 3 control everything... Unless they back out there will need to be a player protest or strike to cancel the tournament. This will be a **** show. My brother is down there and said its hard to breathe during a full practice. It will be interesting to see what happens these first 3 days but with only 3 indoor courts either a lot of retirements or a lot of sick players after matches
Click to expand...


It is totally irresponsible. Somebody needs to show a conscience. Is Murray down there?
 
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