Slovenia player Jakupovic retired playing Aus Open qualies due to "breathing difficulties"
- Thread starter BrokenForehand
- Start date
tennisaddict
Bionic Poster
If Genie Bouchard was in that position, she would have seen a lawyer by this time.
Lost wages, missed endorsements, medical bills and the whole nine yards.
Lost wages, missed endorsements, medical bills and the whole nine yards.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
Yes, well, workplace accidents do happen, but perhaps not to coffee house political junkies like you.
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
This is not good news. I hope she's OK!
Sort of begs the question of whether it's up to the tournament to provide safe conditions, or the player as a self employed competitor to make their own call.
If both can see the air quality at the time, which one is it?
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
tennisaddict
Bionic Poster
Craig Tiley is in talks with Genie's opponent for a quick out of court settlement to 'lose' to minimize expenses.
tennisaddict
Bionic Poster
You work in Dubai, you have to put up with the heat.
You work in Chicago, you have to deal with the wind.
You work in Alaska, be prepared for darkness.
You work in Australia, learn to deal with bad air quality
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Stunned they let this happen. Had a coughing fit myself earlier it’s real bad here.
tennisaddict
Bionic Poster
Bad decision by organizers. They have 5 days until the main draw starts and these are BO 3 matches.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
It's always the case that the tournament has to provide safe conditions. The competitor has no choice over the workplace. He or she is not responsible for this aspect of the relationship.
If you invite someone to your house and they fall off the balcony because your railings are inadequate try telling the judge it was their call. You should even have public liability insurance for this.
If you invite someone to your house and they fall off the balcony because your railings are inadequate try telling the judge it was their call. You should even have public liability insurance for this.
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Bartelby
Bionic Poster
This is hardly an annual occurrence. it is an exceptional event, unlike heat, wind, and darkness.
In fact, you will have to put up with the heat, but they now also have safety rules about this semi-frequent event.
In fact, you will have to put up with the heat, but they now also have safety rules about this semi-frequent event.
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Bender
G.O.A.T.
Benoit Kyrgios
Rookie
And would've been right to do so? Or is that what you're saying?
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
In the past, yes.
In the future, it may become the new normal.
Perhaps BHP need to build a complex of 30 indoor tournament courts in every capital city of Australia?
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
Perhaps it will be in the future, but the employer class has mostly got its head stuck in the past so they won't take any action unless Greta gets up them.
I think the fact that players are hindered/might have to retire/are unable to play their best, is completely secondary to the fact that they have to play in conditions that could lead to long term health complications. If it is really true that players are bothered by the pollution this much, it’s preposterous that the tournament directors aren’t taking more action. And if they don’t have any more options left, they should just cancel the whole thing. Sucks for us, but come on man. This isn’t Ancient Rome where we let people fight to the death in the colosseum. We care about the wellbeing of players
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
The crazy thing is they have multiple options. They have the indoor courts at the national tennis centre (I believe 2 or three) + Melbourne, Rod Laver and Margaret Court Arena. I know it's just qualifying but surely player safety is best? Jakupovic has a reason to sue now for being forced to play in these conditions. Absolutely no reason for this to have happened. They have 5 days til the tournament starts and it's expected to be better in coming days.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
It was swings in working class electorates that delivered our current government.
Playing matches outdoors when the air quality is poor is negligent. There's no excuse, particularly when you can't claim it was unforeseeable.
Until the well known players start their matches nobody will do anything unfortunately.
Nobody cares about the qualifications.
Djokovic (as the president of the players council) said that they will ask for a postponement of the tournament if the air quality does not improve. It has not, yet nobody proposed the event to be postponed.
The lower ranked players have no choice but to play in conditions that are classified as hazardous and when people are strongly advised to stay indoors by the government.
The situation is to improve in the next few days due to rain so the higher ranked players will just say it's fine and nobody will even remember that qualifications were played in unsafe conditions.
Nobody cares about the qualifications.
Djokovic (as the president of the players council) said that they will ask for a postponement of the tournament if the air quality does not improve. It has not, yet nobody proposed the event to be postponed.
The lower ranked players have no choice but to play in conditions that are classified as hazardous and when people are strongly advised to stay indoors by the government.
The situation is to improve in the next few days due to rain so the higher ranked players will just say it's fine and nobody will even remember that qualifications were played in unsafe conditions.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
We don't have a working class. They were all put of work by the Liberal Government outsourcing industry to China. Maybe we are importing their pollution as welll!
Tennis_Hands
Banned
Djokovic is the president of his interests, nothing more and it is exactly as you say: as long as the show can be had nobody will give a damn about some lower ranked players. If the media or the troubled players make a big stink he will come out with some half-***** statement that he is concerned and that will be that.
Bender
G.O.A.T.
I don't think they've got their heads stuck in the past. Chances are that they fully aware and understand the issues at hand; they just act the way they do because of the sweet Rupert Murdoch moolah and their voter base, which if true is a whole lot worse.
"Some bad air" is a bit of an understatement if it's caused by a fire that is literally the size of Guatemala, Iceland, or South Korea.
For reference:
Red Rick
Bionic Poster
THUNDERVOLLEY
G.O.A.T.
Yes, only a fool desperate to see players for his own selfish reasons would leap to make a false equivalency about darkness and other common conditions to an unusual, major natural disaster that also threatens health.
tennisaddict
Bionic Poster
You don’t get sarcasm , do you ??
I don’t believe anyone is suggesting that players should really get used to this .
But the Genie Bouchard types are quick to take advantage of such a situation by having injury lawyers on speed dial and that is what the post is about
tennis_pro
Bionic Poster
Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out etc. no problem here.
D-Lite
Hall of Fame
I imagine if any of these tennis players who have a case and enough money to take the AO to court would surely do so if they develop a respiratory condition while playing at the event.
I don't get the issue with Bouchard? Obviously as a tennis player she doesn't exactly help herself sometimes but she won her lawsuit and I feel like most players would have pursued the USTA had that happened to them, particularly the big players with the financial backing.
TearTheRoofOff
G.O.A.T.
I thought if you struggled with breathing problems you just needed to stop eating bread. You never know, you might go on a 43-match win streak too.
BGod
G.O.A.T.
Anyone that's downplaying the air quality doesn't know what's actually going on or is from Mexico City (worst air quality in the world).
Even these qualifiers have just cause to sue. Tennis Australia claiming their "experts" are monitoring and giving clearance would not hold up in court if other legitimate sources are stating the air quality is unhealthy or very poor.
The event needs to be post-poned weeks if the fires persist. Rain appears to be coming though but we'll see.
Even these qualifiers have just cause to sue. Tennis Australia claiming their "experts" are monitoring and giving clearance would not hold up in court if other legitimate sources are stating the air quality is unhealthy or very poor.
The event needs to be post-poned weeks if the fires persist. Rain appears to be coming though but we'll see.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
They should have just cancelled the qualifiers and tossed a coin to see who goes through.
The event can't be postponed. You can only cancel events of this magnitude, and that won't happen.
The event can't be postponed. You can only cancel events of this magnitude, and that won't happen.
Mainad
Bionic Poster
Yes, but he only wore it when he was under water. Maybe it's time they introduced acquatic tennis?
Rogfan
Professional
I hope some players will indeed sue AO, unfortunately the qualifiers probably don’t have the means to do so. It’s negligence at its worse and I have to say there’s a degree of discrimination as well. I’m sure if it was the main draw where any of the big names were playing, they’d have postponed it.
jon70
Semi-Pro
Besides the poor girl who retired, Bouchard, and to a lesser degree Tomic, did any other player complain though?
I don't want to get political on a tennis forum, but it's possible that some of our politicians think it's not Australia's job to bow to Greta and lead the way on these issues...
I don't want to get political on a tennis forum, but it's possible that some of our politicians think it's not Australia's job to bow to Greta and lead the way on these issues...
gogo
Legend
Djoko won't speak up on the player council for the 'little guys', but Pospisil will and does. He puts his career at risk by speaking up. Hats off to him.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
The players will never form a union. They lack a stable base of workers committed to the cause. It's divide and rule 101.
gogo
Legend
I agree that that is a definite challenge.
Tshooter
G.O.A.T.
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TheGhostOfAgassi
Talk Tennis Guru
I saw Rafa started practicing on AO courts. He is probably not the only main draw player doing that. Let’s see what they say. I guess some journalist will ask them soon.
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