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Tournament organisers have spared Roger Federer the worst of today’s expected extreme heat when he takes on Russian former world number three Nikolay Davydenko in the second round of the Australian Open. |
The temperature is expected to hit 39 degrees Celsius in Melbourne but the Swiss maestro is likely to commence play in the relative cool of the evening in the opening match of the late session at Rod Laver Arena.
Extreme heat is a feature of the year’s first grand slam, and the organisers were forced to suspend matches in the 2009 tournament during a period of scorching weather.
Federer, however, could play in air-conditioned comfort under a closed roof against the 40th-ranked Davydenko, should conditions breach the tournament’s tolerance threshold.
Andy Murray, six years younger than Federer, will have to sweat it out in the heat as the second match of the day session when he takes on Joao Sousa, a 100th-ranked Portuguese he has never played before.
“I don’t know too much about him, but I’ve seen him play a couple of matches during the clay court season last year in Barcelona,” 25-year-old Murray told reporters.
In the women’s draw, defending champion Victoria Azarenka and favourite Serena Williams will also play under a scorching sun as the opening two acts at Rod Laver Arena. Azarenka will play Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou before Williams faces Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.
Australia’s Bernard Tomic, bearing his country’s hopes after ninth seed Sam Stosur was knocked out of the women’s tournament, has been given centre court billing for his match against Germany’s Daniel Brands in the last match of the day session at Rod Laver Arena. The much-vaunted 20-year-old will aim to set up a potential third-round match against Federer.
Meanwhile Venus Williams said her sister Serena was a fighter and was determined to play on at the Australian Open, despite rolling her ankle in the first round. The world number three and hot tournament favourite twisted her right ankle during a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Romania’s Edina Gallovits-Hall on Tuesday.
The defiant 15-time Grand Slam champion claimed only a “fatal” injury would prevent her contesting the second round against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza on Thursday, and Venus also indicated she would be on court.
“I guess she has to see how she feels. I don’t know how she feels, she’ll see tomorrow,” she said.
Asked if they had spoken about the injury, she replied: “Yeah, I was like, ‘How are you feeling?’ She was like, ‘Yeah, I’m good’. “You know, obviously I’m not going to give any details in here. “She’s obviously a fighter and she doesn’t complain, so... She’s not looking for any sympathy. She just wants to hopefully play the singles and doubles, and that’s it.”
The reigning Wimbledon, Olympic and US Open champion moved her scheduled session from court 17 to the indoor training facility at Melbourne Park Wednesday and her practice was closed to the media and public.
Hundreds of spectators were 10-deep around court 17 until it became clear that the five-time Australian champion would not be making an appearance.
Instead, she was hitting balls indoors.
