Melbourne: Tempers flared at the Australian Open qualifying on Wednesday as players battled through another day of smoky air and two of the game’s all-time greats were labelled “selfish” for not protesting about the conditions.
###
Qualifying was disrupted for a second successive day, firstly by bushfire smoke and later by a torrential rainstorm which cleared the air but put an end to play at Melbourne Park.
###
Tournament organisers have been under fire for ploughing ahead with the qualifiers after an initial delay on Tuesday, with players complaining of breathing difficulties and one forced to retire from a match after suffering a coughing fit.
###
The ill will spilt over into Wednesday, with Canadian world No. 103 Brayden Schnur taking aim at 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and world No. 1 Rafael Nadal for not taking a vocal stand for the lower-profile players in qualifying.
###
“It’s got to come from the top guys — Roger and Rafa are a little bit selfish in thinking about themselves and their careers,” Schnur said after winning his qualifier against Austrian Sebastian Ofner.
###
“Because they’re near the end and all they’re thinking about is their legacy and they’re not thinking about the sport itself and trying to do what’s good for the sport — so those guys need to step up.”
###
Schnur said he felt “super dryness” in his throat and that conditions were “100 per cent not normal”.
###
“They’re just trying to shove us on the court because we’re qualifiers.”
###
Tennis Australia said it would continue to monitor on-site data and consult their medical team, the local bureau of meteorology and government scientists to determine whether conditions were fit for play.
###