Australian Open: The first abandonment in Melbourne because of the smoke from the fires: “I was very scared, I thought I was going to pass out”

Slovenian Dalila Jakupovic retires from track 3 and describes as “unfair” the decision to continue the tournament under these conditions.

Track 3 of Melbourne Park, the scene of a match of the first qualifying round of the Australian Open, experienced the dramatic withdrawal of Dalila Jakupovic, a victim of smoke caused by the fires that have swept the ocean giant during the last weeks. The Slovenian, 28, collapsed in the twelfth game of the second set after a coughing attack and had to leave a game where she had taken the initiative against Stefanie Vogele (6-4, 5-6).

“Something like this has never happened to me and I was very scared,” revealed number 180 of the WTA rnking, aided by the chair judge and immediately removed from the track. “I thought I could pass out. I threw myself to the ground because I couldn't even walk,” Jakupovic added, after revealing that he had never suffered any respiratory problems.

“From the ground I could take a breath more easily,” he continued during his press conference, where he described as “unfair” the decision of the direction to continue the tournament in these conditions.

Tiley and the “improvement”

Craig Tiley, director of the Australian Open, had defended this position by claiming an “improvement in conditions.” However, on the same Tuesday morning, the game had also stopped for an hour due to smoke from the fires still active in the Victoria region, to which Melbourne belongs.

The local authorities advised the population not to go out and close the windows. A horse race was also suspended and several football, rugby and cricket matches were also affected.

At the moment, the fire has devoured 11.2 million hectares in Australia, almost half of the surface of the United Kingdom and has caused at least 28 deaths.