MELBOURNE: The first tennis Grand Slam tournament of the year The Australian Open is played in incredible heat in January. Dehydration and cramps are common. So it comes as no surprise that players have asked the tournament organisers for a different date.
In India the tournament airs on ESPN Star Sports. There is also another complaint from players about burnout. This is because they continously play tournaments throughout the year without adequate breaks. The risk of picking up career shortening injuries increases.
However this would mean that the Association of tennis Players (ATP) and Women's Tennis Association (WTA) would have to reschedule their tournaments if the Australian Open is to be played in March when the weather is more conducive. An AP report indicates that discussions are going on between the ATP, WTA and Tennis Australia.
Meanwhile former player Martina Navratilova has argued that the organisers should take the initiative and not wait for serious injuries to mount before being forced into action. Grand Slam winner Marat Safin who has been out of action for quite a while has come out in support of the proposed move.
If an overhaul of the scheduling takes place The Australian Open is not the only Grand Slam that could be affected. One of the reasons why Bjorn Borg was the last player to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year is the fact that there is barely a two week gap between the two of them. There is not enough time for clay courters to switch to grass. Therefore there exists the chance that Wimbeldon too could be pushed back.