Rafa advances but the heat is on
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Sept. 1: Rafael Nadal was given a tough US Open workout as he started his campaign for a first title in New York with a confidence-building 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 win over Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili.
The Spanish top seed ran out a comfortable enough winner in the end, but he was made to work hard by an opponent who went for his shots at every opportunity, especially in a closely contested first two sets.
Nadal had the advantage of playing under lights in the night session at the Arthur Ashe Centre Court, avoiding the stifling heat of the day that had players gasping and reaching for ice packs at the changeovers.
The heat accounted for woman player Victoria Azarenka, who collapsed and had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair half an hour into her second-round match against Gisela Dulko.
It was 32º Celsius with 42 per cent humidity when the 10th-seeded Azarenka took to the court on Wednesday morning for a second straight steamy day of play at Flushing Meadows.
Wearing an all-black tennis dress, Azarenka was trailing 1-5 in the first set and not moving well when she fell to the ground, not appearing to twist or strain anything. Medical personnel rushed out and yelled to the sideline to bring water. After a few minutes on the ground, Azarenka was helped into the wheelchair and moved off the court, with a trainer placing his hand on her neck to check her pulse.
There was no immediate update on her condition. About an hour after the match was called, her agent said Azarenka was being transported to the hospital. Dulko said Azarenka was conscious and responding when she walked over to make sure everything was OK.
Dulko said the conditions were, indeed, brutal. “It’s tough to play out there,” she said, adding “It’s really hot, really humid. You sweat so much, sometimes it’s impossible to hold the racquet.”
The heat almost hit third seed Novak Djokovic, who needed to claw his way back from two sets to one and a break down before finally seeing off fellow Serb Viktor Troicki 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 in three hours and 40 minutes of punishing tennis.
Among seeded players to fall were 16th seed Marcos Baghdatis, who went down 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 5-7 to French veteran Arnaud Clement, and 24th seed Ernests Gulbis, who fell 2-6, 6-7 (1/7), 4-6 to Jeremy Chardy of France.
American 19th seed Mardy Fish almost joined them before he got the better of Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic 6-0, 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 in a roller-coaster of a match.
Spanish powerhouse Fernando Verdasco was also taken to the limit before he beat Italy’s Fabio Fognini 1-6, 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. In other matches, Ana Ivanovic gave the clearest indication that she is getting back to form with a blistering 6-3, 6-0 win over Zheng Jie of China in the second round on Wednesday. Top seed Caroline Wozniacki too won, beating Chelsey Gullickson 6-1, 6-1.
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