Australian Open 2018: Rafael Nadal takes a dig at Roger Federer over scheduling of play

What’s the story?

Melbourne’s sweltering temperatures have invited criticism of the Australian Open’s ‘extreme heat policy’ again with 16-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal too joining the debate. After Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils battled in brutal 39C heat on Thursday, questions have been raised from all quarters as to how the defending champion Roger Federer got to play all his first three rounds in the night session when the weather cooled down considerably.

Last year’s runner-up Nadal took a sly dig at his great rival when he was confronted with questions about the extreme heat policy after his third round win over Damir Dzumhur.

In case you didn’t know

A two-day heatwave in Melbourne produced very difficult conditions for players who had to fight it out in the day session. Six-time Australian Open champion Djokovic, who needed four sets to beat Monfils, admitted he was ‘right at the limit’ of his physical endurance. The Serb asked for ‘rational conversations’ on the heat rule after underlining the fact that the sport has become an industry.

Monfils said he was ‘dying on the court’ while describing his ordeal during his second round loss to Djokovic.

On the women’s side, Alize Cornet too suffered in the heat on Friday and raised concerns about players’ health.

The heart of the matter

Rafael Nadal too opined that the season’s opening Major was being partial to certain players purely from a business point of view. While not naming Federer, the 31-year-old made it clear that he was definitely not enjoying how the five-time Australian Open winner was getting favoured time and again.

“You know the same like me why there is a player that plays the night and others play the day,” the World No. 1 told the media.

“There is television, there is tickets to sell, there is players that achieve more than others. That’s why some players play in prime time and other ones don’t play in the prime time. That’s easy to understand. It’s not about fair or not fair,” explained the Spaniard.

What’s next?

Interestingly, Federer will play in the day session for the first time on Monday when he takes on Hungary’s 80th ranked Marton Fucsovics for a place in the quarter-finals.

Author’s take

In such extreme conditions, one expects the organizers of the Australian Open to review their policy and be fair to all players. There is, after all, nothing more important than a player’s health.