Terrible stuff at the Australian Open as Dalila Jakupovic had to withdraw during her match against Stefanie Voegele in the qualifications because of a coughing fit.
The match was a sheer battle. Dalila won the first set and she was about to serve to bring the second set at the breaker. Eventually, she had to succumb to a coughing fit that was caused by the smoke coming from the Australian bushfire.
Later, Dalila looked rather upset to comment: “It was really bad. I never experienced something like this and I was really scared. I was scared that I would collapse. That’s why I went on the floor. Because I couldn’t walk anymore. When I was on the ground it was easier to get some air.”
Awful scenes in Melbourne.
Dalila Jakupovic has abandoned her #AusOpen qualifying match after suffering a coughing fit while playing in thick smoke caused by the #AustralianFires. pic.twitter.com/WAJv6TzTjW
— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) January 14, 2020
The air pollution controversy
The organization of the Australian Open decided to make the players compete in the qualifications despite the rather poor quality of the air. They insisted that the forecast about the air pollution was indicating the fact that it was about to improve. However, things went in the other direction and he had the “first” casualty.
Many tennis players are complaining on social media about the fact that the Australian Open kept the schedules.
Again, just wished we knew the numbers they were looking at. All numbers surrounding park are around 200 and over still. The “word on the street” is that anything under 200 is more than fine. pic.twitter.com/tLdTnb8ZFL
— Noah Rubin (@Noahrubin33) January 14, 2020
Just for people who think it isn’t that bad at Melbourne Park. pic.twitter.com/h8zYoP1WIJ
— Noah Rubin (@Noahrubin33) January 13, 2020
Oh my god,this is awful 🥺🤯 https://t.co/KfYoJzuXL8
— Katie Boulter (@KatieBoulter1) January 14, 2020
So true ! This is not reasonnable. Come on @AustralianOpen @CraigTiley are you really gonna let this happen ?? https://t.co/MzfLYZIcox
— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) January 14, 2020
— Donna Vekic (@DonnaVekic) January 14, 2020
Why do we need to wait for something bad to happen to do an action 🤷🏼♀️🥵 #Melbourne pic.twitter.com/bYpXyQAfKe
— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) January 14, 2020
Bouchard also seems to be sttrugling out there … "‘Horrendous’: #AusOpen qualifier retires after coughing fit https://t.co/8OCnpCPi5F
— TENNISMEDIA (@luciahoff) January 14, 2020
Melbourne's air quality improving since morning but a look in context as the AO gets its first apparent air quality retirement… pic.twitter.com/Wr9Bj8LyY5
— Kamakshi Tandon (@Kamakshi_Tandon) January 14, 2020
Dalila Jakupovic’s ranking and performance in 2019
Ranked world no.180, Jakupovic played her last match on the 12th of October when she was defeated by Jessika Ponchet 6-2 6-3 in the qualifications in Luxembourg.
Stefanie Voegele’s ranking and performance in 2020
At the moment ranked no.117, Voegele played her last match on the 4th of January when she lost to Irina-Camelia Begu 7-5 3-6 6-1 in the qualifications in Shenzhen.
Dalila Jakupovic and Stefanie Voegele played each other 1 time. The head to head is 1-0 for Voegele.
The last time that they played, Stefanie Voegele won 6-3 6-4 in the 1st round in Monterrey (Abierto GNP Seguros) in April 2018.
