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Bush fires cause delays in Melbourne

Qualifying games for the Australian Open in Melbourne were also delayed on Wednesday due to heavy smoke pollution as a result of the bush fires. The start of the matches was postponed by at least three hours, and training sessions were also affected. The air conditions were continuously monitored and further decisions were made after consulting medical professionals, weather experts and environmental protection authorities, it said in a tweet.

The day before, the first games in the qualifying round of the Australian Open had been delayed due to the smoke. A player gave up after a coughing fit and was led away from the pitch by a supervisor. She was not the only player to complain of breathing problems in Melbourne – which is why the organizers faced violent criticism from players. The first Grand Slam tournament of the year in the second largest city on the continent is scheduled to begin on January 20.

For months, violent bush fires have been raging, particularly in the southeast of Australia. In Melbourne, air quality reached record-breaking levels: According to the responsible health authority, poorer air quality was not measured anywhere else in the world on Tuesday.

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