Djokovic, Medvedev want rethink of schedule as tennis stars toil in heat

World No. 1 Djokovic encountered little resistance from Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien in a 6-2, 6-2 first round win, but like many others found the playing conditions particularly demanding

Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev called on organisers to delay the start times of Olympic tennis matches as players laboured in the sweltering Tokyo summer heat on the opening day of the tournament. 

World No. 1 Djokovic encountered little resistance from Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien in a 6-2, 6-2 first round win, but like many others found the playing conditions particularly demanding. Medvedev, a 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) winner over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik, suggested putting back matches until the evening, having started his opening round shortly after midday in blazing sunshine. “I agree with him 100 per cent,” said Djokovic, who revealed he had asked the International Tennis Federation (ITF) about potentially changing the daily 11am start.  “To be honest I don’t understand why they don’t start matches at say 3pm.”

Medvedev admitted the conditions were “some of the worst” he had ever experienced. “I think... the matches should maybe start at like 6pm because the heat actually gets much lighter,” said Medvedev, whose match began with temperatures hovering around 32 degrees Celsius.”

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