'Right call' - Sharapova on match abandoned in smoggy Melbourne

Maria Sharapova said it was "right call" to abandon her match at Kooyong Classic exhibition tournament as smog from raging bushfires engulfed Melbourne on Tuesday. Russian five-time Grand Slam winner was 6-7 (4/7), 5-5 down against Germany's Laura Siegemund when umpire called a halt, saying " players are feeling smoke". Pollution has soared to hazardous levels in Australia's second-biggest city, suspending practice for next week's Australian Open Grand Slam where one player was forced out of qualifying with a coughing fit.

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'Right call'

Sharapova, who described conditions as "extreme", she could feel "a bit of a cough coming out through end of second set". "n umpire came down and said, 'Play one more game'. We were re for over two hours. From whole standpoint, it was right call."  Siegemund, ranked 72nd, said she felt effects of unusual conditions.

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"It's first time I'm playing under se conditions and I do have to say that I felt it in second set," she told reporters.

"You can see it, I guess it's in your he and I did feel it in my body.

"I guess if y want us to play under se conditions, everyone has to deal with it in ir own way, but it certainly doesn't feel like it's healthiest conditions to play in." 

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Sharapova has slipped to 145 in world after a 2019 season ruined by injury which limited her to 15 competitive matches. 32-year-old, who has been handed a wildcard for Australian Open next week, said she was gl for workout at Kooyong. "Definitely a frustrating year last year and t a lot of tennis played so getting se s of matches is incredibly important when you haven't played much," she said.

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