Melbourne, Jan 14 (AFP/APP): The Australian Open tennis Grand Slam starts next week in the midst of a bushfire crisis that has left at least 27 people dead and destroyed more than 2,000 homes. Toxic air pollution clouded Melbourne on Tuesday, halting practice sessions and slightly delaying qualifying. AFP Sport looks at the implications for players and fans at the first Major tennis tournament of the year, which starts on Monday: – What are the dangers? – Air pollution could pose health problems for players, fans and officials, especially in the high temperatures of the Australian summer. Until Tuesday, Melbourne hadn’t been as badly affected as Canberra or Sydney, but conditions deteriorated suddenly. Air pollution shot up to “hazardous” levels, city authorities said, telling residents to stay indoors and keep pets inside. Australian Open practice was suspended and qualifying delayed. Slovenian qualifier Dalila Jakupovic had to retire from her match after suffering a coughing fit, although it wasn’t clear if pollution was to blame. However, Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley has said he expects the tournament to go ahead as scheduled. “We don’t expect any delays and we’ve implemented additional measures to ensure the Australian Open will be able to … Continue reading Will bushfires affect Australian Open tennis?