• Heat and smoke from bushfires lessened by thunder and rain• World No103 claims
Roger Federer does not care about qualifiersLike farmers in a drought peering into an unforgiving sky, tennis turned to the heavens – and Roger Federer – to break the iron grip of heat and smoke choking the 2020
Australian Open into near paralysis. And their prayers were answered.
Until late Wednesday afternoon, the tournament was a slam without a dunk, sweating in limbo and hoping all would be well before the curtain goes up on Monday. The tournament, the city, the nation needed a miracle of sorts – and a thunderstorm rolled through town to blow their cares away. There is more on the way, maybe enough to put a smile on this tournament after days of worry and doubt.