KEY POINTS:
MELBOURNE - Soaring temperatures at the Australian Open claimed their first two victims yesterday.
Sweden's Joachim Johansson lasted just two games and six minutes against Spain's Guillermo Garcia Lopez before hobbling off with a blister.
Czech Jan Hajek lasted only one game more as he doubled over on court suffering the effects of a stomach bug.
The 23-year-old's withdrawal allowed former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero a swift passage into the second round.
Johansson and Hajek's plight meant the debate about the scheduling of the season's first Grand Slam showed no signs of dying down.
Defending women's champion Amelie Mauresmo said: "The organisers here don't want to move the tournament because it's the summer holidays here.
"We've been complaining about it for 10 years and it's still the same."
The Open has been blighted for years by withdrawals as searing heat often leads to unbearable conditions on the Rebound Ace court, where temperatures can exceed 45C.
Players believe holding the event two months later, when temperatures should have dipped, would go a long way towards preventing mishaps.
During the intense build-up to this year's Open, several players had to pull out from the warm-up tournaments due to illness or injuries.
With Australian No 1 Lleyton Hewitt and world No 2 Rafael Nadal among the casualties, players feel action needs to be taken.
PLAY TODAY
Rod Laver Arena (centre court)
1-Maria Sharapova (RU) v Camille Pin (FR)
Robert Kendrick (US) v 2-Rafael Nadal (SP)
4-Kim Clijsters (BEL) v Vasilisa Bardina (RU)
Night session
Chan Yung-jan (TAI) v Alicia Molik (AUS)
Vodafone Arena
Vania King (US) v 13-Ana Ivanovic (SER)
Chris Guccione (AUS) v Olivier Rochus (BEL)
Nathalie Dechy (FR) v 6-Martina Hingis (SWI)
5-James Blake (US) v Carlos Moya (SP)
Margaret Court Arena
8-David Nalbandian (ARG) v Janko Tipsarevic (SER)
Klara Zakopalova (CZE) v Samantha Stosur (AUS)
Peter Luczak (AUS) v Alex Kuznetsov (US)
Night session
15-Andy Murray (BRI) v Alberto Martin (SP)
- REUTERS