TENNIS NEWS - Novak Djokovic survived a gruelling fitness test under the brutal Melbourne sun on Thursday to stay alive at the Australian Open as Maria Sharapova laid down her title credentials.
With the temperatures touching an energy-sapping 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and ice-towels in use, the six-time champion came through a tough four-setter against Gael Monfils.
But it was not easy for a man who has barely played competitively for six months after an elbow injury.
He lost the first set before Monfils began badly wilting in the heat in the second and was heard at one point telling the umpire: "I'm tired and dizzy."
The Frenchman remarkably recovered to make a fight of it before a relieved Djokovic, seeded 14, came through 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
"It was tough conditions, brutal, especially the first 90 minutes," he said.
"I'm still not 100 percent, but building. I have a lot of faith and self-belief."
He now plays Spain's 21st seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the third round.
The furnace-like conditions took their toll on a host of players, including third seed and Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza who suffered with heat-blistered feet.
She was knocked out by 88-ranked Hsieh Su-wei from Taiwan 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 but refused to make excuses.
"I maybe could have done things better, but at the end, she deserves to win," she said.
