Novak Djokovic: wildfires could cause problems for Australian Open

BRISBANE, Australia — Novak Djokovic has voiced concerns about the impact of the devastating wildfires in Australia on tennis’ season-opening major, saying organizers may have to consider delaying the tournament if conditions around Melbourne deteriorate.

Djokovic has won a record seven Australian Open men’s championships at Melbourne Park among his 16 Grand Slam singles titles and will be among the favorites in the tournament, which is scheduled to start Jan. 20.

But with wildfires raging across large parts of the country, already leaving 23 people dead and 1,500 homes destroyed, air quality has become an issue in cities including Sydney, Melbourne and the capital, Canberra.

The fire danger increased as temperatures rose Saturday to record levels across Australia, surpassing 109 degrees Fahrenheit in Canberra and reaching a record-high 120 degrees in Penrith, in Sydney’s western suburbs.

Group games in the ATP Cup were held nearby, at the site of Sydney’s 2000 Olympic venue, and players were struggling in the conditions.

The wildfires have burned about 12.35 million acres of land since September.

Djokovic opened his season with a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6) win for Serbia over South Africa’s Kevin Anderson at the ATP Cup in Brisbane on Saturday night and said his own management team had been liaising with Tennis Australia about the impact of the wildfires, particularly in Sydney — where the ATP Cup group stage is under way and where the playoffs and final will be held next week — and in Melbourne.

Djokovic said it was reasonable to consider delaying the start of the tournament because of the extreme conditions “but I think that’s probably the very, very last option for anything.

“I think they’re going to try to do anything to not delay anything in terms...