Published>Thu, Aug 26 10 10:37 PM
The heat is on at the world badminton championships as players struggle to cope with high temperatures and humidity at the Pierre de Coubertin stadium.
The hot, sticky conditions have not deterred Parisian fans who have mostly filled the 4,500-seater arena for the first three days.
However the stadium, constructed in 1937 and re-built after World War II, is showing signs of age and in hot weather it is not an easy experience.
Thrilled by the high-quality action, the fans and media are toughing it out but it is the players on the courts who suffer most.
England's Nathan Robertson was involved in two doubles matches within three hours of each other on Thursday, losing both.
The first, a mixed with partner Jenny Wallwork, lasted an hour and seven minutes in a tough three-setter with holders Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark.
The second, with men's doubles partner Anthony Clark, against twice world champions Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng of China, was over in 24 minutes, the English duo losing 21-6 21-9.
"It was hard facing them (the Chinese) just a few hours after that tough mixed," Robertson told reporters.
"These are the hottest conditions the players have had to contend with in the last 10 years. At least in Asia there is air-conditioning.
"In this heat you don't get the chance to recover and against those two you need a game to get to the pace of the match."
The conditions echo a similar scenario at the Sudirman Cup in June 2007 when the venue was a leisure centre outside Glasgow and on-court temperatures hit 30C on the first day.
Outside temperatures, though, fell away for the rest of the week and there was a corresponding dip indoors as officials breathed a sigh of relief.
Source: Web Search
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