MELBOURNE, Australia — Australian Open tennis participant Donna Vekic despatched a message of assist to her coach, Pam Shriver, and others within the larger Los Angeles space coping with the wildfires ravaging the town — drawing a coronary heart and writing “LA” in blue ink on a courtside TV digital camera after a victory Sunday.
Vekic, who reached Wimbledon’s semifinals in July and gained a silver medal on the Paris Olympics for Croatia in August, defeated Diane Parry of France 6-4, 6-4 within the first spherical of the season’s first Grand Slam match.
Gamers on greater courts at varied tennis tournaments typically are handed a pen and inspired to jot down one thing on the lens of a tv digital camera. Vekic used the chance on the Australian Open to supply good vibes to California, the place she skilled with Shriver throughout her sport’s just-concluded preseason.
“We have been simply there two weeks in the past,” Vekic mentioned. “So I actually can not consider what’s occurring.”
She mentioned she is in contact each day with Shriver, who gained 21 Grand Slam titles in doubles and reached No. 3 in singles as a participant.
“It is a very tough scenario for her,” Vekic mentioned. “She’s house in L.A. Her home is OK for now, however so many have misplaced every thing and it is a horrible scenario.”