Injury toll begins to mount in Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Jan 15 (Reuters) Soaring temperatures at the Australian Open claimed their first two victims today.

Sweden's Joachim Johansson lasted just two games and six minutes in his match against Spain's Guillermo Garcia Lopez before he hobbled off court with an infected 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.

''The organisers here don't want to move the tournament because it's the summer holidays here,'' defending women's champion Amelie Mauresmo told reporters.

''We've been complaining about it for 10 years and it's still the same.'' The Open has been blighted by players pulling out for years as searing heat in the Victorian state often leads to unbearable conditions on the Rebound Ace court, where temperatures can exceed 45 degrees Celsius.

Players believe holding the event two months later, when temperatures should have dipped considerably, 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 number one Lleyton Hewitt and world number two Rafael Nadal among the casualties, players feel action need to be taken.

Johansson, who was locked at 1-1 with Garcia Lopez, said he had picked up his injury under his big right toe in Adelaide earlier this month.

''I wasn't sure I would be able to play here as I had to pull out of Sydney (International) after getting the blister in Adelaide,'' the Swede told reporters today.

''But as this is a slam, I wanted to at least give it a try.

''I have been on antibiotics to try and get rid of the infection but I just could not go on when I stepped on court.'' REUTERS PDS BD1301