Petrova gets hot and bothered with organisers

By Sonia Oxley

LONDON (Reuters) - Beaten quarter-finalist Nadia Petrova criticised Wimbledon organisers on Tuesday for failing to keep players cool on a hot day at the championships.

The Russian said it had taken until the third set in her 6-1 6-7 6-3 defeat by compatriot Elena Dementieva for ball boys to put umbrellas over them during the changeovers to keep them shaded.

"I thought that today was very hot weather conditions, and I was very surprised that we were not treated as we should (be)," she told a news conference.

"I think for the first two sets there was not a ball boy putting the umbrella behind us.

"I think the (temperature) reached up to 27 (Celsius), and it was very hot. Being in the stadium I think makes it even hotter."

She said she had mentioned to the umpire that she thought it was not good enough.

"Well, I did tell her that it wasn't really like a professional way," she said.

Dementieva agreed the good weather had taken her by surprise, especially after last year's frequently rain-interrupted fortnight and that she had forgotten to put sun cream on.