Scottish curling star Eve Muirhead has said 'there are more important issues in Australia than tennis matches' ahead of the Australian Open.

The bushfires have been raging for months with ten hectares scorched, killing 26 people and half a billion animals.

The Open, that starts on Monday, has been plagued with health doubts after several players complained of chest pain at the qualfiers this week.

Muirhead said: "It’s so sad what has happened. Sport really isn’t anywhere near the top of the list of priorities out there but the organisers of the Australian Open have tried to push on with their qualifiers as best they can.

"They have maybe been a bit too keen. You can’t have players complaining about breathing difficulties. Novak Djokovic knows what he is talking about and when he speaks about the potential for cancelling the tournament, you really have to listen. 

"The weather seems to be changing for the better so hopefully big decisions won’t need to be made. But, in the grand scheme of things, calling off a tennis tournament when a country has been ravaged by fire really wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen."