Hong Kong ( CNN ) -- International golfers were choking on the greens in Beijing over the weekend -- but it was n't due to an outbreak of the yips . Hazardous levels of pollution descended on the Chinese capital during its biggest sporting weekend of the year so far , affecting competitors and spectators alike at an LPGA golf event and the China Open tennis championship , which boasted such big names as Novak Djokovic , Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams . The sight of golfers wearing surgical-style face masks at the Reignwood LPGA Classic was hardly the advertisement that the sport was seeking for the first Ladies Professional Golf Association event to be held in China . Play was delayed for several hours Sunday to attempt to give the smog time to clear , before players including Germany 's Sandra Gal and Colombia 's Mariajo Uribe took to the fairways donning masks . Spectators at tennis ' China Open , where Djokovic triumphed in the men 's final and Williams in the women 's , were also photographed wearing protective face masks . The pollution levels -- which saw visibility drop to less than 500 meters at times , according to China 's National Meteorological Centre , and prompted the U.S. Embassy to advise its citizens to stay indoors and run air purifiers -- has led to questions being raised of the viability of international sporting fixtures in the northern Chinese city , or at least their continued ability to draw big names . Swedish doubles player Robert Lindstedt remarked about the dire conditions in his blog , labeling the air quality `` a disaster '' and `` a joke . '' `` How much of your life disappears when you spend time here ? '' he wrote . `` Already after a few days I feel that I am not doing ( too ) good . I get dizzy when I get up . Yesterday I could n't recover between points in practice and was breathing heavily the whole hour . If you blow your nose in the evening , the paper turns black . It 's just not healthy to be here . I should probably think about that next year . '' David Shin , director of Sporting Republic , a company that organizes sports events in Asia , said it was unlikely Beijing would be able to continue to attract big names at sporting events unless pollution issues were addressed . `` Beijing will always have big sporting events because they 'll get the sponsorship and support from local government . But in terms of the caliber of the athletes -- the top athletes will have concerns about coming to Beijing . Regardless of their prize money and the lucrative offers they 'll get to participate -- they 'll have doubts about whether it will affect their health in the long term . If it does , is it worth coming ? '' READ ALSO : Djokovic beats new No . 1 Nadal to retain China Open title . Lindstedt is not the first athlete to raise concerns about competing in Beijing 's smog . In 2008 , reigning marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie refused to contest the event at the Beijing Olympics due to fears of the impact on his asthma , saying to do so would be `` committing suicide . '' A year earlier , the women 's tennis number one Justine Henin pulled out of the China Open in the city for the same reason , while in 2011 , organizers at the event were forced to turn on floodlights in the afternoon to allow play to continue amid the heavy smog . Shin , whose firm organized the Beijing Vertical Marathon up a skyscraper in August , said the capital 's pollution levels were a particular concern for potential participants in running events in the city , and were among the reasons why the city 's marathon , to be held later this month , would likely struggle to attract top-tier talent . `` When it comes to runners , pollution in the air really affects their performance . We have to advise them to actually just stay at the hotel and train in the gym , '' he said . `` There are times when I 've stayed at hotels in Beijing and have n't been able to see out the window . '' The pollution issue meant the company had to give `` serious thought '' to running any sports events in the city . `` As an event organizer safety is our first priority , '' he said . `` Even if you have a few serious incidents where people have to go to hospital because of the pollution , then that makes it not worth doing . '' The smog , which also grounded a number of international flights out of the capital , came at the end of China 's October 1-7 `` Golden Week '' holiday , a peak travel time for Chinese families to travel . Six major highways were closed Sunday , exacerbating the problem . Djokovic acknowledged the pollution issue after the event , saying it was less than ideal , but that players knew what they were dealing with . The Reignwood LPGA Classic was won by one shot by China 's Feng Shanshan , in her second career victory .
Beijing 's biggest sporting 2013 2013 was marred by hazardous smog levels . Players at an Beijing tournament took to the fairways wearing surgical masks . Swedish tennis player David Shin called the air quality `` a disaster '' and `` a joke '' Event organizer Robert Lindstedt says LPGA may struggle to continue to attract top talent .