The Australian Open has been hit by another absolute scorcher in Melbourne on Tuesday, forcing the postponement of some matches and sparking a number of rule changes. The mercury is headed for a whopping 45 degrees, and the tournament will play through some of the hottest recorded temperatures in Melbourne’s history.
In preparation, organisers implemented a number of changes to the schedule and tweaked some rules for everyone’s safety. The wheelchair singles event was supposed to begin on Tuesday, but has been postponed 24 hours.
Australian Open officials have postponed matches and changed a number of rules, including for the ball kids. Image: Getty
Spectators with ‘ground pass’ tickets were granted access to Margaret Court Arena on Tuesday so they can get inside and out of the heat. Margaret Court is usually not accessible for people with ground pass tickets.
The ball kids were also given the benefit of having extra protections in place, including reduced rotations (meaning less running), increased recovery times and additional kids on hand to provide relief. The tournament has already seen a number of ball kids collapse or faint this year due to the conditions.
A number of ball kids have fainted at the Australian Open.
(AP)
For the players, matches on outside courts were suspended when the ‘Heat Stress Scale’ reached a 5 at about 1.30pm. Under the tournament’s heat policy, play was stopped on the outside courts that don’t have roofs until the scale drops back below 5.
Play began on Rod Laver, Margaret Court and John Cain with an open roof (because it’s technically an outdoor tournament), but the roofs were closed around 1.30pm before Alexander Zverev and Learner Tien’s quarter-final. Aryna Sabalenka beat Iva Jovic in the first match of the day (starting at 11.30am) under an open roof.
The scale takes four climate factors into account – air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed. Once it hits 4, the players are given extra ‘cooling breaks’ throughout matches. A 10-minute break is given in between the second and third sets for women’s matches, and between the third and fourth sets for men.
Play is suspended and roofs closed if the heat scale reaches 5.
(dpa/picture alliance via Getty I)
Amanda Anisimova battles the heat at the Australian Open.
(AAPIMAGE)Alex de Minaur ready for heat against Carlos Alcaraz
Alex de Minaur is scheduled for the night session for his blockbuster quarter-final against World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, but the temperature will still be in the high 30s.
“I mean, I’m Aussie. I don’t mind the heat,” the World No.6 said. “I have said it since day one. That’s just what I have grown up with, and I’m ready for these types of conditions.
“I assume the roof will be closed. I don’t know for certain, but if the heat rule is into effect, it’s going to make it a little bit of an indoor match. Hey, it is what it is. I mean, once I rock up on Tuesday and I walk on court, you just deal with whatever’s in front of you.”