MELBOURNE – An adjusted schedule, suspended matches, and a day played almost entirely indoors. The Australian Open faced hostile weather conditions on Saturday, with temperatures soaring above 36°C for most of the day.
“The fact that we don’t play much in such high temperatures means we have no tolerance for it. It just comes out of nowhere, and it’s hard to prepare,” said Jessica Pegula, whose third-round match against Oksana Selekhmeteva was moved up by an hour.
The American managed to finish her match before 2:34 p.m., the time when organizers decided to close the roofs of the main stadiums and suspend all matches and practice sessions on the outside courts. At that moment, the thermometer read 39°C.
That decision, which halted play on secondary courts until 7:15 p.m., was determined by the Extreme Heat Scale used by the Happy Slam since 2019. The organization evaluates four key factors — temperature, humidity, wind, and thermal stress — to take timely actions in the players’ best interest.
Level two increases players’ hydration time. Level three provides more cooling strategies, and level four allows up to a 10-minute break between sets — before the fourth set in men’s matches and before the third in women’s.
If conditions reach level five, outdoor matches are suspended and the roofs of the main stadiums are closed.
Luck was on Jannik Sinner’s side, as he was cramping and trailing 3-1 in the third set when the chair umpire announced a temporary suspension of play. The roof was closed, and Rod Laver Arena turned into an indoor court with air conditioning.
“I got lucky that they closed the roof,” admitted the world No. 1 and two-time defending Australian Open champion afterward.
The roofs of the three largest stadiums at Melbourne Park remained closed for the rest of the day, with Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, and Taylor Fritz all playing their matches indoors.
Suspended matches resumed only at 7:15 p.m., when it was still 36°C, although the sun had already begun to set over Melbourne.
The same complications could arise again in a few days. For Tuesday, temperatures are expected to peak at 43°C in Melbourne — a heatwave even more extreme than Saturday’s, and on a day when the junior draw will be in full competition. So far, there have been no official statements or specific plans announced for that day.
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