How extreme heat will affect the Australian Open on Saturday

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Play will be suspended and roofs closed on major courts if Saturday’s soaring temperatures put player safety at risk.

The temperature is expected to hit 40 degrees by 5pm on day seven of the tournament in a development that could turn this year’s Australian Open into a war of attrition.

Australian Open organisers said that Saturday matches would start earlier to dodge the afternoon heat.

“Play is starting early tomorrow because of the weather – 10.30[am] for all courts except juniors, which are already set for 10am,” an AO spokeswoman said.

Organisers have handed 10-time winner Novak Djokovic the cooler prime-time night slot on Rod Laver Arena, starting at 7pm, while world No.1 Jannik Sinner is scheduled to begin his match on centre court at midday.

Other stars scheduled to play in Saturday’s third round of singles matches include American Ben Shelton (Margaret Court Arena from 2.30pm), women’s second seed Iga Swiatek (Margaret Court Arena from 7pm) and Australian Maddison Inglis, who will tackle Naomi Osaka on Rod Laver Arena after Djokovic’s match against Botic van de Zandschulp.

Tournament referee Wayne McKewen has been charged with implementing the extreme heat protocols, using a “heat stress” scale first introduced in 2019.

Four factors are taken into account – air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed – to generate a reading between one and five. It is not determined by temperature alone.

If the scale hits five, play is suspended on outdoor courts, while the roofs are closed on Rod Laver Arena, John Cain Arena and Margaret Court Arena before matches can continue.

The court most at risk of disruption on Saturday is Kia Arena, which will host three singles matches from 10.30am and does not have a roof.

McKewen monitors conditions before deciding when play can resume.

The tournament referee can also introduce 10-minute cooling breaks – between the second and third sets for women’s matches, and between the third and fourth sets for men’s singles.

Women’s No.1 seed Aryna Sabalenka will dodge Saturday’s scorcher, having won her third round match against Anastasia Potapova 7-6, 7-6 on Friday, but could face extreme temperatures that have been forecast for Tuesday if she advances to the quarter-finals.

The two-time Australian Open champion welcomed the heat rule “because I think it’s too much on our bodies” to play in stifling conditions.

She said the fluctuating Melbourne temperatures this week, including rain on Wednesday afternoon, had already caused headaches for players.

“The weather is being crazy,” she said. “It’s a lot of adjustment on the strings, on your approach to the match … it’s going like a roller coaster. So yeah, we’ll see who adjusts better these next days.”

Temperatures are forecast to hit 35 degrees by 1pm and rise to a peak of 40 degrees by 5pm, according to the Bureau of Meteorology website.

Russian Daniil Medvedev said he planned to practise during the heat of the day in preparation for Sunday’s clash with American Learner Tien.

“If it’s too hot, we can always go indoors, but I would prefer outdoors,” he said after his five-set victory over Hungarian Marozsan 6-7 (5-7), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3 on Friday.

“Of course, it’s not easy for the guys to play. That’s what happens in Australia. It also depends on the humidity. It’s going to be interesting to watch on TV … hopefully, no heat strokes and stuff like this.”

Medvedev said the only change he would suggest to tournament officials would be to cover the players’ seats permanently with shade, rather than just on the change of ends, because they become scalding hot in the sun.

“But look, we sometimes play in these conditions,” he said. “Some guys retire, some guys cramp. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

Tennis fans will be expected to seek their own refuge during the day. Water stations are scattered throughout the precinct, free sunblock is handed out and several huge shade cloths have been erected at Melbourne Park.

The heat has already taken a toll this week. On Monday, Canadian Marina Stakusic retired during the third set against Australian Priscilla Hon because of cramping and exhaustion and was taken from the court in a wheelchair. The temperature peaked at 31 degrees.

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A day earlier, a ball girl collapsed during a match on 1573 Arena and was helped from the court by Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez. At that stage, the temperature was only hovering around the high 20s.

In 2014, outside matches were suspended for four hours and almost 1000 tennis fans were treated for heat exhaustion on day four of the tournament when the mercury hit 43.3 degrees.

Matches on Rod Laver Arena and John Cain Arena continued once the roofs on both courts had been closed.

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