The Australian Open was disrupted on Tuesday after conditions reached the tournament’s maximum “heat stress” rating, with forecasts of temperatures soaring to 45°C, forcing the remaining quarter-final matches to be played under a closed roof.
The Melbourne major climbed to level five on its heat stress scale for the second time in four days, activating protocols designed to protect players, fans and officials from the extreme conditions.
As a result, the roof at Rod Laver Arena, centre court and the venue for all four quarter-finals scheduled for the day, was closed until the weather relents.
Read Also: Sabalenka shrugs off heat to reach Australian Open semi-finals
The opening quarter-final between world number one Aryna Sabalenka and American teenager Iva Jovic was contested in blazing sunshine before the heat threshold was reached. Sabalenka secured victory in temperatures that climbed to around 38°C.
Elsewhere across Melbourne Park, play on outdoor courts was suspended, with junior boys’ and girls’ matches among those placed on hold due to the oppressive heat.
The latest disruption follows similar scenes on Saturday, when temperatures peaked at 40°C and matches on outside courts were paused for about five hours, underlining the growing impact of extreme heat on this year’s Australian Open.
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