Searing temperatures in Melbourne have disrupted play at the Australian Open, where tennis players have been struggling with the heat in recent days.
Organizers of the Grand Slam event said Thursday they implemented an “extreme heat policy” after temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
This means that games already in progress on the field of play will be interrupted at the end of the game being played.
Organizers said the roofs at Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena would be closed to allow players to continue their games on those courts.
However, new games will not start on outdoor courts “until the temperature has returned to a temperature deemed playable by the tournament director,” the statement said on the website.
The intense heat at Melbourne Park this week has already caused problems for the players.
Canada’s Frank Dancevic fainted in his first-round loss on Tuesday. He said he found the conditions “inhuman”.
On the same day, China’s Peng Shuai blamed the Heat after cramping and throwing up during their loss to Japan’s Kurumi Nara.
And it’s not just players who have succumbed to the elements. One of the ball boys fainted during Tuesday’s eleventh group Milos Raonic’s four-set win over Spain’s Daniel Gimeno-Traver.
Some players worried
Several players have raised concerns about the terms.
“Whether it’s safe or not, I don’t know. You just have to be very careful these days,” said Britain’s Andy Murray, who has been a Melbourne finalist in three of the last four years, on Tuesday. “There have been some issues in other sports with players having heart attacks.”
Women’s No. 1 Serena Williams said Wednesday fears of dehydration are giving her sleepless nights.
But 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer was unimpressed.
“Just deal with it because it’s the same for both[players],” he said on Tuesday after defeating spirited Australian James Duckworth in the first round.
Prior to Thursday, tournament officials had already introduced heat-related measures for women’s draw games, allowing for a longer break between the second and third sets.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology forecast high temperatures of 44 degrees Celsius in Melbourne on Thursday and Friday.
Temperatures are then expected to drop into the low 20s (high 60s and low 70s in degrees Fahrenheit) from Saturday.
The heatwave currently sweeping South Australia comes after the country experienced its hottest year on record in 2013, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
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