Due to the extreme heat in Melbourne, play at the Australian Open was delayed for several hours on Tuesday, causing some discontent among players.
With temperatures soaring to nearly 36 degrees Celsius (about 97 degrees Fahrenheit), tournament officials announced around 2 p.m. local time (10 p.m. ET Monday) that all matches on outdoor courts would be suspended.
“The AO Heat Stress Scale has reached level 5, and play on outside courts will be paused,” the tournament’s Twitter account stated.
“This means that ongoing matches will conclude at the end of the current set or tie break, and no new matches will commence. Additionally, play on outdoor practice courts is suspended.”
The roofs on the Australian Open’s three main courts—Rod Laver Arena, John Cain Arena, and Margaret Court Arena—were closed, allowing play to continue in those venues.
Matches on the outer courts were permitted to resume at 5 p.m. local time (1 a.m. ET).
Earlier, the tournament had announced that temperatures had reached level four on the “AO Heat Stress Scale,” which permitted singles players to take 10-minute breaks between sets. For women, this break occurs between the second and third sets, while men can take it between the fourth and fifth sets. Players were given the option to stay on court or use cooling rooms and showers.
The ATP explains that the AO Heat Stress Scale evaluates air temperature, radiant heat (sun intensity), humidity, and wind speed, which influence a player’s ability to manage body heat. These factors are measured in real-time at various points throughout the Melbourne Park area.
The decision to halt play was not universally welcomed. Australian player Jordan Thompson expressed frustration when his match against JJ Wolf was stopped. Having just broken Wolf’s serve in the second set after losing the first, Thompson questioned the timing of the decision.
“When has this ever happened?!” Thompson was heard exclaiming to the umpire. “I’ve played here in 45-degree heat (113 degrees F)! It’s not going to be for hours.”