TENNIS: Australian Open braces for soaring temperatures in Melbourne

MELBOURNE — Organizers, players, and fans were preparing for another day of blistering heat at the Australian Open on Tuesday, as temperatures were forecast to soar well above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) at Melbourne Park.

Queues for entry into the venue were much shorter than usual, and crowds were largely absent from the concourses across the sprawling grounds. This year’s edition of the season-opening Grand Slam has been watched by record numbers, but the extreme heat was expected to keep many spectators away.

Play began on the outer courts at 9 a.m., while world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka kicked off the action on Rod Laver Arena against 29th seed Iva Jovic at 11:30 a.m., with temperatures already in the low 30s.

With temperatures expected to continue rising throughout the day and reach the mid-40s, organizers were expected to invoke the tournament’s extreme heat policy by early afternoon.

Under this policy, matches on the outer courts would be suspended immediately, while play on the show courts would continue only after the roofs have been closed.

Matches in the Wheelchair Championships were postponed by 24 hours due to the forecasted heat. Organizers also advised fans to wear hats, drink plenty of water, and use the misting fans scattered around Melbourne Park.

Special measures were also put in place for tournament staff. Ball kids were given shorter court duties, longer recovery periods, and additional relief squads to ensure their safety.

The Australian Open uses an extreme heat policy that takes into account air temperature, radiant heat, wind speed, and humidity to determine playing conditions. Officials can delay or suspend matches when thresholds are exceeded.

The tournament’s “Heat Stress Scale” was expected to reach five, its highest level, early in the day.

-Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Himani Sarkar/Reuters