The Australian Open organizers has reshuffled its schedule ahead of the quarter-finals due to extreme heatwave forecast in Melbourne.
Temperatures are expected to soar up to 46C, prompting officials to adjust match timings and enforce strict heat policies.
As per multiple reports, the organizers delayed the wheelchair tennis matches to Wednesday and moved the junior outdoor matches to an earlier time in the morning to protect players from the extreme heat.
While, major quarter-finals matches for singles, including top-ranked players like Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka along with several double matches will be held in indoor arenas with roofs and air conditioning.
The tournament organisers said in a statement, “We encourage everyone to prepare for a warm day. The health and safety of everyone on-site is the priority.”
On Saturday, outdoor matches were stopped for five hours as temperatures approached 40C and the heat level reached the highest danger rating of five.
Jannik Sinner was among the player who was affected by the extreme heat during his match on Saturday.
During an eight-minute pause, Sinner left the court while the stadium roof was closed which cooled the arena to about 26C, giving Sinner a chance to recover and eventually won the match.
