Roof closed on Rod Laver Arena as heat policy triggered
The first women’s singles semi-final has been interrupted at the Australian Open as the tournament’s new heat rules were triggered on a sweltering day in Melbourne.
The Open's new extreme heat policy kicked in during the first set on Thursday afternoon and tournament officials began closing the roof on Rod Laver Arena during Petra Kvitova’s clash with Danielle Collins.
The move occurred after event’s heat stress scale reached a reading of five and the temperature soared to 38 degrees. Organisers also suspended play on all outside courts and on Margaret Court Arena.
Kvitova and Collins were level at 4-4 when play was halted and the American, no stranger to hot conditions as a Florida native, appeared to be in favour of the roof staying open as she spoke to tournament referee Wayne McEwen.
The development was more welcome news for Czech eighth seed Kvitova given the very different climate of the central European nation.
Play soon continued, with the roof closed in six minutes and Kvitova clinched the first set in a tiebreaker. She went on to claim victory 7-6, 6-0.
The tournament’s new heat stress scale, which this year replaced the former wet bulb globe temperature readings, takes into account air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed.
When the scale reached four on Thursday, a 10-minute break between the second and third set of the women's semi-final was granted. When it got to 4.6, wheelchair matches were suspended.
The scale rose to 5.9 after the roof had been closed.