Brutal heat forces Australian Open into unprecedented move

A new extreme heat policy will be used at the Australian Open to better deal with frequent oven-like conditions on court.

The ‘heat stress scale’ will be used for the first time at a grand slam on Monday to help prevent players from fainting and suffering exhaustion, relying on more weather-measuring devices at Melbourne Park.

A predicted high of 35 degrees is precisely not what organisers Tennis Australia would have wished for given the weight of first-round fixtures to get through.

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The new ‘heat stress scale’ based on four factors – air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed – will allow for extended breaks more often than the previous policy.

However, the roof on Melbourne Park’s three indoor courts will only be closed if conditions are so bad as to suspend play on outside courts.

Organisers said it followed “cutting-edge research and testing into the specific effects of heat stress on tennis players”.

New rules will allow for a 10-minute break between the second and third sets in women’s singles matches when a 4 (out of 5) is recorded on the HSS prior to or during the first two sets of a match.

Men will get a 10-minute breather after the third set if a 4 is reached.

If the heat stress scale goes to 5, play can be suspended.

Tennis Australia chief medical officer Carolyn Broderick says the scale takes into account the effects of heat on the human body, including the maximum stress an athlete can safely withstand, the sweat rate of that person and their core temperature.

“The scale also accounts for the physiological variances between adults, wheelchair and junior athletes while also taking into account the four climate factors — air temperature, radiant heat or the strength of the sun, humidity and wind speed,” she said.

Previously, organisers could only activate the extreme heat policy and halt play or close roofs when the temperature exceeded 40 degrees and the Bureau of Meteorology’s wet bulb globe temperature index – which is used to estimate heat stress in humans – hit 32.5.

Suffocating weather at Melbourne Park has caused serious problems with players in the past.

Among those suffering at the 2018 tournament was Gael Monfils, with fears for his health in a mid-afternoon match against Novak Djokovic.

The Frenchman, known as one of the fittest players on tour, looked dazed and confused in his second set and eventually received medical assistance.

He said afterwards he was “dying” on court, while Frenchwoman Alize Cornet had her blood pressure and pulse monitored by a doctor during a medical timeout, saying later she was going to faint.

One of the worst years for heat at the Open was 2014, when many players were in trouble.

Among them was Blaz Kavcic who was placed on a drip, while Frank Dancevic said he was hallucinating about cartoon character Snoopy in his dazed state.

De Minaur not fazed by heat

The forecast is less than ideal for emerging star Alex de Minaur, competing off the back of two matches on Saturday as he claimed his first ATP title, the Sydney International.

The 19-year-old, who will face Portuguese clay specialist Pedro Sousa on Margaret Court Arena in the afternoon heat, said he wasn’t bothered by the forecast.

“I’ve always loved playing in the heat. I’ve grown up playing in the heat. If (the roof) was to stay open, great,” he said.

“I’m a strong believer that you’ve just got to adapt to the conditions on that day.

“That’s one of the things I’ve really focused on, to be versatile and to be able to adapt to sort of all these different conditions.

“It’s not going to change what I’m going to do. I’m going to go out there, compete, try my hardest. We’ll see what happens.”

All eyes on Aussies on Day 1

In total, 14 Australians are in action on Monday.

Barty, the top-ranked local as the women’s 15th seed, faces Luksika Kumkhum on Margaret Court Arena, with Bernard Tomic’s late match against sixth seed Marin Cilic closing the same court.

Andy Murray’s clash with Roberto Bautista Agut on Melbourne Arena promises an incredible show of support for the Scot after the five-time Open runner-up announced this tournament would be his last in Australia.

Five former Australian Open champions compete on Rod Laver Arena, with Maria Sharapova and Angelique Kerber playing lesser-ranked opponents either side of Rafael Nadal’s clash with Australian James Duckworth.

Reigning champions Caroline Wozniacki and Roger Federer play their first-round matches on Monday night on Melbourne Park’s centre court.

Monday’s order of play on main courts

ROD LAVER ARENA (from 11am)

30-Maria Sharapova (Russia) v Harriet Dart (Britain)

James Duckworth (Australia) v 2-Rafa Nadal (Spain)

Polona Hercog (Slovenia) v 2-Angelique Kerber (Germany)

Not before 5pm

Alison Van Uytvanck (Belgium) v 3-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) v 3-Roger Federer (Switzerland)

MARGARET COURT ARENA (from 11am)

14-Julia Goerges (Germany) v Danielle Collins (U.S.)

5-Sloane Stephens (U.S.) v Taylor Townsend (U.S.)

Not before 3pm

27-Alex de Minaur (Australia) v Pedro Sousa (Portugal)

Not before 7pm

15-Ashleigh Barty (Australia) v Luksika Kumkhum (Thailand)

6-Marin Cilic (Croatia) v Bernard Tomic (Australia)

MELBOURNE ARENA (from 11am)

5-Kevin Anderson (South Africa) v Adrian Mannarino (France)

Maria Sakkari (Greece) v 22-Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)

13-Kyle Edmund (Britain) v Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic)

Not before 6pm

22-Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain) v Andy Murray (Britain)

Not before 7pm

8-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) v Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia)

with agencies