Australian Open Disrupted by Heatwave as Officials Suspend Play across Courts

The Australian Open has been hit by another bout of extreme heat, forcing tournament officials to suspend play across multiple courts as temperatures in Melbourne soared, raising concerns over player safety and match conditions.

With the mercury climbing to around 36°C on Saturday, organizers activated the tournament’s extreme heat policy, adjusting schedules and shifting matches to roofed venues to limit exposure. 

The day session was brought forward to 10:30 a.m., while more matches were reassigned to enclosed arenas such as Margaret Court Arena.

Play was briefly halted on the main showcourts as roofs were closed to combat the heat. Defending champion Jannik Sinner’s third-round match against Eliot Spizziri on Rod Laver Arena was interrupted, while Lorenzo Musetti’s contest with Tomas Machac at John Cain Arena also experienced a pause.

As conditions worsened, officials took further action by suspending matches on outside courts entirely. 

Tournament organizers initially confirmed that no play would resume on exposed courts before 6:30 p.m., later extending that timeline to 7:15 p.m., citing continued extreme conditions.

The latest disruption underscores the ongoing challenge the Australian Open faces each summer, as rising temperatures increasingly test the limits of players, officials, and infrastructure at Melbourne Park.