Play suspended at Australian Open for a time due to extreme heat

Play at the Australian Open was suspended earlier today due to extreme heat as the temperature climbed to the mid 30s during the match.

The weather changed dramatically from Monday to Tuesday in Australia with a heat wave pushing temperatures to the 35, 36 degrees mark. Due to that, the event was forced to suspend play in order to protect players as the heat index suggested that play should be avoided. The index hit the mark of five around 2 pm local time which was a clear signal for the organizers to make the call.

Many players were starting to feel the effects of the heat including Britain's Dan Evans which only further reinforced the decision. The initial statement said:

“At 1:12pm the AO Heat Stress Scale reached 4 and the heat policy came into play,” the initial statement read. “This means singles players can take a 10-minute break – women between the second and third set and men between the third and fourth set – of their matches. Players have the option of staying on court or using showers or cooling rooms.”

An hour later it was updated to a level 5 with a statement:

"The AO Heat Stress Scale has reached 5 and play will be suspended on the outside courts. This means play continues until the end of an even number of games or the completion of a tie break. No new matches will be called to court. Play on outdoor practice courts is also suspended.”