It’s an absolute scorcher of a day in Melbourne, with a forecast top of 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) set to hit around 4-5pm this afternoon.
At 1:30pm, with the temperature at 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), the Australian Open’s ‘Heat Stress Scale’ hit the maximum level of ‘5’. It means play will now be suspended on outside courts and roofs closed on the main courts. Based on the forecast, it’s tough to see play resuming outside today.
Earlier, a number of changes were made to the day’s schedule, with the gates opening earlier, junior matches beginning earlier (at 9am!), and the Wheelchair Championships postponed until tomorrow.