Melbourne, Jan 24 : The Australian Open's main showcourts at Melbourne Park had their roofs closed, and outdoor-court matches were suspended on Saturday under the tournament's extreme heat policy.

With temperatures soaring to 36°C (96.8°F), tournament officials prioritized player safety due to the intense heat during Saturday's events.

The Australian Open has a strict policy for extreme heat that grades four weather factors: air temperature, radiant heat, wind speed, and humidity. When conditions reach level 5, officials suspend play and close the roofs. To assist fans during these extremes, the tournament advises staying hydrated, wearing hats, and using misting fans inside the stadium.

The defending men's champion, Jannik Sinner, was visibly affected by the heat while playing on Rod Laver Arena. While trailing unseeded American Eliot Spizzirri, Sinner experienced noticeable cramping and other mobility issues. Sinner won the first set 6-4, lost the second 3-6, and was down 3-1 in the deciding (third) set when the heat stress index reached 5.0, the upper end of the scale. This caused the match to be suspended for eight minutes to give Sinner time to cool off before play resumed under the closed roof.

The match between Valentin Vacherot and Ben Shelton on Margaret Court Arena began shortly after the roof was closed. The tournament's referee later announced that no further outdoor matches would be held until after 5:30 p.m. local time (06:30 GMT).

Due to the forecast of extreme heat becoming typical during the tournament, organisers decided to schedule matches earlier than usual. By 10:30 am, when Madison Keys- defending Women's Singles Champion- began her match, temperatures and humidity levels had already risen significantly. Although her Florida upbringing had prepared her for hot weather, Keys showed no signs of discomfort as she finished her match 75 minutes later, defeating former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova.

Other players from Florida are Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova, both of whom also enjoyed success in this extreme climate.

Jessica Pegula defeated Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3, 6-2, and noted that the high temperature helped her conserve energy and reduce effort during her match. Amanda Anisimova beat Peyton Stearns 6-1, 6-4 in 71 minutes and mentioned that her early training in hot weather prepares her well for such conditions, saying, â??It is wonderful to be out on the court even when it is 90 degrees, and I find it very enjoyable to be challenged under such conditions."

/IANS