With high temperatures forecast for tomorrow, Saturday 24 January, play will commence earlier at the Australian Open.
Matches on Arena courts including Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena will commence at 10:30am. Play on all other courts will commence at 10am as scheduled with gates to open at 9am.
We encourage everyone to prepare for a warm day by:
- Wearing hats and applying sunscreen
- Drinking water – there are many water refill stations around the precinct
- Allowing extra time for arrival
- Making use of shade, misting fans and other cooling areas onsite.
“We expect pleasant conditions tomorrow morning, in the mid-20s, and will start play earlier and take advantage of the more temperate conditions,” Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said.
The temperature is expected to climb to the low 30s by the middle of the day, and peak in the late afternoon.
Everyone coming to the AO should prepare for the heat and take advantage of the increased shade and cooling areas across the site.
Tennis Australia implemented the Heat Stress Scale in 2019 following extensive research and testing. Four climate factors – air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed – are measured from a variety of locations at Melbourne Park to determine the 1-5 HSS measure.
