Referees at the 2014 Australian Open have implemented the Extreme Heat Policy for Thursday’s matches (which started on Wednesday, for those of you in the United States). Temperatures reached 107 degrees (F), and it’s the first enactment of the policy since 2009.
Australian Open Extreme Heat Policy now in effect for Thursday’s matches
Officials at the 2014 Australian Open implemented the Extreme Heat Policy on Thursday, leading to the stoppage of matches on the outer courts.
Renee McKay
Australian Open 2014
Many felt this was going to happen after player complaints started to pile up -- one of them even saw Snoopy. In short: it’s really hot.
The policy has play on the outer courts stopped at the ends of sets that were in progress when the rules went into effect. Matches in progress on the center courts continued, with the retractable roofs to be closed once the sets in play were completed. Play would continue on those courts once the roofs were closed.
One has to wonder if the officials took some recent criticism to heart, as Andy Murray, the No. 4 seed in the men’s singles bracket, said that “it only takes one bad thing to happen,” urging event organizers to take more caution. Players were already exposed to 108-degree heat on Tuesday, when the policy was not enacted.
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