MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Play is under way on the fourth day of the Australian Open in sweltering conditions and with the weather forecast suggesting it will reach 44 Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).
When Maria Sharapova began play against Karin Knapp just after 11 a.m. Thursday, it was 39 Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) at Melbourne Park.
Australian Open organizers invoked part of its special conditions before play began, allowing women’s matches to have extra breaks between sets and players to wear ice vests during changeovers. But it was possible that play could be suspended on outside courts later under the tournament’s Extreme Heat Policy.
