Australian Open introduces heat rule, here’s how it works

• The Australian Open 2023 now has the extreme heat rule
• It’s courtesy of innovation by the University of Sydney students
• It’s a heat stress scale tool prompting the calling off of matches

Unlike previous years, the Australian Open 2023 now has the extreme heat rule courtesy of an innovation by the University of Sydney students.

There is a conspicuous screen with a semi-circle of five colours and a list of numbers from 1 to 5 in Melbourne Park. It’s a heat stress scale tool developed by the University of Sydney to determine when play should be halted during the Australian Open.

Although it initially appears to be a rainbow, it is actually an illustration scale.

As temperatures surpassed 35 degrees Celsius and the humidity caused the stress scale to hit 5, the point at which play is paused, the Extreme Heat Policy was implemented for the first time at this year’s event.

The heat rule states play is halted when the Heat Stress Scale exceeds 5.0. It is suspended when there are precisely even number of games remaining in the set.

Australian Open 2023. Photo/ The West Australian

Due to the luxury of having the roof covered, play proceeded on the display courts during the three-hour suspension of outdoor tennis.

The opportunity to escape the oppressive heat, shower, and eat during the break was helpful for many of them.

Taylor Fritz and Nikoloz Basilashvili’s match was first held outside, but it was moved indoors after the roof was closed. The new, slower, more relaxed conditions were not particularly advantageous to Fritz.

“I’d say from the ground I probably wanted it to be faster, so it would have been nice if we kept playing outside if it was hot,” Tennis Major reports. Fritz is already accustomed to hot weather as a Floridian.

When the roof was shut, they left the court and had a moment to collect themselves, but the American emerged a little bit nervous. Being the top-eight seed playing in his first slam match made him a little anxious.

Fritz thought it would be easier to serve with the roof covering because the sun and wind were blocked out. Once the roof was closed, his serving technique was identical on both sides, which helped him establish a powerful serving rhythm for most of the match.

In the 2021 Australian Open, Melbourne heat took a toll on many players, including Barbora Krejcikova. Melbourne had temperatures higher than 30 degrees, and it was even hotter on the court. It was harsh during her match against Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.

Keys, who was conquering the heat and wearing her out, was clearly having difficulties keeping up with Krejcikova.

After dropping the first set 6-3 and falling behind early in the second, the rising Czech star asked for the assistance of her trainer.

Krejcikova’s blood pressure was taken while ice packs were applied to her head and neck to find comfort from the stifling heat. She lost to Keys in the quarterfinals 6-3, 6-2 because she could not turn things around.

Simona Halep also felt dizzy and had to leave the match with a defeat to Alize Cornet