The Australian Open is as much of an endurance event for spectators as it is for players on the court (probably). Sitting in the stands on bullshit hot days is an absolutely brutal ordeal, particularly if you happen to be saddled with centre court tickets that put you directly in the path of the horrible, horrible sun.
[jwplayer luQQFDhJ]
So to say crowds were relieved this afternoon when Open officials invoked the tournament’s new Heat Stress policy is something of an understatement.
When Petra Kvitová and Danielle Collins took the court for their semi-final matchup earlier today, the air temperature at Rod Laver Arena was hovering perilously close to the 40 degree mark, making things intensely uncomfortable not only for the competitors, but for fans in the stands as well.
The game ploughed on for roughly 8 games and 35 minutes before tournament officials stepped in, upgraded the heat stress rating to the maximum 5.0, and halted play while the stadium’s roof was closed.
The announcement was met with the kind of applause you’d normally only hear at match point.
Due to Extreme Heat Policy, the roof at @RodLaverArena will now be closed. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/j42fWERjpi
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2019
Scenes. Absolute scenes, I tell you.
The Heat Stress rule dictates that, when at 5.0, games inside stadiums must be played with the roof closed, and all play on outside courts is halted.
Boom! Heat stress reading hits 5.0!
Roof can be closed. Yeay for everyone! pic.twitter.com/3SnaSLQPvB
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) January 24, 2019
And fair enough too, frankly. The temperature in and around Melbourne hasn’t dipped much below 40 since then, which to the uninitiated is really, really bloody hot.
For what it’s worth, the roof closure seemed to benefit the 8th-seeded Kvitová, who steamrolled through the rest of the game 7-6 6-0 to book her spot in this year’s Australian Open women’s singles final.
The real winners today though? The poor sods sitting mid-court. Cop this time lapse.
Thank god for that 🔥🔥🔥 #ausopen #advantagepiper pic.twitter.com/xYuHYRzG96
— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort) January 24, 2019
That last slot of sun disappearing has got to be on par with taking a hulking big whiff of a freshly opened can of tennis balls in terms of feeling real, real, real good.
