Australian Open 2024 heat rules: What is the Extreme Heat Policy? When is play suspended? How hot can it get?

The Australian Open sometimes serves up some of the toughest conditions of the season for players.

With the Grand Slam being played in the Australian summer, temperatures can soar above 40 degrees Celsius.

If the temperatures climb too much then it can lead to play being suspended.

With the Grand Slam being held in the middle of the Australian summer, it can get seriously hot in Melbourne.

In 2014, nine players retired from their opening matches due to severe heat as temperatures hit a staggering 43.9 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).

The Grand Slam acted to prevent a repeat of that by introducing the Heat Stress Scale in 2019.

The Extreme Heat Policy was enforced at the 2023 Australian Open as temperatures hit 36 degrees Celsius and the stress scale reached level five, meaning matches on the outside courts were suspended.

A statement from the Australian Open said: “The AO Heat Stress Scale has reached 5 and play will be suspended on the outside courts.

“This means play continues until the end of an even number of games or the completion of a tie break. No new matches will be called to court. Play on outdoor practice courts is also suspended.”

The matches were halted on all outside courts for almost three hours, while play continued on the main show courts.

The hot weather on hard courts (which give off more heat than grass or clay) can lead to gruelling conditions for players, who can try to cool down by finding shaded spots on the court or by draping ice towels around their shoulders during changeovers.

But when it comes to playing over three, four or five hours in the sun, it can be a battle of endurance.

Eurosport expert Tim Henman played the Australian Open 10 times and says the heat is “part of the challenge” of competing at the Grand Slam.

“For me personally, I like playing in the heat because it made the conditions a little bit quicker,” he told Eurosport.

“I felt like the ball went through the air a little bit quicker. I felt like with my game style and sort of athletic ability, I was avoiding some of the longer rallies. I enjoyed it, I never really suffered in the long matches in the heat.

“The heat rule is there for a reason. I think there are times where it’s not only the players, but it’s the umpires and the ball kids and the spectators that also shouldn’t be forgotten about.

“The players, they’re professional athletes, they train in hot conditions, they’re hydrated, they prepare well…but you can’t just say it’s a mental challenge because when you are perspiring so much and it’s so hot, then it really does become a physical battle.

“You’ve got to prepare properly, so putting the hours in on the court and in the gym, but you’ve also got to prepare mentally so that you are ready to go out there and suffer at times and have that fortitude and that character to stick at it when you might not be feeling your best.

“That’s certainly on the men’s side, when you’re talking about best-of-five set matches, there’s no doubt that the mental and the physical side are hugely important.”

Starting with the 2019 Australian Open, the tournament organisers introduced the ‘AO Heat Stress Scale’ to provide clear guidelines to be followed when temperatures rise considerably.

• 1 – Temperate playing conditions
• 2 – Increase hydration
• 3 – Apply cooling strategies
• 4 – Extended breaks
• 5 – Suspension of play

“The Heat Stress Scale will be used to measure four climate factors – radiant heat (strength of the sun), air temperature in the shade, relative humidity and wind speed. These will be measured at five positions around the precinct, including on court in Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Melbourne Arena. The scale starts at (1) for temperate playing conditions and escalates to (5) – suspension of play.

“Under the EHP, the Tournament Referee will allow a 10-minute break between the second and third sets in both women’s and junior singles matches and a 15-minute break in wheelchair singles matches when a four (4.0) is recorded on the AO HSS prior to or during the first two sets of the match.

“In the men’s singles, a 10-minute break will be allowed after the third set when a four (4.0) is recorded on the AO HSS prior to or during the first three sets of the match.

“If a five (5.0) is recorded on the AO HSS, the Tournament Referee can suspend the start of matches on outside courts and all matches in progress continuing until the end of an even number of games in that set or completion of the tie break before play will be suspended.

“Matches on Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Melbourne Arena will stop after an even number of games in that set or completion of the tie-break when the Tournament Referee can decide to close the roof for the remainder of the match and the following matches when the EHP is still in effect.”

In regards to the use of the roof, it adds: “The decision to close an arena roof rests solely with the tournament referee.

“Roofs on Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Melbourne Arena can be closed in the event of rain or the Extreme Heat Policy being invoked prior to the scheduled start of play. If play commences with a roof closed, it will remain closed for the entire match.”