🎾🌞 Heads Up, Tennis Fans! The Australian Open is making last-minute changes to the schedule due to a heatwave set to hit Melbourne with temperatures soaring to 37°C. 🎾🔥
To beat the blistering afternoon sun, matches will kick off earlier than usual on Saturday. Prepare your alarms for a 10:30 am start for main draw singles and doubles matches! Junior matches remain at 10 am. 🎾⏰
Organisers are urging ticket holders to come ready for the heat: wear hats, slather on sunscreen, and hydrate! 🧢🕶️🌡️ Water refill stations are available, so keep those bottles handy. Gates open at 8:45 am, so arrive early to snag some shade and enjoy the cooler morning air!
Expect to see Madison Keys and Karolina Pliskova face off on Rod Laver Arena, with Jessica Pegula taking on Oksana Selekhmeteva on Margaret Court Arena—all starting an hour earlier. Lorenzo Musetti vs. Tomas Machac and Karen Khachanov vs. Luciano Darderi are also moved up to 10:30 am. 🌟
Afternoon matches remain no earlier than 12 pm. Be ready as the mercury rises to the low 30s by midday. The Australian Open’s heat stress scale is at the ready, with measures to counteract extreme conditions, including potential match halts if needed. 🥵
Wednesday’s downpour already caused a stir, halting play and soaking the courts. But rain or shine, the game goes on!
Get your game faces on, stay cool, and enjoy the court-side action at its finest! 🎾🙌 #AustralianOpen #HeatWave #GameDayFun