Australian Open in pictures: Melbourne melts in 43C heat
- Published
The searing heat has proved problematic for players at the Australian Open, with temperatures consistently exceeding 40C. Doubles pair Eva Hrdinova and Paula Ormaechea are among those to suffer on Thursday
The heat is causing problems all over Melbourne - not just for the tennis at Melbourne Park - as the Herald Sun reports
It has kept the court services team busy at the first Grand Slam of 2014, with dozens of ice vests and ice-filled collars prepared to give to the players
Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova is the beneficiary of one such contraption in Thursday's morning session
Maria Sharapova is also grateful for some relief from Thursday's heat, which is predicted to rise close to the 2009 Australian Open record of 45.5C
But France's Alize Cornet finds it particularly hard going and is reduced to tears during a break in her match against against Camila Giorgi
It is not just the players who have been tested by the conditions, with spectators flocking to the cooling fans situated within the grounds of Melbourne Park
And watching matches has been a testing experience court-side, with these fans of Japan's Kei Nishikori doing all they can to resist Thursday's heat
There is at least help on hand for those arriving at Melbourne Park, with sun cream very much the order of the day
Despite such precautions, the heat took its toll in a variety of ways throughout the week, with one ball boy fainting on Tuesday and requiring courtside attention
And on Wednesday Croatian Ivan Dodig feared he "could maybe even die" before retiring from his match against Damir Dzumhur
- Published15 January 2014
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- Published15 January 2014
- Published14 January 2014
- Published14 January 2014