Australian Open 2026: Why matches were suspended - Here’s what we know
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matches suspended in Australian Open 2026 Photograph: (AFP)
Why were matches at the Australian Open 2026 temporarily suspended by officials? Check the reason below.
Matches at the Australian Open 2026 were temporarily suspended by tournament officials, leaving fans wondering about the reason for the delay. The suspension occurred during the third-round match between Jannik Sinner and Eliot Spizzirri, when Sinner experienced a breakdown in the third set and appeared to be struggling with cramps. After both players won one set each, Sinner lost his serve and fell behind 1-3 in the deciding set on Rod Laver Arena. Soon after, chair umpire Fergus Murphy asked both players to step aside, and play was paused for about 10 minutes.
Why play suspended at the Australian Open 2026
The Australian Open uses a Heat Stress Scale that runs from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most dangerous level. On Saturday (Jan 24), the scale reached level five in the early afternoon as temperatures climbed to around 36°C. Because of this, officials activated the extreme heat policy and suspended the play.
In a statement, tournament organisers said that when the Heat Stress Scale goes above 5.0, all matches and practice sessions on outside courts must stop. They also confirmed that the roofs on Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and John Cain Arena would be closed for the rest of the matches.
“The AO Heat Stress Scale is above 5.0. Play is suspended for all matches and practice on outside courts. The roofs on RLA, MCA and JCA will close and remain closed for the remainder of the match,” Australian Open’s organisers said in a statement.
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The tournament referee ordered the roof to be closed on the main court, which caused the short delay. Weather forecasts later showed temperatures could rise as high as 40°C (104°F).
Earlier, women's defending champion Madison Keys revelled in the scorching temperatures to set up a last-16 showdown with fellow American Jessica Pegula. Matches were scheduled to start an hour earlier than normal because of the heatwave, and Keys had no intention of hanging about.
She dismissed former world number one Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena in a statement victory that took just 75 minutes.
Another strong title challenger, Amanda Anisimova, also advanced comfortably to next round. She beat fellow American Peyton Stearns 6-1, 6-4. Anisimova has been in great form over the past year, having reached the finals at both Wimbledon and the US Open.
With inputs from agencies
