Alize Cornet says Australian Open heat policy needs to change after she nearly fainted on court

AUSTRALIAN Open organisers were close to enacting the extreme heat policy but France’s Alize Cornet says the conditions were still “very dangerous” and the rules need to be changed after fearing she would faint on court.

FRENCHWOMAN Alize Cornet has described ferocious Australian Open conditions as “very dangerous” for the health of players, warning competitors are “not robots.”

And as the world’s best tennis players sweltered through a second-straight Melbourne scorcher, tournament referee Wayne McKewen said Open organisers were close to enacting the extreme heat policy for the first time this year.

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Doing so would have seen play soon halted on outside courts and roofs close on stadium courts, but even though temperatures briefly rose above 40 degrees — hitting a maximum of 40.2 degrees at 2.25pm — the wet bulb globe temperature reading also used still sat below the required threshold.

But then, thankfully for all, the cool change came.

“At 2.25pm the WBGT reading was 31.1,” McKewen said.

“We had our weather experts from the Bureau of Meteorology regularly providing updates on the temperature and the timing of the forecast cool change.

“We were fully prepared to stop play once the WBGT climbed to 32.5, but the temperature dropped 4.9 degrees within 26 minutes when the cool change began as predicted.”

Alize Cornet receives treatment during her third round defeat. Picture: AFP

Beaten by Belgian Elise Mertens in straight sets as the temperature hit its maximum, Cornet feared she was about to faint on court — a day after compatriot Gael Monfils said he was “dying on the court”.

“Maybe the rules should change to be a little better for us. But we also understand this is a business, we are not robots, we can’t just do our thing,” Cornet said.

“I don’t want to play a match like today again. I understand both sides. It’s ugly for everyone.

“It’s heat stroke, I started feeling very bad, my head was spinning, my body hurt, it’s very strange. I felt that if I continued I had a good chance of serious problem.”

Cornet believes the tournament’s extreme heat policy should be modified.

As it stands, play can be suspended when the mercury tops 40c and the wet bulb globe temperature index exceeds 32.5c.

“It’s not reasonable ... I felt like I was in an oven,” Cornet said.

“I thought, ‘we’re crazy to be here’.

“It’s great for the spectator but for us we’re at our limit. I think there’s a question for the heat rules.

“Yes we are in danger, we all know our bodies, I felt I was at my limit, I felt I might faint.

“You have to listen to your body, mine was telling me to be careful.

“There’s a risk yes ... it’s like we’re waiting for a drama to happen before something happens.

“Maybe when this happens something will change.”

Cornet’s comments came as Roger Federer downplayed the heat issue, insisting players are aware of the extreme conditions they are likely to face in Melbourne.

The Swiss champion said he would “back myself playing during the daytime” after reaching the third round in cooler conditions.

His comments followed Novak Djokovic’s call for officials to be more flexible in applying the tournament’s extreme heat policy and suspend play.

Cornet’s blood pressure was monitored by a doctor and ice towels were applied to her face, neck and legs during an injury time-out.

Conditions for the rest of the tournament are expected to be mild following a cool change.

Ukrainian pair Elina Svitolina and rising 15-year-old Marta Kostyuk found themselves in unfamiliar territory on Rod Laver Arena during the peak of Melbourne’s heatwave.

Russian Andrey Rublev was also feeling the heat in his match against Grigor Dimitrov. Picture: Michael Klein

The pair began their third-round match shortly before 2pm, at which point the temperature had already hit 39.3c.

Just after the second set started, at 2.25pm, it reached 40.2c at Melbourne Park.

A slight cool breeze began to come through the venue just as the match was finishing — Svitolina won in two sets 6-2, 6-2.— but the damage had already been done, the furnace like conditions barely abating.

Kostyuk - who hails from the outskirts of Kiev - admitted that while her serving game had not been at its best the conditions had also taken their toll.

“Well, that was also biggest problem,” the world No.522 said of the heat.

“I was going down with the energy more and more with every match, because it’s quite exhausting.

“If outside is like 40….the surface is for sure 70. It was really hot.”

Marta Kostyuk said the hot conditions took their toll. Picture: Michael Klein

In the stands, there was only a smattering of fans in Rod Laver Arena’s most expensive seats – many of which were bathed in sunlight just like the players on court.

Even in the shaded seats the conditions were enough to open the sweat glands, many doing their best to keep cool by waving paper fans or official guides in front of their faces.

There was a similar story to be told on the other courts, and right around Melbourne Park.

Seats in the sun were avoided like the plague while water mist fans were hot property for a quick cool fix and the biggest queue was for the drinking water fountains outside Rod Laver Arena.

The conditions eventually improved, the temperature dropping nine degrees in two hours to 31.3 by 4.30pm.

For tournament organisers the day was a case of crisis adverted, with no matches suspended and no players forced to retire due to the peak afternoon heat.

But that does not mean the heat policy debate or the pain for players and fans is over, with the mercury again tipped to soar late next week.

- with Chris Cavanagh