Australian Open: Aryna Sabalenka brushes aside teenager Iva Jovic in soaring Melbourne temperatures | Tennis News

Aryna Sabalenka ended the Australian Open’s teenage challenge with an emphatic quarter-final win over Iva Jovic as the tournament’s ‘heat stress scale’ reached the highest threshold of 5.0 with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees.

After defeating 19-year-old Victoria Mpoko in the fourth round, the world number one seed lost only three games to the 18-year-old American Jovic, winning 6-3 and 6-0.

The result was tough on the youngster, who was very competitive on points, but repeatedly came out at the wrong end of matches.

Still, it’s been a remarkable tournament for Jovic, who celebrated her birthday just last month and will reach the top 20 for the first time next month.

“These teenagers are testing me in the last two rounds,” said Sabalenka, who has now reached at least the semi-finals in 12 of her last 13 major tournaments.

“She’s an amazing player, it was a tough match – don’t look at the score, it wasn’t easy at all. I’m very happy with the win, it was a tough battle.”

With the hottest weather expected in Melbourne in 17 years, with temperatures reaching around 45 degrees Celsius, efficiency was key for Sabalenka, who has yet to drop a set.

Things could have become more complicated had she not decided the first set in the long ninth game, saving three break points before taking the third set point.

After that, she did not lose another match, and the roof of Rod Laver Arena was closed as Sabalenka conducted her post-match interview, the tournament’s heat stress meter reaching the cut-off mark of five shortly before 1.30pm.

“At the end of the match, it was very hot,” the 27-year-old said. “I’m glad they closed the roof about halfway down, so we had plenty of shade in the back.”

Smiling, Sabalenka added: “I think, as a woman, we are stronger than men, so they had to close the roof for men so that they would not suffer.

“I knew before this match that they wouldn’t let us play in crazy heat. If it got to five, they would definitely close the roof, so I knew they were protecting us, our health. It’s okay. I’m happy I was able to do that.”

Organizers reworked the schedule in anticipation, with the start of the wheelchair draw postponed until Wednesday, with the junior matches starting at 9 a.m.

Subsequent junior matches were not scheduled until 6:30pm, and the entire day’s matches were finished before the more severe heat rules came into effect, which would have seen outdoor matches postponed.

The heat stress meter takes into account air temperature, radiant heat, humidity and wind speed to determine when conditions are safe for players.

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