Caroline Garcia said her feet were on fire and Dominic Thiem couldn\u2019t wait to get in an ice bath as Melbourne\u2019s searing summer heat took its toll at the Australian Open Thursday.<\/p>\n
The opening Grand Slam of the year routinely challenges players and fans with its fickle weather – it can be 20 Celsius one day and 40 Celsius the next.<\/p>\n
This week the heat has been gradually building and it touched 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), with even worse forecast for Friday.<\/p>\n
Some players cope better than others in the furnace-like conditions, with third seed Garbine Muguruza one of those who suffered, crashing out in straight sets.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the surface of the court, I don\u2019t know how much heat, it\u2019s terrible, very, very hot, and it\u2019s easy to get blisters and red,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a more tougher match under the heat in previous years at the Australian Open, but today was — it was hot, but I don\u2019t think was the hottest day.\u201d<\/p>\n
French eighth seed Garcia spent three gruelling sets in the sun against Marketa Vondrousova before limping to a 6-7 (3\/7), 6-2, 8-6 victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely hot,\u201d she said afterwards. \u201cMy feet are burning. But we know it\u2019s like this in Australia — the next day it can be freezing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The conditions present the ultimate test of fitness and stamina, with organisers only activating the extreme heat policy when the temperature exceeds 40 Celsius and the wet bulb globe temperature index hits 32.5 Celsius.<\/p>\n
Maria Sharapova was untroubled by the heat, although she was on court in the morning and avoided the worse of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the summertime,\u201d she said breezily after dispatching 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova in straight sets.<\/p>\n
Players are urged to keep themselves hydrated and use ice wrapped in towels to cool off at changeovers in the draining weather.<\/p>\n
Fifth seed Thiem took the advice to heart as he struggled through a energy-sapping five-setter against Denis Kudla.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m off to have an ice bath,\u201d was all he managed to say after the marathon match.<\/p>\n
A cooler change is expected to blow through Melbourne from Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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