Roger Federer won his sixth Australian Open and 20th grand slam title. Photo / Photosport
Tennis fans have accused Australian Open organisers of unfair hypocrisy after the referee made the decision to close the roof on Rod Laver Arena for Sunday night's final between Roger Federer and Marin Cilic.
The Swiss won his 20th grand slam title, overcoming Cilic in five sets 6-2 6-7 6-3 3-6 6-1, and did so in the first men's final to be played entirely indoors at Melbourne Park.
The roof was closed as the extreme heat policy came into effect with the aim of protecting players from the harsh weather Melbourne was dishing up.
The Australian Open released a statement on the roof closure, saying the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index — which measures humidity — was 32.7 at 6.30pm one hour before play started, just above the threshold of 32.5.
That convinced the tournament referee — in conjunction with expert advice from the Bureau of Meteorology and the Australian Open chief medical officer — to make the decision for the final to be played indoors.
When the match started, the WBGT was 32.6 — still above the threshold that had been surpassed for the first time in the two-week tournament on Sunday night.
Statement on roof closure. pic.twitter.com/BBwNx6b8Lc
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018
The official policy says the referee can suspend play if the ambient temperature exceeds 40C and the WBGT index reading exceeds 32.5. No matches were suspended in a scorching first week even when the ambient temperature went well above 40C, because organisers said the WBGT index remained below the threshold. That is, only one of the criteria for suspending matches was met, not all of them.
With that in mind, not everyone was convinced with Sunday's roof ruling being based purely on the WBGT index. While it was hot, the temperature didn't exceed 40C, prompting international tennis media to question why that criteria suddenly became irrelevant just because it was a final.
Aussie legend Pat Cash opposed the decision, saying it was biased towards Federer because it deprived Cilic of the conditions he needed to cause an upset.
US great Jim Courier said the muggy conditions would slow the ball down, likely favouring Federer.
"It can be very muggy in there and make things very heavy, slow the ball down, and if it slows things down at all, it probably helps Roger more than it does Marin," Courier said.
Cilic agreed that he was hard done by, slamming the decision to close the roof in his post-match press conference. Having prepared to play in hot conditions, he said it made a "huge difference" to the match.
No one wants to see them suffer, but that rule needs to make sense. You can't have players out in 42 degrees and then suddenly week after you get your roof out in the evening. For a wet bulb thing that is 0.1 above limit.
— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) January 28, 2018
When in the same time, players have been let out through 42 degrees in the first week... High time to rethink that formula. https://t.co/Z3hJqqcauW
— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) January 28, 2018
I'm no expert but notice the wet bulb globe reading in the shade (which match was going to be played in, obviously) was 27.5 at 7pm. Now down at 26.9. Ambient temperature now down from 37.5 at 7pm to 36.6.
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) January 28, 2018
This is the Extreme Heat Policy. Says that ambient temperature must exceed 40C AND wet bulb reading must exceed 32.5C. Ambient temperature has not been above 40 all day... pic.twitter.com/DhCZxYfinc
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) January 28, 2018
Very marginal call to close the roof - during the warm up the humidity/heat index used was either at, or just 0.1 points above, the threshold which can trigger the extreme heat rule.
— Russell Fuller (@russellcfuller) January 28, 2018
Dunno how the roof stays open when it’s 69 degrees in direct sunlight and then closed at dusk.
— Adam Peacock (@adampeacock3) January 28, 2018
The argument for never closing the roof though is that it's an "outdoor tournament."
— Shane McInnes (@shanemcinnes) January 28, 2018
Humidity is currently less than 30%. Temperature well below 40 degree threshold and there's no direct sunlight.
For consistency, roof should be open. #AusOpen https://t.co/dkeE9Cw8Eh
The air conditioning was also turned on inside the stadium. Federer was no fan of the humidity during his semi-final against Hyeon Chung, asking the umpire for the air-conditioning to be turned on in Friday night's encounter.
He will have appreciated the artificial help as he surged to a dramatic win on Sunday.
Lleyton Hewitt said early in the third set the outside temperature was between 32C-35C, but inside it was a much more tolerable 27C.
The roof being closed is hardly the only reason Federer won — both players faced the same conditions — but if Cash, Courier and Cilic are to be heard, it may have given him a slight edge before the first serve of the match.
Not everyone was opposed to closing the roof, however. Despite being criticised earlier in the tournament for not closing the roof or suspending matches because of the heat, New York Times tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg said organisers had done the right thing this time around by using common sense rather than going explicitly by the rule book.
Definitely not, these last two days have been the most humid. But I’m all for a formula that’s generally more humane. #AusOpen https://t.co/ulLKVFSHV9
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 28, 2018
Yesterday during Halep-Wozniacki it was hot and gross and that helped no one. Whatever makes conditions for better tennis is best. #AusOpen
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 28, 2018
I agree, it should have closed many times before, but I’m glad it happened tonight.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 28, 2018
If you’ve got a roof, use the roof, I say. Would’ve helped yesterday… #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/UQWiyLbjaJ
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 28, 2018
Lleyton Hewitt had a different opinion to Courier, saying before the match the roof closure would create "heavy" conditions favouring the big-serving Cilic.
"Totally different dynamics for both players to go out and play in this situation," Hewitt said in commentary for Channel Seven. "It will be heavier and more humid as well than the dry heat outside, and normally it is a heavier kind of play. So, it normally favours the big server."
The heat has been a pressing issue all tournament, particularly in the first week when temperatures climbed upwards of 43C.
Gael Monfils complained to the umpire he was going to collapse and said he was "dying on the court" during his clash against Novak Djokovic, which the Serb said was played in "brutal" conditions.
Alize Cornet also said she thought she was going to faint during her loss to Elise Mertens, and received medical attention while being rubbed with icepacks on the side of the court.
"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."
But still players were forced to carry on under the blazing sun — until Sunday night, that is, when Federer and Cilic were shown mercy.
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The match featured windy conditions, making play challenging for both.