Rod Laver Arena Roof Rules

The australian open s new heat rules were triggered in sweltering conditions in melbourne on thursday but time will tell the retractable roof over rod laver arena will remain closed.

Rod laver arena roof rules. The men s final was played under a closed roof at rod laver arena. Previously known as flinders park or the national tennis centre melbourne park s primary arena centre court was renamed rod laver arena in 2000 in recognition of rod laver s remarkable tennis career. Rod laver arena at melbourne park. Melbourne park was officially opened in 1988 with the first tennis ball hit in january at the australian open.

The roof on rod laver arena was closed to allow for the two mixed. On a day in which the temperature topped 40 degrees in melbourne the rod laver arena roof was left open for the first match between russia s elena dementieva and spain s carla suarez navarro. Rod laver arena has a seating capacity of 14 820 with a capacity of 15 400 for sports such as basketball when extra seats are added around the court and up to 14 200 for concerts with floor seating. Australia s favourite concert arena and home to the australian open.

The decision to close an arena roof rests solely with the tournament referee. The arena currently attracts over 1 5 million visitors per year. If play commences with a roof closed it will remain closed for the entire match. In 1988 rod laver arena opened making the australian open the first grand slam to feature a retractable roof.

In terms of sport tennis has brought worldwide recognition for. The initial heat policy allowed for the roof to be closed when the temperature rose above 39 c 102 f or at the referee s discretion when the temperature rose above 35 c 95 f but only for daytime matches and only once all singles matches could be scheduled inside rod laver arena. He said when conditions change quickly and the roof needs to close on rod laver or margaret court arena for instance the process of adjustment just needs to be sped up a little. The arena was the first in australia to have a retractable roof installed and it is the largest indoor arena in australia.