With the Australian Open set to open on Monday, a heat wave is predicted to hit the city of Melbourne which could affect players participating in the year's first Grand Slam tournament.
Forecasters are predicting that the temperature could go as high as 107 degrees in the first week of the tournament, which is a surprise considering that the city had a cool 70 degree temperature on Sunday, or a day before the start of the tournament.
Three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic said he has prepared well for extreme temperatures, remembering how he was forced to retire to Andy Roddick in the 2009 quarterfinals when the temperature exceeded 104 degrees. The Serbian sensation told SI.com that he is not concerned about the forecast.
"Last couple years, everything has been very all right with my health, with my physical state. I've been working, of course, a lot with my team, making sure I'm fit and ready to play best‑of‑five in extreme conditions."
Andy Murray, who trains in Florida, said there is nothing that can prepare players once the heat sets in. "The court just gets so hot," he told the media. "The air is extremely, extremely hot as well. I mean, in Miami, there tends to be a breeze. Here when it's 40 degrees, it can be calm. The air feels warm in your face. Your legs and your feet burn. No, I mean, the stuff that I do there helps, but you can't prepare for that heat. It's very tough."
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