Going into the Australian Open, the fear that was poor air quality from bushfires might disrupt matches. On Thursday, it was rain carrying dust that put matches on hold.
The dirty rain required tournament workers to pressure wash the courts in order to get them ready for play. Only one match took place when action resumed on the outer courts, with Ernests Gulbis and Aljaz Bedene being brought back inside after just four games when more showers hit Melbourne Park.
[ATP APP]
The roofs have been closed in Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and Melbourne Arena. Fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, fifth seed Dominic Thiem, and seventh seed Alexander Zverev headline the day session. Top seed Rafael Nadal, 2014 champion and No. 15 seed Stan Wawrinka, and No. 23 seed Nick Kyrgios feature in the night session.