Australian Open 2026: Sabalenka and Alcaraz in action as cooler day brings relief from heat

Dissipating heat, however, doesn’t mean that the environmental challenges are completely absent today. A smoke haze has blanketed Melbourne since yesterday, as winds blew down the smoke from a fire in the Otway ranges which has grown to about 8000 hectares overnight.

Air quality alerts have been issued across Melbourne, Geelong and the surrounding regions, while a a total fire ban remains in place for the Northern Country, North Central, North East, and Gippsland fire districts.

Tennis fans not fortunate enough to be in Melbourne are no doubt feeling the FOMO of missing out on the Australian Open but, having had to swelter through yesterday, I can tell you day seven probably wasn’t too bad a day to miss.

Play on the outside courts was paused and arena roofs were closed as the Heat Stress Scale moved above 5.0, as players, officials, and fans alike scrambled for shade, fluids and any kind of relief they can find.

Jack Snape recounted a sweltering day Down Under.

The other contender for yesterday’s biggest story came later in the evening, when Naomi Osaka (16) withdrew from the Australian Open just hours before she was set to face Aussie qualifier Maddison Inglis, citing an abdominal injury linked to body changes from her pregnancy.

We had a big few stories yesterday but a contender for the biggest fortune, and a enforced heat break, coming to the aid of Jannik Sinner (2) as he struggled with full-body cramps in the stifling conditions against 85th-ranked American Eliot Spizzirri.

Tumaini Carayol was there for that one and recapped what became a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win for the Italian.

Howdy, y’all. It’s ya boi Joey Lynch here, and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of a mercifully cooler day eight of the Australian Open. After yesterday’s stifling conditions the mercury has dipped significantly ahead of today’s action: highs of more than 40C yesterday giving way to forecast a top of 25C today, with it currently sitting at 19.7C as we prepare for the morning’s action.

Aryna Sabalenka (1) and Victoria Mboko’s (17) meeting on Rod Laver Arena is the pick of the early matches, and we’ll follow along with that one when it gets under way at 11.30.

Carlos Alcaraz (1) and Tommy Paul (19) are then scheduled to follow on Rod Laver, that one starting no earlier than 1.30pm, and we’ll be following along with that one, too. Alex de Minaur (6) and Alexander Bublik’s (10) meeting and Elina Svitolina (12) and Mirra Andreeva’s (8) clash will then follow in the evening session.

Coco Gauff (3) is set to face off with Karolina Muchova (19) out on Margaret Court Arena no earlier than 2.30pm, and the prospect of another marathon between Daniil Medvedev (11) and Learner Tien (25) awaits when they take the court following that contest.

Yulia Putintseva and Iva Jovic (29), as well as Alexander Zverev (3) and Francisco Cerundolo (18) will also be in action on John Cain.

So, let’s do it, to it. It being tennis, that is.