News » nt hitter would want to play anywhere but C

MELBOURNE, Australia -- The scorching weather finally brought play to a halt on the fourth day of the Australian Open when the temperature topped 43F (109F), but not soon enough for some players who criticized officials for not stopping matches earlier. The Extreme Heat Policy was enacted at Melbourne Park just before 2 p.m. Thursday, suspending all matches on outer courts until the early evening and requiring the closure of the retractable roofs at Rod Laver and Hisense arenas before play could continue on the show courts. It was the first time since 2009 play had been halted due to heat at the Australian Open. For Maria Sharapova, playing at Rod Laver Arena, the call came too late. The rule dictates the roof cant be closed until the end of a set in progress, so she was forced to finish a grueling third set against Italian Karin Knapp under the blazing sun. "Everyone knows there is no tiebreaker in the third set (at the Australian Open), so once you start that set, youre going to be out there until youre done," she said after closing out the 3 1/2-hour match, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8. Other players wilted in the heat. American Varvara Lepchenko received medical treatment during her match against 11th-seeded Romanian Simona Halep, lying flat on her back during a changeover as trainers rubbed iced on her body. "At first I didnt understand what was going on but then my legs, my arms started to get heavier. I couldnt focus at one point and started feeling dizzier and dizzier," she said. She continued but only won one more game in a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 defeat. "They definitely should have just not started the matches in the first place," she said. "And the same goes for a couple of days ago when I played my (first) match." The heat wave began Tuesday when the temperature peaked at 42C (108F). The tournament referee did not halt play then because the Extreme Heat Policy also takes into account other factors, such as humidity and wind speed. The distinction is lost on the players, who have grumbled all week about the conditions which some have described as inhumane and dangerous. On Tuesday, Canadian Frank Dancevic blacked out and hallucinated during his match, while Chinas Peng Shuai vomited and suffered cramps. No. 25-seeded Alize Cornet of France sobbed on court Thursday after her draining 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Italian Camila Giorgi, then blasted officials for not halting play sooner. "On Tuesday, I dont know why they didnt stop matches," she said. "It was an oven. An oven. It was burning. Why today and not Tuesday?" The heat hasnt just affected players -- its also kept fans away. Total attendance was just 49,860 on Wednesday, down from Mondays high of 63,595. The unshaded seats on the outer courts were virtually empty Thursday, with spectators congregating under trees or in the upper reaches of stands where temporary covers provided a little relief. New Zealander Helen Naylor escaped the sun after watching fellow Kiwi Marina Erakovic play for a bit on Court 13. "Even the seats are really hot -- God knows how (the players) are running around out there." Relief is as least in sight. Friday will be another scorcher, with an expected high of 44C (111F), but Saturday it will only reach 23C (73F). That may feel downright chilly by comparison. Clayton Kershaw Jersey . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Habs at 7:30pm et/8:30pm at. Justin Turner Jersey .The McLaren MP4-30 was launched on Thursday, with chief executive Ron Dennis saying it marks the start of a lengthy journey back to winning grands prix and eventually world championships.McLaren, which hasnt won a grand prix since 2012, will be using Honda engines for the first time since 1992, and has signed two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to partner Jenson Button for the upcoming season. http://www.ladodgersprostore.us/. They signed their first kicker. Ottawa inked Nick Setta, a 32-year-old native of Lockport, Illinois, to a contract. Maury Wills Jersey . - Free agent defensive end Will Smith has signed with the New England Patriots. Chris Taylor Jersey . Its a blessing and a burden for nine sons of former NHL players who are all expected to be taken in the first four rounds of the draft this weekend.6. Do you dislike baseballs replay system? If so, just remember that every bad umpires call that is overturned would otherwise stand.7. Can we stop wondering when Tiger Woods is returning to the PGA tour? If his answer to that question is "I dont know", why would anyone else hazard a guess? 8. Trevor Linden fired John Tortorella. Ron Francis fired Kirk Muller. New bosses fire inherited coaches. Brendan Shanahan is a new boss. Do you need the question?9. Is anyone else looking forward to the NFL draft so we dont have to look forward to the NFL draft any longer? But I do like to say Jadeveon Clowneys name.10. Who are you most interested to see in an NFL uniform - Clowney or Johnny Manziel? And are you ready for the hype if Clowney is rushing the passer and the passer is Manziel?11. Even if you dont follow horse racing otherwise, how can you know the story of California Chromes owner and trainer and then watch them celebrate their Kentucky Derby win without wanting to buy your own horse for a few thousand dollars?12. If you werent an NBA fan, but you became a Raptors fan during the past two weeks, will you continue to watch the NBA playoffs? This is the true test for those who hope the Raptors have sold basketball to Canada.13. Speaking of what follows in those NBA playoffs, because the Brooklyn Nets swept the Miami Heat during the season and were swept by both Washington and Indiana, does it follow that Brooklyn has a better chance of beating Miami than the team they would play in the NBA East finals? No.14. When Bruce Arthur lambasted the IOC with his TSN/Reporters "thumb" on Sunday and said the lords of the Olympic rings should not "blame it on Rio", did you immediately think of Demi Moore as I did? Hey! Back then .dddddddddddd.. 15. Are you hearing as much about Toronto FC with its 3-4-0 record as you did when the record was 0-0-0?16. Should I mention the Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact as well? Of course, I should. So I looked up their records and theyre 3-2-4 and 1-4-3 respectively. And yes, I had to look up Torontos record. But I know that Jermaine Defoes salary is $8 million. 17. Did you see the baseball stat of the week? Last Saturday, Dee Gordon became the first player in the history of the Dodgers to get five hits and steal three bases in one game? If you know a Dee Gordon fantasy owner who benched him that day, take pity.18. Because the Colorado Rockies lead the majors in runs scored and are close to the lead in runs allowed, do you wonder why a free-agent hitter would want to play anywhere but Coors Field, and why a free-agent pitcher would choose Colorado? (Please dont reference the marijuana laws).19. Do you know anyone who predicted that the Pittsburgh Penguins would be two wins away from the NHL East final with one goal from Sidney Crosby? (Okay, this would have been a better question if Crosby hadnt scored on Monday). 20. And finally ... to mark Carey Prices ordeal away from the rink, might they play "Who Let The Dogs Out?" at the Bell Centre? Or is that a bad idea even when theres a good reason for it? ' ' '