Humid Heat Wave Abruptly Changes Policy At U.S. Open

Novak Djokovic holds ice bags against his head
Tuesday at the U.S.Open to combat the high
heat and humidity during this year's tournament.

The U.S. Open Tennis Championships are in full swing in New York, and like here in Vermont, the weather is atrocious. 

It's hot. It's really humid. Players are suffering from the heat, as anyone who has watched even a snippet of the tournament today and yesterday have noticed. Temperatures in New York this afternoon were in the low 90s, with a heat index in the 95 or 96 degree range.

That's very dangerous for people engaged in heavy physical exertion, like a professional tennis match. 

Until now, the retractable roof at the Arthur Ashe Stadium was always open during matches unless it was raining. But it's so hot this year, they abruptly changed that policy. They are not partly closing the stadium roof to provide extra shade.  

According to NBC New York:

"The (Tuesday) change to the roof policy was made during Coco Gaff's 6-0, 6-2 victory over Jelena Ostapenko, when the conditions crossed a threshold for protecting players in the heat, but that match was over too quickly to adjust the retractable cover, tournament referee Jake Garner told The Associated Press."

An AP analysis indicates high temperatures during the U.S Open and three other major tennis tournaments have gotten higher and more dangerous in recent decades, reflecting climate change trends.  At best, the heat prevents athletes from performing at their top levels, and at worse, can give them risky heat illnesses.