Hometown hero Alex de Minaur continued his love affair with the Australian Open on Friday night, powering into the fourth round for the fifth straight year. The world No. 6 dropped serve just once in a 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 win over Frances Tiafoe under the bright lights at Rod Laver Arena. But the victory didn’t come without an unexpected interruption.

For those who missed it, the match between de Minaur and Tiafoe was paused for about seven minutes due to a medical emergency. De Minaur was leading 6-3, 6-4, 2-0 when play was stopped.

A TNT Sports commentator explained the delay: “Not sure what’s going on here. Got a stricken fan, I think. Yeah, somebody’s not very well up in the stands. Hopefully, they can get the medical team up there quickly. It’s fairly high up in the Rod Laver [Arena].”

Meanwhile, the umpire was heard telling Tiafoe, “Just to make sure that the person is ok, then we will continue.” The commentary team added, “Medics are up there now, attending to the individual, which is good news.”

Play resumed after the stricken fan was gien medical attention, and Tiafoe immediately pulled the set back to 2-1.

However, it’s worth noting that the sweltering heat in Melbourne has already forced Australian Open officials to make last-minute changes to Saturday’s schedule. This afternoon, temperatures hit 35°C but felt like 41°C, with a UV index of 12 – extreme conditions for players and fans alike.

So matches in Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena have been pushed to 10:30 a.m., while play on the other courts will start at 10 a.m. This is to make sure the tournament’s biggest stars aren’t struggling in the extreme heat. Preventative measures were also taken after forecasts predicted temperatures could hit 38°C in the middle of the day.

What’s more, tournament director Craig Tiley said, “We expect pleasant conditions tomorrow morning, in the mid-20s, and will start play earlier and take advantage of the more temperate conditions.”

With his latest win, Alex de Minaur now gets a day off while the rest of the field gets ready to battle the extreme heat expected to hit Melbourne on Saturday, January 24.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, de Minaur sent a warning to his rivals, explaining what it’s really like to play in those conditions and what they should expect.

Alex de Minaur explains the key to winning in extreme heat

“Yeah, it is going to be a lot,” de Minaur said about the heat, and he’s not wrong. Reports say temperatures in Melbourne could hit 40°C (104°F) on Saturday.

If that happens, it would be the hottest day of the tournament so far. More extreme heat is also expected on Tuesday, January 27, when the singles quarterfinals begin.

“Obviously, growing up here, I wouldn’t have… well, let me rephrase that,” he said. “I think I would handle it better than a lot of other opponents. I wouldn’t say I would enjoy it out there, because I’m sure no one enjoys it when it’s that hot.”

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Thankfully, the Australian Open’s extreme heat policy are in place to help protect players. De Minaur also had advice for those scheduled to play on Saturday.

“Yeah, it all comes down to the prep, right?” he said.

“You’ve got to hydrate, eat well, recover well, and make sure everything is right before the match. Once you’re out there, use ice towels from the very first game. Stay in the shade as much as you can.”

“Get ready to feel uncomfortable,” he added. “That’s sometimes part of tennis and part of this beautiful game. We’ll see tomorrow who handles it better.”

For players like Jannik Sinner and Amanda Anisimova in the day session, they’ll be hoping it doesn’t get as hot as expected. Remember, if the heat scale hits four, players can take a 10-minute break after the third set in a five-set match. If it reaches five, play is suspended.