MELBOURNE, Jan 12, (V7N) – The Australian Open faced an early setback as storms hit Melbourne on Sunday, halting matches on outside courts just an hour into play on the tournament's opening day.

Thunder, lightning, and heavy rain forced players and fans to seek shelter as the downpour lashed Melbourne Park.

Matches continued only on the three main stadiums equipped with roofs — Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena. Among the players continuing their first-round matches was Chinese fifth seed Zheng Qinwen.

The disruption highlights the challenges of outdoor tournaments reliant on favorable weather conditions, with delays expected to impact the scheduling of matches on outsidecourts.

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