Melbourne, Australia: Former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki has advanced to the third round of the Australian Open in the relatively comfortable confines of a roof-covered Rod Laver Arena, beating American Christina McHale 6-0, 1-6, 6-2 Thursday.
Tenth-seeded Wozniacki was most definitely the beneficiary of the schedule. The first match at Rod Laver Arena -- Maria Sharapova's 3 hour, 28-minute, three-set win over Karin Knapp -- was played with the roof open and in temperatures that reached 42 Celsius (108 Fahrenheit).
But the tournament's Extreme Heat Policy was in effect by the time the Wozniacki match -- second on the day on Rod Laver -- started. That allowed the Danish player to complete her match in conditions not much warmer than room temperature.