Paralympic organisers under fire after extreme heat delays wheelchair tennis

Suspension the first of its kind under new ITF safeguards
Temperatures at Ariake Tennis Centre hit 31.2C by 10.30am

There was a new record at the Paralympic Games on Friday, but one organisers would rather not have been set, after play was suspended due to extreme heat.

The opening day of competition in wheelchair tennis was set to begin at 11am on a sweltering day in Tokyo but matches on uncovered outside courts at the Ariake Tennis Centre had to be rescheduled after wet globe bulb temperatures (WGBT), which measure humidity as well as heat, exceeded limits set for athletes’ safety.