Carlos Alcaraz took umbrage at a decision by Australian Open bosses to partially close the roof at Rod Laver Arena midway through his men's singles final clash against Novak Djokovic. Noting the conditions, Tennis Australia bosses subsequently opted to close the roof only partially to protect the court from high winds and potential rainfall. Djokovic had left the court for a toilet break during the interlude between sets, when Alcaraz began to complain about why the roof was closing to the chair umpire. The roof and the conditions inside Rod Laver Arena had been a big talking point before the match. Tim Henman noted on TNT Sports' coverage that closing the roof even partially would change the conditions inside Rod Laver Arena, removing the wind's impact on play.

Source: Daily Mail February 01, 2026 14:41 UTC