MELBOURNE, Australia(AP) First the roof was open, then it was closed. Even the players who benefited from the cooler temperatures weren't sure why the decision to close the roof on Rod Laver Arena came so late on a scorching afternoon at Melbourne Park.
Elena Dementieva and Carla Suaraz Navarro sweated through a two-set match in 100-degree plus temperatures at midday.
``It looks like nobody really knows how it works here,'' said Dementieva after winning her match and advancing to the semifinals.
``I think when it's 40 (104 degrees) and over you have to close the roof. I'm really surprised, because when you see the forecast, like it's going to be 41 (106 degrees) today, 43 (109 degrees) tomorrow, the hottest week in a month, why not to close the roof?''
Next on court, Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova played through 107-degree heat in the first set before the tournament's Extreme Heat policy came into effect and the roof was closed. The policy defers to the tournament referee's discretion when the combined temperature and humidity reach a certain level.
Kuznetsova, who won the first set, was angry with the decision.
Why should I not be?'' she asked.Game going my way. I'm fine playing with the roof (open). ... Why did they have to close it? I don't get it.''
She lost to Williams, who called the roof-closing ``helpful'' and acknowledged the heat was affecting her.
It was really an out-of-body experience,'' she said.Like I felt I was watching someone play in a blue dress, and it wasn't me, because it was so hot out there.''
Tournament director Craig Tiley said that the Australian Open was an outdoor tournament but that sometimes the heat became too excessive for the safety of the players.
``We do this to protect the players and to protect their ability to perform optimally,'' he said of the Extreme Heat policy.
Temperatures are expected to stay above 104 degrees through Saturday.
INSECT-I-CIDE: Add an infestation of moths to the challenges of playing at the Australian Open.
The winged insects have annoyed just about every player here at one time or another. Juan Martin del Potro slipped on one during a point against Roger Federer. Carla Suarez Navarro was buzzed by one just before a serve against Elena Dementieva on Wednesday, then went on to double-fault twice in a row.
Ballboys and cleaning staff have repeatedly been called on court to clear away moths, mostly using a broom and dustpan, but also employing a hand-held vacuum cleaner on at least one occasion. Federer and others have used their rackets to flick them off the playing surface.
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WHAT'S IN A NAME?: Rod Laver, who has won tennis' Grand Slam twice, is amazed by the strength and artistry of the players in today's game compared with his 1960s era. But he challenged the best to perform as well with a wooden racket.
Laver - whose name graces the main arena at Melbourne Park - is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his second time winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the same year.
I had a good, long career,'' Laver said.To have my name on top of the stadium here is sort of the final part of my whole career. This is the ultimate.''
The Grand Slam was first won by American Don Budge in 1938, then by Laver in 1962 and 1969. No one has matched their feat, leaving Laver as the only one to have achieved it in the Open Era.
How would Laver play against a modern star like Roger Federer?
Put a wooden racket back in his hand would be the first thing I would have to do,'' he said.You learn the game, and wood is so totally different. They've perfected the way of using this racket now. You play with what you're given. To try and put myself in today's world as a tennis player, it's almost impossible to know.''
Laver praised Federer's ``consistency of brilliance'' but said the Swiss star would have to watch out for strong competition from Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Novak Djokovic.
The competition is just unbelievable now. To see what they do is just incredible,'' Laver said.Roger's not going to have it his own way now. He's got a lot of players to beat.''
LONG-DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP: Elena Dementieva's mother - and coach - critiqued the 27-year-old Russian's serve from Moscow, watching the quarterfinal win over Carla Suarez Navarro on television.
She liked the way I played,'' Dementieva said of her mother, Vera, who usually travels with her but is at home with an illness.She didn't like my serve today but she was happy for me.''
Dementieva, who had 10 double-faults in the 6-2, 6-2 win, said the distance may have made it easier for her mother to see her errors.
When she's watching live, it's just more emotional,'' she said.She's just trying to support. She's just like a fan in the crowd. But when you're home, you're watching on TV, you can see all these mistakes coming from me.''
Dementieva has not given details on her mother's illness. On Wednesday she said her mom was doing ``OK'' and she hoped to have her back on tour soon.
Dementieva will play Serena Williams in the semifinals.
RATINGS WINNER: Local favorite Jelena Dokic helped television ratings soar Tuesday night, with nearly half of all Australian televisions tuned in to the Australian Open.
About 2.3 million viewers, including a peak of 3.243 million people, watched Dokic's three-set loss to Dinara Safina, tournament organizers said.
Dokic's return to tennis after a three-year personal struggle gained her national attention and her quarterfinals loss to Safina was the most-watched women's match at the Australian Open since the tracking system began in 2001.