The WTA's return to Memphis after more than a decade faced immediate disruption from extreme heat and humidity during qualifying rounds.
Qualifying action at the Memphis Classic was suspended on Sunday after temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. The final round matches between Storm Hunter and Sofia Johnson, tied at a set apiece, and between Aoi Ito and Ye-Xi Ma were halted under the WTA extreme heat policy when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature surpassed 32.6 degrees.
The matches resumed later, with Hunter and Ma advancing. Organizers at the Leftwich Tennis Center can shift play to indoor hard courts if conditions worsen during the main draw.
Day one matches begin Monday at 10 AM local time with temperatures forecast above 90 degrees Fahrenheit and peaking near 98 to 99 degrees. Humidity around 70 percent is expected, though rain later in the week may bring relief.
The 32-player field features top seeds Ekaterina Alexandrova, McCartney Kessler and Viktorija Golubic along with former Grand Slam champion Sloane Stephens.
