Wozniacki advances to 3rd round with straight-sets win under Rod Laver Arena roof

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark hits a forehand return to Christina McHale of the U.S. during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (The Associated Press)

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark hits a backhand return to Christina McHale of the U.S. during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (The Associated Press)

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.