"The stark reality is that many people from low-income backgrounds are now faced with the unenviable choice of deciding whether to heat their homes or provide for their family, " he added.

BBC: NEWS | Business | Fuel poverty 'claims 1.7m extra'

Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova battled through to a 7-6 1-6 6-2 victory over former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, though both players benefited from a heat break before contesting the deciding set.

CNN: Tennis stars feel the heat in Sydney