In the sweltering heat of China this week, top tennis players have faced extreme conditions, with Novak Djokovic vomiting, Alexander Zverev dealing with sweat-soaked shoes, and Emma Raducanu withdrawing from her match due to dizziness.
Denmark’s Holger Rune described the temperatures of over 30°C (86°F) and humidity exceeding 80 percent at the Shanghai Masters as “brutal.” He raised concerns about player safety, questioning rhetorically, “Do you want a player to die on court?”
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, acknowledged the physical difficulties presented by the heat, especially as he battled an ankle injury to advance to the quarterfinals. The 38-year-old periodically crouched during his match against Jaume Munar and experienced vomiting, but managed to recover and win in three sets.
The tournament draw has favored Djokovic since world number one Carlos Alcaraz withdrew for rest, and defending champion Jannik Sinner pulled out with cramping during his match on Sunday. Meanwhile, Zverev faced defeat after having to pause his match to change shoes, as sweat accumulated uncontrollably.
Fans at the central court utilized fans and cooling packs to ease the oppressive humidity. Although the roof of the main court in Shanghai remains open unless it rains, the current forecast shows no rain in sight for the duration of the tournament.
Rune has urged the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) to establish a heat policy for events like the Shanghai Masters. The ATP indicated that player safety is a priority and is considering the implementation of such a policy, while current decisions regarding play conditions are left to on-site supervisors and medical teams.
Although Wednesday’s conditions were slightly better, with the temperature forecasted to reach 29°C (84°F), it is expected to become even hotter as the week progresses. In Wuhan, where women’s players are also competing, unusually high temperatures have resulted in retirements, with Raducanu and Jelena Ostapenko exiting due to the extreme heat. Iga Swiatek has called for careful scheduling to protect player safety, especially given the absence of a roof on many outdoor courts.
