Players and officials raise concerns over extreme conditions and the need for heat policies in tennis

Tennis players are facing unprecedented challenges due to extreme heat and humidity at major tournaments, with several high-profile incidents raising concerns about player safety. At the Shanghai Masters, Holger Rune questioned whether a player could “die on court” after struggling with the heat, prompting discussions about the absence of a formal heat rule in men’s tennis. Similar issues have been reported at the Wuhan Open, where Emma Raducanu retired from her match due to dizziness, and Jelena Ostapenko claimed she suffered a heat stroke. Terence Atmane, who retired from his first-round match, described the physical and mental toll of the heat, noting that his hands were shaking after the first point and that he felt “suffocating after every point.”

The intense conditions have led to calls for the implementation of a universal heat policy, as players like Iga Swiatek and Rune have emphasized the need for measures to protect athletes’ health. Tournament officials have acknowledged the issue, noting that the ATP is actively reviewing the situation and exploring additional safeguards in consultation with players, medical teams, and local authorities. While the WTA has more structured heat policies, the ATP’s approach remains more flexible, leaving decisions to on-site supervisors.

As the tennis tour continues to follow the sun, with events in China and other Asian countries during the hottest months, the debate over player safety and the sport’s future in extreme conditions is growing louder. The Australian Open, for instance, has a well-defined heat policy that suspends play when the Heat Stress Scale reaches level five, its highest level. This is based on a combination of temperature, humidity, and wind speed. In contrast, the ATP has no such standardized rule, leading to calls for consistency across the sport.

Moreover, the physiological impact of extreme heat on players is significant. A person’s average body temperature is 37°C, but when athletes push themselves to the limit in high temperatures, heat exhaustion can occur. Symptoms include increased breathlessness, cramps, light-headedness, and nausea. If not treated properly by cooling the body down, heatstroke can set in and lead to a possible medical emergency. As the body gets hotter, blood vessels open up, leading to lower blood pressure and making the heart work harder to push blood around the body. At the same time, sweating leads to the loss of fluids and salt, and the balance between them in the body changes, increasing the risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

The decision to hold tournaments in China and other parts of Asia during the summer months is largely driven by the need to avoid wet weather in Europe and North America, where outdoor play would be impractical in October. However, this scheduling has led to increasingly dangerous conditions for players. Some experts argue that the sport’s traditional “survival of the fittest” ethos is being challenged by the growing awareness of the risks posed by extreme heat and humidity.

As the tennis calendar continues to evolve, the pressure on governing bodies to implement standardized heat policies is mounting. With more players speaking out and medical professionals emphasizing the risks, the push for change is gaining momentum. The ATP has stated that player safety remains a top priority and that additional measures, including the implementation of an official heat policy, are currently being evaluated. However, until such policies are in place, players continue to face the risk of serious health issues under extreme conditions.