Imagine enduring a marathon of exhaustion where every second on the court feels like a battle against not just your opponent, but the very environment itself. This is the grim reality tennis players face when competing in extreme heat, and the recent Shanghai Masters threw this issue into harsh relief. Jannik Sinner tried everything possible, yet after enduring two and a half relentless hours in what felt like a sauna inside Shanghai's stadium, he simply could not continue. Even as midnight approached, the humidity clung heavily to the air, and in the final 20 minutes of his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor, Sinner was overcome by cramping, severe shortness of breath, and intense pain. Ultimately, he struggled to move, hobbling to his chair with the help of his racket before sadly conceding the match midway through the last set.
These harrowing scenes were not isolated; they symbolized the punishments players suffered throughout the week-long Shanghai Masters under brutal weather conditions. Terence Atmane and Hamad Medjedovic both withdrew early, battling unbearable heat, while Francisco Comesaña nearly collapsed mid-match, needing aid from his opponent Lorenzo Musetti. Even with night matches offering some respite, Novak Djokovic visibly struggled, vomiting during consecutive matches and showing clear signs of physical distress in his hard-fought win over Jaume Munar.
The struggle isn't limited to Shanghai. Just 500 miles away in Wuhan, female players faced equally punishing conditions. Emma Raducanu and Jelena Ostapenko both retired due to heat exhaustion, with Bianca Andreescu even posting a shocking video on social media squeezing sweat from her socks, lamenting, “Wuhan weather really said: ‘Go play tennis in a sauna.’”
But here's where it gets controversial: extreme weather on court is not a new problem. Year after year, players push themselves to the brink in a sport obsessed with chasing sunlight. Yet tennis as an organization has failed to adequately protect them from such harsh elements. The glaring gap is the absence of a formal heat policy by the ATP, unlike the WTA and Grand Slams, which have explicit rules to halt play when temperatures soar.
The blunt reality came to the fore during the weekend when Holger Rune, suffering on court, bluntly questioned ATP supervisor Gerry Armstrong, “Why doesn’t the ATP have a heat rule? You want a player to die on the court?” Armstrong’s reluctant admission—“I don’t know, it’s a good question”—speaks volumes about the ATP’s hesitation to address what many see as a clear safety issue.
While the ATP claims that decisions to suspend play in extreme weather are made locally by supervisors in consultation with medical staff and authorities, and that player safety is a priority under review, the absence of a standardized, enforceable policy is troubling. This fragmented approach reflects the broader governance challenges tennis faces, divided among different bodies — Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF — each guarding their own turf, sometimes at the expense of player welfare.
Consider August's Cincinnati Open, where similar intense heat caused physical tolls culminating in Sinner retiring in the final due to illness. With climate change worsening, the urgency to rethink tournament scheduling to avoid dangerous heat conditions grows.
Now, this is not just about physical toughness. Yes, elite players build stamina and pride themselves on enduring tough environments, but there is a limit. Holger Rune put it plainly: “We can handle a certain amount of heat because we are fit, strong, and mentally tough, but there’s always a limit. It’s vital to prioritize health. We need to survive.”
Even small changes could make a difference. For instance, at Cincinnati, Iga Swiatek suggested extending the time between points on sweltering days to allow players five more seconds for recovery, hydration, or towel use, underscoring how even minor adjustments could relieve some strain.
These heat struggles come amid an already grueling tennis season, intensifying concerns about player well-being. This year alone has seen an unprecedented number of retirements, withdrawals, and injury-related exits. At the Shanghai Masters, seven matches ended prematurely last week. Meanwhile, 41 retirements or walkovers have occurred at ATP Masters 1000 events this year — nine at Madrid and eight at Cincinnati alone.
The China Open in Beijing experienced a striking example: five out of twelve matches ended with players unable to finish. These numbers don’t even begin to capture the widespread physical pain and mental anguish many competitors endure silently.
Addressing this demands more than just heat policies; it requires honest reflection on the tennis calendar’s length and intensity. For decades, the season has been criticized for its relentless demands with little meaningful reform. Ironically, recent moves by the ATP and WTA to impose stricter scheduling on top players and extend some tournaments into protracted two-week events have arguably made things worse, increasing players’ physical and emotional burdens with more match days and extended travel.
As this exhausting season nears its conclusion, the mounting injuries and general dissatisfaction reveal a sport straining under pressure. But the big question remains: are tennis’s governing bodies ready to confront these challenges head-on and take real, substantial steps to protect their athletes? Or will they continue to gamble with player health in pursuit of spectacle and tradition?
What do you think—is the culture of toughness in tennis overshadowing player safety? Should governing bodies prioritize strict heat policies even if it means disrupting schedules and traditions? Share your thoughts below, because this debate is just heating up.
