The ATP men’s tennis team will introduce an extreme heat policy from 2026 following criticism from players who battled high temperatures at some tournaments this year.
The move aligns the ATP with the women’s WTA tour, which has long had such a policy, and with sports such as Formula 1, which has its own driver protection measures.
In October, Danish tennis player Holger Rune called temperatures above 30 degrees and humidity exceeding 80 percent at the Shanghai Masters “brutal.”
– Do you want the player to die on the field? – Rune was heard to ask as he played in difficult conditions.
The ATP has now responded, saying it is “strengthening protections for players who compete in extreme conditions”.
The new rules are based on measuring the so-called Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which takes into account air temperature, humidity, wind speed and other factors to estimate heat stress.
Under the measure, a player can request a ten-minute cooling-off break in three-set matches if the WBGT reaches 30.1 degrees or higher during the first two sets.
Play will be suspended when WBGT exceeds 32.2 degrees.
– The new heat rule provides a structured, medically supported approach to the management of extreme heat, with the aim of protecting the health of players – said the ATP.
They added that the rule “will also improve conditions for spectators, referees, ball collectors and tournament staff”.
The rules do not apply to the four Grand Slam tournaments, which have their own policies. Previously, decisions on weather conditions, including heat, were the responsibility of ATP supervisors at venues, in coordination with medical teams and local organizers.
According to a report by the European Global Warming Monitor, the planet is on track for 2025 to record the second warmest year on record.
(Vijesti.ba / FENA)
