The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) will introduce an extreme heat policy from 2026 following criticism from players who struggled with 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, he is a Danish tennis player Holger Rune called temperatures above 30 degrees and humidity exceeding 80 percent at the Shanghai Masters “brutal”.
Would you like to player dies on the field?Rune was heard asking as he played in the harsh conditions.
The ATP has now responded, saying that “boosts player protection who compete in extreme conditions“.
New rules
New rules are based on the measurement of the so-called Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which takes into account air temperature, humidity, wind speed and other factors to estimate heat stress.
According to measures, the player can request a ten-minute break to cool down in three-set matches if WBGT reaches 30.1 degrees or more during the first two sets. The game will be suspended when WBGT passes 32.2 degrees.
The new heat rule provides a structured, medically supported approach management of extreme heat, with the aim of protecting the health of the playersATP announced.
They added that the rule “improve conditions and for spectators, referees, ball collectors and tournament staff”.
The rules do not apply to four Grand Slam tournamentswhich 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 monitor of global warming, the planet is on track to record 2025 the second warmest year since there are measurements.
(Fena | Photo: Pixabay)
