The governing body of men’s tennis may consider a formal heat rule after a series of retirements at the Shanghai Masters this week disrupted the draw. Top players struggled under soaring temperatures and punishing humidity.
World number two Jannik Sinner’s title defense ended painfully on Sunday. The Italian battled cramps in his right thigh, leading to his retirement in the deciding set of his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor.
Novak Djokovic vomited during his match with Yannick Hanfmann, while Holger Rune asked an official during a medical timeout in his match with Ugo Humbert if players had to “die on court” due to the extreme heat and humidity.
“It’s the same for every player out on the court, but it’s brutal,” Djokovic said after his hard-fought victory.
“It’s brutal when you have over 80% humidity day after day, particularly for the guys when they’re playing during the daytime with the heat and sun, it’s even more brutal.”
Others like Casper Ruud, Tomas Machac, David Goffin, Terrence Atmane, Hamad Medjedovic, and Wu Yibing also retired mid-match due to illness or injury in the early rounds.
The temperature hovered around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) during the opening rounds, with humidity levels soaring over 80% at times.
The need for a formal ATP heat rule arose in August in Cincinnati when Arthur Rinderknech collapsed on court due to sweltering conditions before conceding to Felix Auger-Aliassime.
According to ATP regulations, decisions on suspending play due to adverse weather conditions — including extreme heat — rest with an onsite ATP supervisor who coordinates with medical teams and local authorities.
“In parallel, the ATP Medical Services team implements several measures in cases of extreme heat to help protect player health during competition,” the governing body told Reuters via email.
However, the ATP expressed openness to change.
“This remains under active review, and additional measures, including the implementation of an official heat policy, are currently being evaluated in consultation with players, tournaments, and medical experts,” it added.
“Player safety remains a top priority for the ATP.”
Several professional sports, including soccer, Formula One, and cycling, have formal policies to deal with extreme weather.
The ATP doesn’t need to look beyond tennis for a framework, as the Grand Slams and the women’s WTA have officially implemented rules allowing for extended breaks and match suspensions.
