The heat is on as ATP bows to weather reality

The ATP has bowed to the inevitability of weather, with a new heat rule for men’s matches due to be put into place for the start of the 2026 season.

While the WTA has long provided a pause after the second set of matches played in extreme hot weather, that’ not been the general case for the men.

Now, players will get a break when temps and humidity factors reach 30.1 C (86.18 F) or higher in the first two sets of a best-of-three-setter.

That triggers a 10-minute cooling break which can be called by either payer and which will apply to both. Competitors can use the brief pause to hydrate, change clothes, shower and receive coaching.

Should the heat exceed 32.2 C the match is called off.

.The new policy will replace the previous system where ATP tournament supervisors made the call with input from on-site medical staff.

The ATP will now fall into line with the WTA system as well as that of the four Grand Slams.

The tipping point came last season, when Jannik Sinner had to quit his third-round October match in Shanghai due to heat exhaustion in admittedly freak conditions for China in the autumn.

Novak Djokovic vomited during a match while France’s Ugo Humbert said players could “die on court” due to the torrid conditions. At the August Masters in steamy Cincinnati, Arthur Rinderknech collapsed on court, another data point which apparently led to the policy change

Main photo US Open New York 06/09/2023 Daniil Medvedev cools down
Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd

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