The fans of the the ATP Tour love the fact that their favorite players play at different venues every week, entertaining them to the core. However, the tennis tournament scheduling isn’t all that easy on the players playing as the exertion of the travel that comes with it is almost unbearable at times. Holger Rune was one of the players left suffering by oppressive heat at ATP Shanghai.
Holger Rune struggles in Shanghai
The climate conditions are also different every week and not all players are able to adjust to the change in weather so easily. Danish superstar Holger Rune is one such prime example who has been facing a lot of medical issues recently due to the relentless nature of the sport. His most recent struggle was at the ongoing Shanghai Masters.
The Danish was struggling to combat the Asian heat in his second round match against Ugo Humbert. Down a break in the first set, Rune was unable to stand the heat and had to call for a medical timeout. Sitting miserably with his shirt taken off Rune had a few words to say to the chair umpire.
Rune asks why the ATP doesn't have a heat rule: "You want a player to die on the court?"
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“Hey, why doesn’t ATP have a good heat rule?” The chair umpire replied, “I don’t know, but that is a very good question.” Rune continued to mumble and meanwhile the physio was out there checking his blood sugar level and vitality. He also ordered for ice towels so that Rune’s body temperature could be brought to normal. Rune was again heard when he boldly said, “You want players to die on the court?”
Rune has found it difficult previously
Rune’s statement has stirred a rather interesting conversation on the ATP tour. It is not the first time that the Danish player is struggling to cope up with the heat in the sport. Previously he was seen struggling at the 2024 Cincinnati Masters in his match against Nuno Borges. The unfortunate trend continued as he was gasping for breath at the 2025 Australian Open as well against Jannik Sinner.
With multiple occasions of battling the heat and almost falling victim to it, Rune’s words most certainly would have rang a bell at the ATP. There would certainly be a look into the matter post the tournament. To Rune’s credit, he recovered and fought out the match against his opponent as he beat the Frenchman 6-4 6-4 in a little more than 90 minutes. Rune awaits his next Round of 16 opponent as he progresses further in the tournament.
What ATP could learn from other sports?
The ATP could learn from various other sports and in fact from the Grand Slam events in tennis itself. FIFA, the organizer of the World Cup, allows a 3 minute cooling break to all the players in each half of the match if the temperatures exceed 32 degrees. At times the matches are also rescheduled so that the players can play at a cooler time in the day.
Formula 1 too has announced its own “heat-hazard rule” that monitors the conditions and only goes ahead with the event if the temperatures are suitable for a drive.
In tennis itself, the Australian Open has its own “heat scale” that measures from 1 to 5. If the scale reaches 4, the breaks between games and sets are extended, and if it reaches 5, the play is suspended.
Wimbledon offers a heat rule which says that if the temperature exceeds past 31 degrees, the players can take a 10 minute break post the second set in a three setter and post the third set in a five setter.
The US Open too provides a 10-minute break between the second and third sets for women and juniors, and between the third and fourth sets for men once the heat rises up.
Perhaps most comparably, the WTA Tour has had a heat rule since 1992. Brad Gilbert and other tennis commentators have already called for the ATP to match their WTA counterparts and adopt the rule.
Main Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
