US Open 2023: Players continue to struggle with scorching temperatures on Thursday

Hot Temperatures Affect Players at US Open

Tennis players struggle with extreme conditions

In what seems to be a recurring theme at this year’s US Open, scorching temperatures have once again taken a toll on the athletes. French doubles player Nicolas Mahut felt dizzy and American Rajeev Ram resorted to eating sushi mid-match due to the intense heat.

Ram, during his men’s doubles semi-final win, found it challenging to consume enough food before the match because of how hot it was. “I was sweating buckets in warm-up and felt somewhat depleted,” he explained.

The heatwave has been relentless, with Russian Daniil Medvedev even claiming that players could potentially “die” in these conditions after his grueling quarter-final victory over Andrey Rublev.

The intensity of the weather did not ease up on Thursday at Flushing Meadows where the women’s semi-finals were scheduled later in the evening (from 00:00 BST).

Dizzy spells disrupt play for Mahut

Nicolas Mahut experienced dizziness midway through his men’s doubles semi-final on Louis Armstrong Stadium. He informed the doctor about his condition but managed to continue playing. Unfortunately, he and his doubles partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert lost in straight sets to Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden.

Sushi saves the day for Ram

In a peculiar turn of events, Rajeev Ram resorted to eating sushi during his match after losing the second set of his men’s doubles semi-final. The American player explained that the extreme heat had affected his appetite earlier, so he asked someone to bring him some sushi. Surprisingly, this unconventional snack seemed to rejuvenate him as he went on to win alongside British teammate Joe Salisbury.

Heat policy implemented at US Open

The temperatures in New York have been soaring up to 35C with a real-feel temperature exceeding 37C due to factors such as humidity, wind, and cloud cover. In response, organizers have partially closed the roof on the main courts for shade relief.

To protect players from these challenging conditions, US Open has implemented a heat policy which includes a mandatory 10-minute break after the second set of women’s matches or third set of men’s matches when temperatures hit 30.1C with consideration given to humidity readings as well.