Casper Ruud struggled in the Paris heat at the French Open, battling severe physical discomfort during his first-round clash with Roman Safiullin.
What happened?
The Norwegian tennis player emerged victorious in a grueling five-set encounter, but said the heat wave left him feeling like a “zombie.”
And temperatures soared to 91.4°F (33°C) during the match.
Casper Ruud experienced a “heat-stroke feeling” similar to one he had in Washington D.C. years ago.
Why it matters for Casper Ruud
The extreme heat in France has continued to take its toll, forcing the cancellation of two ITF events, including the women’s W35 event in Périgueux.
The ITF stated that the indoor courts on site were not air-conditioned and therefore not permitted to be used under the red heat wave alert.
So the decision was made to guarantee the safety of all players.
What comes next?
Casper Ruud, along with other tennis stars like Jannik Sinner, will likely face similarly challenging conditions during their upcoming campaigns at the Wimbledon Championships.
The UK Met Office forecasters have issued an “extreme heat warning” for parts of England, with temperatures forecast to climb as high as 96°F (35.6°C).
But the players will have to adapt to the extreme weather conditions to perform at their best.
Casper Ruud had previously struggled with the heat in Shanghai and Melbourne, and the upcoming Wimbledon Championships will be a test of his endurance.
The French Open’s heat policy has been criticized by Novak Djokovic amid growing concerns over player welfare.
Jannik Sinner also experienced difficulties during his second-round clash against Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, complaining of dizziness and nausea.
The heat wave in France has risen to as high as 107.4°F (41.9°C) in some parts, making it a challenging condition for the players.