Tennis LIVE: Players Call โฃfor โขheat rule Changeโ atโ Shanghai Masters Following Djokovic & Rune Struggles
Shanghai, China โ- Tenth-seeded Holger โคRuneโ is advocating for the implementation of a standardized heatโฃ rule at the Shanghai masters, allowing players respite โฃduring periods ofโค extreme temperatures. The call comes afterโค Rune himself battled through a grueling match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, ultimately winning 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 6-3.
Rune, 22, required a medical timeout during the contest, citing the oppressive heat and humidityโค as contributing factors.โค he wasn’t alone in his discomfort. Novak Djokovic also publicly described โthe conditionsโ as “brutal,” and โwas visibly unwell, reportedly vomiting duringโข his second-round match.
Following his victory over perricard, Rune urged the Associationโค of Tennis Professionals โค(ATP) to adopt regulations mirroring those used by Grand โขslam organizers.Currently,grand Slam tournaments empower on-site supervisorsโค to determine whether matches should โฃbe suspended or paused for extendedโ breaks when temperaturesโฃ surpass 30.1 degrees โคCelsius.
I think there โคshould be a heat rule like there are in the Grand Slam. I thinkโ every player would agree on โthat.
Holger Rune
Rune acknowledged that conditions improved slightly during his match, but emphasized the ongoing concern. “Today was betterโฆtoday was less hot, but again ifโ it โขwas more normal temperature today would โขbe very hot. I think it wasโ like 31 degrees and โขvery humid. But compared to theโ other days it was pretty brutal,” he stated.
Concerns Over Player Safety
The calls for a standardized heat rule highlight growing concerns about player safety in increasingly challenging climatic conditions on the professional tennis tour. The debate is likely to continue as the Shanghaiโค Masters progresses and players navigate the demanding environment.
Enjoyed this article? I’d love to hear yoru thoughts in the comments โฃbelow! Don’t forget to โshare it with โfellow tennis fans, and if you want to stay up-to-date on all the latest sports news, consider subscribing to World Today news – it really helps support ourโข work!