The ATP Tour has added a rule to address extreme heat during men’s professional tennis matches, allowing 10-minute breaks in best-of-three singles matches starting next season, similar to the rule on the women’s tour more than 30 years ago.
The ATP Board of Directors announced its approval of the new policy on Monday to enhance “protection for players competing in extreme conditions,” the PGA Tour said.
During the Shanghai Masters in October, some players called on the ATP to introduce guidance to help them cope with extreme heat and humidity. Defending champion Jannik Sinner stopped playing there due to severe leg cramps; 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic expressed regret over his current condition after vomiting during a victory.
“It’s really brutal when the humidity goes over 80 percent day after day,” Djokovic said at the time, “especially for players who play in the heat and sun during the day.”
Average high temperatures during the U.S. Open and three other major tennis tournaments have gradually become higher and more dangerous in recent decades, reflecting record heat waves caused by climate change, a 2023 Associated Press analysis showed.
The WTA first established rules to protect players in the heat in 1992. The new ATP rules are based on Wet Bulb Earth Temperature (WBGT), which takes into account factors such as high temperature and humidity. When the WBGT reaches at least 30.1 degrees Celsius in the first two sets of a best-of-three match, either player may request a 10-minute pause in play.
If the WBGT exceeds 32.2 degrees Celsius, the race will be suspended.
During breaks, players can change clothes, shower, rehydrate or use other methods to cool down, and receive coaching under the supervision of ATP medical staff.
The ATP said the rule was intended to “protect player health while improving conditions for spectators, officials, players and event staff.”
The Grand Slam tournaments have their own heat policy. The US Open, French Open and Wimbledon also have rules based on WBGT readings, as do the Olympic tennis tournaments sponsored by the International Tennis Federation. The Australian Open uses a “Heat Stress Scale”.
