Dear MEL Topic Readers,
'Do you want a player to die on court?' - tennis in the heat
In major tennis open events, like Wimbledon, the US Open, the French
Open, and the Australian Open, men's singles matches are played as best-of-five
sets, which could take two, three, or even longer in a close match, while women’s
singles matches are played as best-of-three sets. In summer, tennis players
have to endure hours running on the court under grueling heat and humidity. There
are heat rules in major events that suspend the matches for a break, but tennis
players are also humans. When their bodies get too hot, heat exhaustion or
stroke could occur. Nowadays, as September is no cooler or less humid than in mid-summer,
tennis players are struggling to play in the high heat and humidity. Imagine playing
a competitive singles match, chasing and hitting a ball wth full strength, at a
temperature as high as 34 degrees with a humidity of over 80% for hours. Just a
short break won’t be enough for the players to cool their bodies and regain
strength. It seems necessary to arrange the event venue and time for athletes
to play without risking their health or life.
Read the article and learn about the heat stress that tennis players
have to endure to play a match.
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