ATP to apply extreme heat rule

The ATP men’s tennis tour will introduce an extreme heat policy from 2026 after criticism from players who sweltered through some tournaments this year.

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The move brings the ATP into line with the women’s WTA tour, which has a longstanding policy, and sports such as Formula One which has its own measures to protect drivers.

In October, Danish tennis star Holger Rune called temperatures of more than 30C and humidity soaring past 80 percent at the Shanghai Masters “brutal”

"Do you want a player to die on court?” Rune was heard to ask as he wilted in the fierce conditions.

The ATP has now acted, saying on Monday it was “strengthening protections for players competing in extreme conditions”.

The new rules are based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which measures air temperature, humidity, wind speed and other factors to estimate heat stress.