French Open Matches Suspended Due to Heat
The French Open faced a halt on Monday as the intense Paris heat took a toll on the ballgirls.
This concerning situation occurred during a match featuring 11th seed Andrei Rublev and Peru’s Ignacio Buse.
With temperatures soaring to 91 degrees Fahrenheit, one of the ballgirls began to wobble and stagger backward. Thankfully, the referee quickly identified the issue.
He left his chair and rushed to assist her, with support coming from linewomen as well.
After sitting down for a moment, the ballgirl spoke briefly with the referee, shaking her head in response.
She was escorted off the court by two women as the crowd applauded warmly, recognizing the challenging moment.
Fortunately, reports later confirmed that she was safe, while Rublev won his match with scores of 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5.
Many players tackled the sweltering conditions as the French Open kicked off this year.
Australian Daria Kasatkina remarked, “I can’t remember it ever being this hot at Roland Garros. Maybe it has been, but it sure feels like we’ll be dealing with the heat all week.”
She added that players must stay focused, especially when coming off the bench suddenly, as concentration can really drop. It’s a different kind of mental battle to adapt to the circumstances.
Four-time champion Iga Swiatek pointed out the differences in conditions, saying that while it might have been similarly hot during the Olympics, the balls used then were different, making it hard to compare it to this tournament.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Gabriel Diallo withdrew from his match against Australia’s James Duckworth, citing the heat as a factor.
Contrastingly, Australian Alex de Minaur expressed that he was actually enjoying the warm weather after his win over Briton Toby Samuel.
“I always favor warmer conditions over the coldness of clay courts,” he shared. “I feel I can showcase my all-court game better in such heat.”
He mentioned that being aggressive is easier in these conditions as the ball bounces well, allowing players to rely on the natural flow of the game without putting in excessive spin or weight. For him, the heat is just part of the challenge he embraces.
