To fight excessive warmth throughout males’s skilled tennis matches, the ATP Tour will add a 10-minute break subsequent season throughout three-set singles matches, just like what was launched on the ladies’s circuit greater than 30 years in the past.
The ATP Board’s approval of the brand new coverage, introduced on Monday, will enhance “safety for athletes competing in excessive situations”, the tour mentioned.
At October’s Shanghai Masters, some gamers known as on the ATP to introduce steerage to assist in circumstances of utmost warmth and humidity. Defending champion Jannik Sinner canceled his struggle there as a consequence of extreme leg cramps. Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, lamented the scenario after vomiting throughout his victory.
Djokovic mentioned on the time: “It is harsh when the humidity is over 80% day by day.” “Particularly for the gamers, if you’re enjoying throughout the day when it is sizzling and the solar is shining.”
The WTA first established guidelines to guard gamers within the warmth in 1992. The brand new ATP guidelines are based mostly on moist bulb temperature (WBGT), which takes into consideration warmth, humidity, and different elements. If the WBGT temperature reaches no less than 30.1 levels Celsius (roughly 86.2 levels Fahrenheit) throughout one of many first two units of a best-of-three match, both participant could request a 10-minute suspension of play.
If the WBGT exceeds 32.2 levels Celsius (roughly 90 levels Fahrenheit), the match will likely be deserted.
Through the break, gamers will be capable to change garments, bathe, keep hydrated and keep cool beneath the supervision of ATP medical employees, in addition to obtain teaching.
The ATP mentioned the foundations had been geared toward “defending the well being of gamers whereas bettering situations for spectators, officers, ballpersons and event employees.”
Grand Slam tournaments have their very own warmth insurance policies. The US Open, French Open and Wimbledon, in addition to the Olympic tennis competitions run by the Worldwide Tennis Federation, have guidelines based mostly on WBGT measurements. The Australian Open follows one thing known as the warmth stress scale.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
