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Alex De Minaur of Australia attends a break during the first round men’s singles tennis match against Toby Samuel of Britain at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026.<\/p>\n
Christophe Ena\/AP Photo\/Christophe Ena<\/p>\n
Poland’s Iga Swiatek gestures for a ballboy as he shields her from the sun during a break at the first round women’s singles tennis match against Emerson Jones of Australia at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026.<\/p>\n
Thibault Camus\/AP Photo\/Thibault Camus<\/p>\n
A woman cools herself with a portable fan during the first round men’s singles tennis match between Alex De Minaur of Australia and Toby Samuel of Britain at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026.<\/p>\n
Christophe Ena\/AP Photo\/Christophe Ena<\/p>\n
A stadium worker sprays the court with water before the first round men’s singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026.<\/p>\n
Aurelien Morissard\/AP Photo\/Aurelien Morissard<\/p>\n
Visitors cool themselves with water from sprinklers during a hot day at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Monday, May 25, 2026.<\/p>\n
Aurelien Morissard\/AP Photo\/Aurelien Morissard<\/p>\n
PARIS (AP) \u2014 Tennis players at the French Open say they haven\u2019t experienced conditions this hot at Roland Garros since the Paris Olympics.<\/p>\n
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And the 2024 Olympics were held in July and August.<\/p>\n
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Temperatures for the opening two days of the clay-court Grand Slam have soared to 33 degrees C (91 F) \u2014 far beyond normal for late May in the French capital. And it\u2019s forecast to stay that way for the entire first week.<\/p>\n
Besides making it uncomfortable for fans and players alike, the sultry conditions have also created faster conditions on court \u2014 changing the pace of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is much different. Maybe it was that hot in the Olympics but the balls were different, so I wouldn\u2019t treat it as the same tournament,\u201d four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek said after routing Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2 in the first round on Monday.<\/p>\n
Players have been putting bags of ice around their necks on changeovers to stay cool, while fans are refreshing themselves under sprinklers.<\/p>\n
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When workers water the clay courts between sets, they have taken to directing their hoses at spectators begging to be doused, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t remember the last time it was so hot at Roland Garros,\u201d Russian-born Australian player Daria Kasatkina said after beating Zeynep Sonmez 6-4, 6-4. \u201cMaybe one day. But we\u2019re going to have it for the whole week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kasatkina said the energy-sapping temperatures made for more up-and-down matches.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can suddenly just get out of the bench and feel that your focus dropped,\u201d she said. \u201cSo this is a battle which you have to also win. \u2026 Whoever adapts better to today\u2019s conditions gets it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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A retirement and medical timeout<\/p>\n
Canadian player Gabriel Diallo said the heat was the main reason why he retired midway through his match against James Duckworth on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Both Andrey Rublev and opponent Ignacio Buse called for the trainer on separate occasions during the second set of their match on Monday.<\/p>\n
Buse took a medical timeout and had salts and minerals added to his water bottle as a stethoscope was placed on his chest. Rublev received treatment a few games later.<\/p>\n
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Heat protocol<\/p>\n
The French Open is usually cool compared to the heat at the Australian Open and U.S. Open.<\/p>\n
But like in Australia and New York, the French Open has adopted an extreme weather policy.<\/p>\n
If the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) \u2014 which takes into account temperature, humidity, sun, wind and other factors \u2014 reaches 30.1 degrees C (86 F) or higher, 10-minute cooling breaks can be installed between the second and third sets for women\u2019s matches and between the third and fourth sets for men\u2019s matches.<\/p>\n
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If the WBGT hits 32.2 C (90 F), play is suspended. It would require an air temperature of about 38 C (100 F) for play to be suspended.<\/p>\n
Fast-court players like the heat<\/p>\n
Some players were embracing the hotter air.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always preferred hot and lively conditions to chilly on a clay court, because I feel like I can bring a little bit more of my all-court tennis on this type of surface,\u201d Australian player Alex de Minaur said after beating Toby Samuel 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s easier to be a little bit more aggressive. The ball is jumping. I don\u2019t necessarily have to use as much spin or heaviness, and I can let the conditions do the job for me. And it\u2019s quite physical. I don\u2019t mind the heat,\u201d De Minaur added.<\/p>\n
Same goes for American player Alex Michelsen, who eliminated Alexander Shevchenko in straight sets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely good for us Americans,\u201d Michelsen said. \u201cGenerally we\u2019re big serve, big forehand, big ground game and like to play offense. When it\u2019s super hot, the ball is moving through the air very fast. \u2026 I was so happy when I saw the forecast.\u201d<\/p>\n
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