ATP announces new rules over playing in extreme heat

ATP

The ATP will introduce a new extreme heat rule from the 2026 season which will allow players on the men's tour to take a 10-minute cooling break during best-of-three sets singles matches.

The rule is similar to what the WTA - which governs women's professional tennis - brought in more than 30 years ago to protect players in the heat.

At the Shanghai Masters in October, temperatures were as high as 34C and humidity at 80% in the daytime, and after world number 15 Holger Rune needed medical treatment during his third round match, the Dane asked an official: "Do you want a player to die on court?"

In a statement, the ATP said the policy was for "strengthening protections for players competing in extreme conditions".

The new rule is based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which measures heat stress in direct sunlight. It involves observing temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, and cloud cover.

If the WBGT reaches 30.1C or higher during the first two sets of a best-of-three match, either player can request a break of 10 minutes to cool off.

Under the supervision of ATP medical staff, players can hydrate, change clothing, shower and receive coaching.

Play will be suspended when the WBGT exceeds 32.2C.

"The new heat rule provides a structured, medically supported approach to managing extreme heat, with the objective of safeguarding player health, while also improving conditions for spectators, officials, ball persons and tournament staff," the statement added.