The 2025 Shanghai Masters turned into a grueling endurance test, prompting the ATP to reportedly consider introducing a formal heat policy after multiple players, including Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, suffered due to punishing conditions.
Fans quickly took to social media to voice their opinions, sparking a debate over player safety, tournament scheduling, and the governing body’s priorities.
How Have Top Players Like Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner Struggled With Extreme Heat in Shanghai?
This conversation is not entirely new. Extreme heat has long challenged players, with tournaments like Cincinnati and the Australian Open seeing matches suspended or players collapsing in the past.
However, the sheer number of retirements in Shanghai, coupled with soaring temperatures and humidity, has intensified calls for a formal rule. This week, local reports noted temperatures peaking at 95°F, while humidity levels hit 80 percent.
Several players, including Sinner and Djokovic, struggled to finish their matches. Sinner was forced to retire in his third-round contest against Tallon Griekspoor because of intense cramping. Meanwhile, Djokovic vomited during his match against Yannick Hanfmann, later describing the conditions as “some of the toughest” he had faced in recent years.
What Are Fans Saying About the ATP’s Handling of Player Safety in Extreme Conditions?
Fans quickly flooded X with reactions after news broke that the ATP is considering a heat policy. One user wrote, “@atptour nice one, blame it on the heat that players have played in for decades but don’t reduce the insanely packed schedule that breaks players physically and mentally.”
Another questioned the motives, asking, “Safety or because with so many retirements the tournaments aren’t attractive to sell to the audience?”
Others focused on humidity, noting, “The humidity has been the real problem here. There should be no play when the humidity is so high. Players have been absolutely drenched.”
Concerns about over-scheduling were also raised, with one fan suggesting, “How about don’t have a tournament every single week of the year with virtually zero offseason?”
Criticism of ATP governance was particularly harsh. A fan tweeted, “The ATP is in a total shambles. All of #Tennis needs a serious overhaul. The greed and arrogance. The treatment of players is disgusting…”
Some even questioned the financial incentive behind the move: “They only care when they lose money. Jannik not playing for the rest of the tournament is hurting their income and it made them realize they can’t afford to have top players pulling out of tournaments for shitty conditions.”
Casper Ruud, Terence Atmane, Tomáš Macháč, Hamad Medjedovic, David Goffin, and Wu Yibing all withdrew or retired mid-match because of dizziness, exhaustion, or breathing problems. In his match against Ugo Humbert, Holger Rune reportedly asked an official during a medical timeout whether players were expected to “die on court” under such oppressive conditions.
The controversy has reignited discussion about ATP rules, which currently allow an onsite supervisor, in consultation with medical teams and local authorities, to suspend play during adverse weather.
