World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has revealed how she battled through scorching conditions at the 2025 Cincinnati Open, crediting a post-match ice bath for helping her recover from an intense bout of heat exhaustion. The defending champion endured a grueling three-hour, nine-minute duel against Emma Raducanu in sweltering afternoon temperatures that left her visibly drained.
What Helped Aryna Sabalenka Survive Cincinnati’s Scorching Conditions?
Sabalenka’s Cincinnati Open defence began with a first-round bye, followed by a solid 7-5, 6-1 win over Markéta Vondroušová. But her third-round clash against Raducanu tested every ounce of her endurance. Played in afternoon heat that hovered comfortably above 86 degrees Fahrenheit, the match stretched to three hours and nine minutes.
The Belarusian claimed the first set in a tiebreak 7-6 (3), dropped the second 4-6, and then edged the deciding set in another tiebreak 7-6 (5). The intensity of the rallies and the oppressive weather left Sabalenka visibly drained on court.
Once off the court, Sabalenka went straight into an ice bath to combat the effects of heat exhaustion. She later told Tennis Channel how she coped with the aftermath of the heat battle. “I did the cold plunge for 10 minutes,” she said. “The last one I did, I was able to do it for 1 minute in Florida. That’s how hot I felt. So, I was able to stay there for like 10 minutes and I didn’t want to leave.”
On Instagram, she shared a photo of the recovery session, smiling from inside the ice bath, with the caption: “3 hour match in 90° weather 🤝 immediate ice bath 😆🧊.”
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Sabalenka’s battle with the heat came amid a tournament-wide struggle with extreme weather. Felix Auger-Aliassime described the playing environment as feeling like an “oven” and warned that the combination of heat and humidity was taking a toll on both players and spectators. His third-round opponent, Arthur Rinderknech, collapsed mid-match due to the conditions and was forced to retire.
😲 Arthur Rinderknech collapsed mid-match due to the heat in Cincinnati.
The Frenchman was forced to retire after trailing 6-7 2-4 against Félix Auger-Aliassime.pic.twitter.com/PDwD6G2oOM
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) August 11, 2025
Auger-Aliassime and medical staff rushed to his side in one of the week’s most alarming moments. Daniil Medvedev also went viral for his unconventional cooling tactics, which included sticking his head inside an on-court ice cooler during changeover.
Other stars, including Elena Rybakina, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz, were repeatedly seen applying ice towels, dousing themselves with water, and taking extended shaded breaks to keep their core temperatures under control.
Sabalenka booked her spot in the Round of 16, setting up a rematch with Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, whom she faced in the second round of the Australian Open earlier this year. The winner will meet either ninth seed Elena Rybakina or sixth seed Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.
