French Open player speaks out angrily after collapsing on court, as Djokovic calls for a rule change – ‘It’s crazy’
Czech tennis player Jakub Mensik called continuing to play at the French Open in such hot weather “insane,” as temperatures soared in Paris.
On Wednesday (May 27), after a tough five-set match where he beat Argentina’s Mariano Navone 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (11), Mensik collapsed on the court due to cramping. It was so hot—up to 32 degrees Celsius—that he got ill and couldn’t properly hydrate.
Right after winning, Mensik fell onto the clay and couldn’t get up even with his opponent’s help. Medical staff rushed to him, putting ice packs on him while he stayed down for several minutes. Although he later stood up, he had to leave the court in a wheelchair.
Mensik said, “Playing in this heat, especially with the sun beating down, is just crazy. Being on the court for over four and a half hours is really tough. Even with breaks, there’s not enough time to cool off—during changeovers, you only get one minute, and the ball boy can’t even bring you a towel. When you sit, you really only have about 30 seconds to rest.”
He also felt players should get more time to recover between points in such extreme heat. Right now, ATP rules only allow medical time-outs for injuries, not for cramps or exhaustion, which are seen as fitness issues.
Mensik explained, “I totally respect the rules, but playing in these conditions is really hard. Fans would probably want to see me get a little more time, like five or ten seconds extra, but I didn’t have that. I even got a warning and lost my first serve because of it.”
Mensik will play Alex de Minaur in the third round on Friday (May 29).
Novak Djokovic, who also moved on to the third round after beating France’s Valentin Royer 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (7), 6-3, shared his thoughts on the heat. The match lasted almost four hours, and Djokovic said, “Playing a nearly four-hour clay match in this heat is very exhausting. I spent a lot of energy today. It was tough out there. I made some mistakes in the third set, and my opponent took advantage with support from the crowd.”
Djokovic’s next match is against Brazil’s João Fonseca.
He also suggested maybe matches could be scheduled later when it’s cooler, even if that means playing close to midnight. “It’s not ideal,” he said, “but on really hot days, it might be worth considering.”
The ATP rules on cramping say players can get treatment only during changeovers or set breaks. They can’t take medical time-outs just for cramps. If there’s uncertainty whether it’s a serious medical issue or just cramping, the decision is up to the physiotherapist and tournament doctor. If cramping is part of heat illness, it may be treated as part of that condition.