International scientists agree that temperatures are rising around the world and are expected to continue on this trajectory. Tennis has a hand in it, both as cause and victim: by some estimates, the pro tennis industry releases 60,000 tons of CO2 every year; and the mostly-outdoor nature of the sport exposes players to new, dangerous extremes. It may also be part of a solution.
The effects of rising temperatures were most recently seen at Roland-Garros this year, where record May heat in Paris, surpassing 90F, overshadowed the first week of the tournament. Many players fell victim to the sweltering conditions, headlined by men’s favorite Jannik Sinner losing in the second round after being only one game from victory. The Italian said in his press conference that he “hit a wall” and “could not find any energy.”
Christopher Tyler, reader in environmental physiology at the University of Roehampton in the UK, explains that increased body temperature and heart rate in extreme heat conditions leads to “increased actual and perceived strain,” increasing the likelihood of players covering less distance and attempting riskier shots to try and shorten points, as Sinner resorted to in Paris.