1. How hot is it at the 2026 French Open, and how unusual is this?
Temperatures have reached 33 degrees Celsius (91 F) during the tournament’s opening days, far above normal for late May in Paris. Tennis tournament players say they haven’t experienced conditions this hot at Roland Garros since the 2024 Paris Olympics — which were held in the peak summer months of July and August.
2. How are players and fans coping with the extreme heat?
Players are placing bags of ice around their necks during changeovers, while fans are cooling off under sprinklers. Court workers watering the clay between sets have also been directing their hoses at spectators who beg to be doused. Canadian player Gabriel Diallo retired midway through his match, citing the heat, and both Andrey Rublev and Ignacio Buse required trainer attention during their Monday match.
3. Does the French Open have a heat policy, and when does it kick in?
The tournament uses a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measure that factors in temperature, humidity, sun, and wind. If the WBGT hits 30.1 C (86 F), 10-minute cooling breaks can be added between sets; if it reaches 32.2 C (90 F), play is suspended entirely — a threshold that would require an air temperature of roughly 38 C (100 F).
4. How does the heat change the way tennis is actually played?
Hot conditions cause the ball to move faster through the air and bounce higher off the clay, shifting the advantage toward aggressive, big-hitting players. Australian Alex de Minaur and American Alex Michelsen both said the conditions suited their all-court, offensive styles, while Daria Kasatkina noted the heat creates more erratic matches as players struggle to maintain focus.
5. How long is the heat wave expected to last?
Forecasts indicate the extreme temperatures will persist throughout the entire first week of the tournament. Kasatkina said she could not recall the last time Roland Garros was this hot, adding, “Maybe one day. But we’re going to have it for the whole week.”
For more on this report, read “Heat wave at French Open impacts the clay courts and has fans begging for water” from The Associated Press, published on The Washington Times.
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