Jakub Mensik claimed it was “insane” for players to compete in such hot conditions at Roland Garros and after collapsing on court due to cramps and being escorted back to the locker room in a wheelchair at the end of his dramatic 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (11) second-round win over Mariano Navone. Novak Djokovic called on organisers to use common sense and push more matches to later in the day during extreme heat.
“It’s insane to play in this weather and especially in front of the sun,” Mensik said. “To be there for more than four and a half hours, that’s just insane, and even with the breaks you don’t have that much time, the ballboy cannot bring you a towel during the changeover. You have just one minute, which obviously before, when you sit, it’s already just 30 seconds. So there is not that much time to cool yourself down.”
