The ATP Tour plans to have different heat rules put in place starting from the 2026 season to address the growing concern of player safety in extreme weather conditions. It is a reaction to the events, such as the Shanghai Masters, where there were quite a few players forced to retire due to heat and humidity.
The new rule is going to rely on the internationally recognized Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index that evaluates heat stress caused by direct solar radiation. As per the ATP, this policy has very clear limit signs for cooling breaks and the suspension of the game, hence giving the most structured and medically supported approach to handling extreme heat.
The regulations further provide that should the first two sets of a best-of-three singles match witness the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature of 30.1°C or more, then the players should be allowed to have ten minutes to cool off after the second set. The break will be for the two players competing in the match. During this time, players are able to hydrate, change clothes, take a shower, and get a medical check-up along with coaching. When the WBGT is over 32.2°C, play will be stopped altogether.
The demand for reform became louder and clearer when the incident of the top players was happening, e.g., Jannik Sinner’s retirement in Shanghai and Novak Djokovic becoming sick during the same tournament. The move made by ATP to adopt similar standards as WTA and Grand Slam events practice, in turn, marks a step towards the institution of extreme weather protocols generally seen in global sports other than tennis.
