By Shrivathsa Sridhar
PARIS, May 27 (Reuters) – Sweltering conditions during the opening week of this year’s French Open have added a fresh challenge, with players including Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina saying success will hinge on who adapts best over the course of the tournament.
Like much of Western Europe, France is experiencing higher-than-normal temperatures in May, with the mercury climbing past 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) in Paris and baking the red clay at Roland Garros on the opening four days.
While the dry heat falls short of furnace-like conditions often seen at the Australian Open in January, it has quickened the courts and tested players by placing a premium on managing their bodies and constructing points carefully.
In hot conditions, the ball travels faster through the air and bounces higher off the dry clay, shortening reaction times, quickening rallies and making control tougher, especially in longer exchanges as players adjust to the livelier surface.
“I think in tennis you’re used to it,” seventh seed Elina Svitolina told reporters after her efficient 6-0 6-4 win over Kaitlin Quevedo in the second round.
“Every single day is a different story. Even when you’re playing in the same tournament, you can play in the morning, you can play at night. It’ll be completely different conditions.
“You can’t control the weather … it’s always tricky for us. When it’s so hot, you’re trying to survive, not only playing against the opponent, but also playing against the conditions.”
Tokyo Olympics champion Belinda Bencic said current court conditions suited her perfectly, after she dismantled American Caty McNally 6-4 6-0 and charged into the third round for the first time since 2022.
“The ball is flying more. I also like the heat. I don’t like to play when it’s cold, wet and windy,” Bencic said.
“Of course, I’m not playing like the guys, for four-and-a-half hours. I really feel for them. But in my match, I feel it’s very good when it’s this hot. It’s good for my tennis.”
Several men’s matches have had unusually quick sets this year and American Learner Tien suggested on Tuesday that scoring patterns may reflect the pace of play in the heat as well as how players manage their energy.
“I definitely think that some of these sets that are going by quick, it’s just someone has a good start,” Tien added.
“Some of the other guys are okay just to let the set go by and save themselves physically, but I’m not 100% sure.”
Swiatek, the owner of four French Open titles and among the favourites again this year, said the conditions were a departure from the norm and expected a further shift as the Grand Slam progresses to its business end.
“Overall usually the weather is quite different here, but it doesn’t matter. It’s going to change, I feel, in the second part of the tournament,” Swiatek added.
“I guess this tournament is really about … whoever will cope with both of these conditions will win.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Paris, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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