The record heat wave in Paris that has disrupted the opening days of the French Open on and off the court is expected to last until late this week.
Temperatures at Roland-Garros surpassed 90 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday and Monday, as the second Grand Slam of the tennis season got underway.
Canadian Gabriel Diallo retired from his opening-round match against Australian James Duckworth on Sunday because of an injury, and attributed the move to the heat: “That’s mainly what it was… It was getting worse and worse,” he said. And after winning his first-round match against Roman Safiullin, world no. 17 Casper Ruud said the heat got to him. “I was close to being on the way home, honestly,” he said. “In the end of the third and fourth set, I felt quite horrible and dizzy. It was really hard to see the ball. I think my body temperature was too high, I was not able to cool it down with the temperature here today.”
At least 20 cities in France have recorded their highest-ever temperatures for the month of May, according to the Météo-France, the country’s national weather service.
Forecasts for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the French Open all call for high temperatures of more than 90 degrees, as well. Daily highs are projected to remain in the 80s for Friday and Saturday before cooling off into the 70s on Sunday.
