The intensely hot conditions at this year’s U.S. Open has been quite the focal point at the tennis Grand Slam event, with players starting to chime in their thoughts about it being too hot.
Semifinalist Daniil Medvedev made sure his message about the heat didn’t go unnoticed as he spoke directly into the camera in between points on Wednesday during his quarterfinal match against Andrey Rublev.
While playing In Arthur Ashe Stadium, the roof was slightly open, meaning the sun shined directly onto the court and the air conditioning circulation remained poor.
With the temperatures hitting as high as 95 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, Medvedev offered quite the terrifying plea.
“One player is gonna die,” Medvedev said. “And they’re gonna see.”
Daniil Medvedev on the conditions in his match against Andrey Rublev:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 6, 2023
“One player is gonna die. And they’re gonna see.” pic.twitter.com/zQhXWmdGQU
The 2021 U.S. Open champion used a giant towel full of ice to cool down, along with using towel breaks to wipe off sweat throughout the entire match.
Medvedev continued on his rant after he won his quarterfinals match against Rublev.
“The only thing that is a little bit, let’s call it dangerous, is that the question is: How far could we go?” Medvedev said, via The Associated Press. “I’m not sure what can we do. Because probably we cannot stop the tournament for four days—because it’s been, what, three, four days it’s been brutal like this?—because then it basically ruins everything: the TV, even the tickets, everything. It ruins everything.”
According to weather.com, Thursday’s high in temperature in New York City is expected to be 94 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning it’ll be another hot day on the court. The United States Tennis Association hasn’t declared if any changes will be made at the tournament this week.
Medvedev withstood the heat well enough to defeat Rublev (6–3, 6–4, 6–3) and advance to the semifinals, where he’ll face either Carlos Alcaraz or Alexander Zverev.
