Shocking scenes happened at the 2023 Guangzhou Open in China as Danish player Clara Tauson collapsed mid-match.
Tennis players have been playing in dangerous conditions for years. It's nothing new, nor is it something that shocks tennis fans, as we've seen more and more players having trouble keeping up with the inhumane demands placed on them.
The planet is getting warmer, and this summer has been the hottest summer on record. We've seen temperatures increase across the globe, and quite often, we'll see players playing in temperatures that they have never played in.
That happened at the US Open recently when Medvedev remarked to the camera that somebody would die one day, and it would be too late. The Russian said the same things a few years ago during the Olympics in Tokyo which were also played in unbearable heat.
Asia is quite famous for its long and warm summers. When you add the humidity into it, you have very brutal conditions and not all can handle it. Danish player Clara Tauson experienced that during her most recent match in Guangzhou when she played a match in high temperatures and high humidity.
Hailing from Denmark means that she's not really used to it, and she collapsed mid-match, having to retire after that scary experience. Terrible scenes, but we've seen it happen more and more lately, and something must change.
Medvedev talked about it at the US Open giving out suggestions on what could change. It's a tough discussion but a needed one because we're going to see this happen more and more often as players keep playing in these brutal conditions.
Ultimately, Tauson was fine, but she was forced to retire the match in the early going of the 3rd set. Check out the video below and note the concern her opponent Yulia Putintseva, showed.