Paris, May 28:
The scorching heat wave that has gripped Paris since the start of the French Open isn’t just pushing the players to their limits. The clay courts risk cracking, too, under the intense sun.
Unseasonably hot weather has seen temperatures soar to at least 32 degrees Celsius (90 Fahrneheit) — far beyond normal for late May in the French capital — on all four days of the tournament so far. And the heat is forecast to continue through the rest of the week.
On Tuesday, the temperature at Roland Garros peaked at 35 C (95 F).
“What we’re experiencing is unprecedented,” said Philippe Vaillant, the head of court maintenance at the French Open. “Even the weather services say it themselves: it’s unprecedented to have temperatures this high for such a long period at this time of year. I had concerns when the weather service announced periods of intense heat.” When heat waves hit, the clay surface can quickly change in consistency, affecting bounce and player safety.
World number one Jannik Sinner started his campaign for a maiden French Open title in merciless fashion, beating Frenchman Clement Tabur 6-1 6-3 6-4 to reach the second round on Tuesday.
The Italian, the overwhelming favourite for the title in the absence of injured two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, was all business on Court Philippe-Chatrier’s night session, suffocating Tabur with relentless depth and pace from the baseline. By the time the Paris sun finally dipped below the western stands, Sinner was already one game away from a two-set lead.
The 24-year-old came into Roland Garros on a 29-match winning streak in which he had dropped only three sets, having also completed his full set of Masters 1000 titles earlier this month.