Jakub Mensik collapsed on court during the French Open. This happened because of the ongoing heatwave. Temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius. The 20-year-old Czech player was competing in a long match. His body simply shut down, he said. He fell to the ground after winning his match. This was a gruelling second-round victory. It lasted four hours and 41 minutes. Mensik beat Mariano Navone of Argentina. The score was 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6. He struggled greatly to move. He needed eight match points to win. After falling, his opponent helped him up. Medical staff attended to Mensik. They placed ice packs on him. They tried to cool him down. Eventually, he was helped off the court. He still struggled. He was then taken away in a wheelchair. Mensik told reporters he had an ice bath and gym session afterwards. He is preparing for his next match. "When I hit the last winner, the emotions went out and my body just turned off," Mensik stated. "It's insane to play in this weather and especially in front of the sun," he added. He felt breaks were too short. Ball kids could not bring towels. Changeovers lasted only one minute. He said there was not enough time to cool down. Mensik played on an outer court. This court had no shade. He was also penalised for taking too long between points. He complained about this. He twice lost his first serve because of it.
Other players also faced the heat. Novak Djokovic played a match on a covered court. He played for over three hours. He won his match. Djokovic suggested later evening matches. This could be an alternative for extreme weather. French Open organisers use sensors to monitor temperature. If a threshold is reached, breaks are added. For women's matches, a break follows the second set. For men's matches, it follows the third set. If temperatures rise further, matches can be suspended. No French Open match has ever been halted due to extreme heat. Marta Kostyuk, a player, found conditions tough. She said it was very dry. She felt a constant need to drink. Casper Ruud felt he was like a zombie. He feared heat stroke earlier in the week. He also suffered from cramping. Temperatures were 33C. Alexander Zverev avoided the worst heat. He played at night. Temperatures were around 18C. He won his match easily. Zverev is a strong contender. This year's heatwave is a major concern for the tournament. It affects player health directly. It also raises questions about event management. The long duration of matches in high heat is particularly dangerous. Players are athletes. They push their bodies to the limit. Extreme weather adds a significant risk. This can lead to injuries and long-term health issues. The tournament must balance competition with player welfare.