“One player is going to die and you are going to see,” said Russian ATP icon Daniil Medvedev in an honest take two years ago during the US Open. The hot weather conditions, with temperatures touching 35 degrees Celsius, at Flushing Meadows made it seem like a fight for survival on and off the court for athletes. And the challenge is only getting tougher each year – no matter the venue. Just a few days ago, 24-time slam king Novak Djokovic returned to Shanghai but felt the brunt of brutal weather. Looks like he is not the only one feeling the heat at the Masters event.

The official account of the Rolex Shanghai Masters dropped an Instagram clip on Sunday. While the intention was to offer a light-hearted moment from the court, it threw light on the harsh conditions players are facing this week. Former doubles No.1 star Rohan Bopanna and his partner Jean-Julien Roger were facing James Tracy and Robert Cash at Court No.3. However, the growing heat and humidity in Shanghai rendered them helpless. In the video, Bopanna can be seen having a brief chat with the chair umpire while trying to figure out the remedies to battle the unbearable weather at the venue. He said, “I never wear wrist bands.” To this, the umpire confessed, “Yeah. Like I am sweating like just sitting here.”

Continuing further, Bopanna revealed, “I don’t sweat easy. Which is in a way good, but still, not easy.” The umpire agreed, “Not easy, yeah.” The 2024 Australian Open doubles champion then suggested a solution for such circumstances. “That’s why the coconut water…” He received instant approval from the chair umpire. “Coconut water is a good strategy.”

For the unversed, Novak Djokovic couldn’t help but make his feelings known regarding the conditions in Shanghai this season. Compared with his past appearances, he also has been finding it tough to cope this time. After his first round victory against Marin Cilic, on Friday, the former World No.1 confessed, “It’s crazy humid, to be honest. I don’t recall the weather being so humid in China,” as reported on the ATP Tour’s website.

He continued, “I don’t remember the last time I played in humidity like this. It is what it is… It’s the same for me, my opponent, and every other player.” Being a competitive athlete, however, he mentioned that adapting is also crucial. “You just have to accept it, deal with it. A lot of sweating. The laundry bills will be quite high this week, but that’s okay.”

However, the 38-year-old wasn’t as generous six years ago, when he had to bow out of a Grand Slam. The frustration was so high that he ended up blaming the weather.

When Novak Djokovic lamented the weather conditions for his French Open exit

It was during the 2019 edition of the French Open that Novak Djokovic was fighting tooth and nail to clinch the title in Paris. The journey was going as expected until he met Dominic Thiem in the semis. He eventually suffered a dramatic defeat against the former Austrian ATP pro. Thiem bested him in a thrilling five-setter with a scoreline of 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5.

Later, Djokovic mentioned that the gusty weather conditions contributed to his loss against Thiem. The latter also ended the Serbian’s 26-match win streak that season.

Djokovic confessed, “Obviously when you’re playing in hurricane kind of conditions, it’s hard to perform your best,” as reported by Sky Sports back in June 2019. “One of the worst conditions I have ever been part of.”

Elaborating his frustration, he mentioned, “What I was explained yesterday on the court in the first set when I asked the supervisor, he came on the court and he said as long as there are no flying objects coming to the court, we’re good.”

The loss hurt too much because Djokovic missed out on completing a calendar slam that year. “There is always something large at stake when you’re one of the top players of the world and play in the biggest tournaments,” he concluded.