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A "scorcher of a day" at the U.S. Open yesterday "raised the subject of how players will be protected from heat illness," with temperatures around 95 degrees. While the WTA has an "excessive heat policy in its rule books," the ATP "doesn’t officially address oppressive heat." So the USTA "took matters into its own hands" and set a policy that allows the men to "take a 10-minute break between the third and fourth sets." Novak Djokovic was one player to "take advantage of the respite offering." Throughout the day, players used "changeover breaks to place huge towels wrapped with ice around their necks" (USA TODAY, 8/29). ESPN’s Chris Evert: “The French and Wimbledon were a picnic compared to these conditions” (“U.S. Open,” ESPN, 8/28).
Six players "retired mid-match" yesterday. USTA Managing Dir of Corporate Communications Chris Widmaier said that officials were "considering leaving the roof of Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums closed" last night to "reduce the ambient temperature, but that might not help much because Louis Armstrong Stadium isn’t air-conditioned." Widmaier added that options such as starting play earlier, taking a mid-day break and shifting more matches to the night session had "not been discussed" (L.A. TIMES, 8/29).
