Competing at the Shanghai Masters, Holger Rune came out strong amid scorching conditions. The young Dane faced Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard with conviction. Challenges mounted – not just from a tough serve bot, but also from mainland China’s intense heat and humidity. Yet, Rune persevered. He claimed his spot in the quarterfinals with a tough three-set win, 6-4, 6-7(9), 6-3. Reaching the quarterfinals didn’t lift the cloud hanging over Rune as he experienced discomfort in the brutal heat.

The Shanghai Masters witnessed a worrying number of retirements. Temperatures soared past 86°F, humidity rose above 80%, and players began dropping out like bees fleeing smoke. The highest-profile exit was defending champion Jannik Sinner, who was forced to retire mid-match due to severe cramping.

Rune is still standing in the final eight, but he’s speaking out. After his win over Perricard, he said, “Yes, I think there should be a rule regarding the heat, like there is in the Grand Slam tournaments. I think all the players would agree on that. Today was better, as you say, it was less hot. But again, it was less hot, but if the temperature had been more normal, it would have been very hot today.” It’s not positive news today, as most people predict the temperatures will hit 90°F in the coming days.

The ATP currently has no formal heat policy like the Grand Slams. Instead, play suspensions for extreme weather depend on an on-site ATP supervisor working with medical teams and local officials. But the WTA Tour already has a heat policy to pause play in extreme weather. At the Wuhan Open, for example, play on all outdoor courts was halted for hours until the heat and humidity eased.

Now, Rune wants the men’s tour to follow suit. He said, “I think it was around 31 degrees and the humidity was very high. But compared to other days, it was quite brutal.”

In his previous match, Rune hit a rough patch during his third-round win over Ugo Humbert on Sunday. Down a break early, the heat got the better of him, forcing a medical timeout. Stripped of his shirt and sitting miserably, Holger Rune didn’t hold back. He asked the chair umpire, “Hey, why doesn’t ATP have a good heat rule?” The umpire shrugged, “I don’t know, but that is a very good question.”

Ice towels arrived to cool him down as the physio checked his blood sugar and vitality. Bold as ever, Rune murmured, “You want players to die on the court?” Now, describing what it’s like to play in this heat, he added, “We can handle a certain amount of heat because we are fit, we are strong, we are also mentally strong, but there is always a limit. I think it is also important to take care of your health. We have to survive.”

The ATP says it’s taking action. In an email to Reuters, it confirmed “several measures in cases of extreme heat”. It revealed that “additional measures, including the implementation of an official heat policy, are currently being evaluated in consultation with players, tournaments, and medical experts.” However, implementing these changes becomes the real talking point.

Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud, David Goffin, Hamad Medjedovic, Terence Atmane, Wu Yibing, and Tomas Machac were among those retiring in the Masters 1000’s first week. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic vomited during his matches against Yannick Hanfmann and even today against Jaume Munar while also dealing with an injury scare. Daniil Medvedev looked panting and exhausted after his round of 32 win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Monday. Both Djokovic and Medvedev have voiced concerns about conditions in Shanghai.

ATP pros echo Holger Rune’s sentiment on the Shanghai conditions

Novak Djokovic faced more than just an opponent on Sunday at the ATP Shanghai Masters 1000. Under a punishing 86°F heat and suffocating 80% humidity, the world No.1 visibly struggled, even vomiting courtside multiple times. Still, the 24-time Grand Slam champion dug deep, rallying past Yannick Hanfmann 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. “It’s the same for every player out on the court, but it’s brutal,” Djokovic said, per Daily Mail. “It’s brutal when you have over 80% humidity day after day, particularly for the guys playing during the day with heat, (but) with sun, it’s even more brutal.”

Daniil Medvedev also felt the heat – literally. The 2019 Shanghai champion outlasted Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-6 in just under two hours but ended the match utterly spent, soaked in sweat, and breathing heavily on the bench. In a viral clip shared on X, Medvedev admitted, “Yeah, it was not easy, but for me, for him too.” He later told Championat, “It had never happened before, and I must admit that it is hard to play in these conditions.”

Medvedev didn’t mince words about the situation. “There have already been numerous withdrawals and many medical timeouts in these first days of the tournament. The situation is quite worrying. I’m happy to have played my first match here in the night session and to have won with ease.” With humidity hovering around 85%, every rally has felt like a test of survival.

Now, with Holger Rune adding his voice to the chorus of concerned players, change might finally be coming. Rune is now eyeing his maiden Shanghai quarterfinal clash with Valentin Vacherot – can he keep the fire going figuratively and literally?