World number two Iga Swiatek made a strong start to her Wuhan Open campaign on a sweltering Tuesday, beating Marie Bouzkova 6-1, 6-1 to reach the third round. The hot conditions, with temperatures above 30°C, also led to early retirements from both Emma Raducanu and Jelena Ostapenko.
Swiatek, who had a bye in the first round, will next face either Belinda Bencic or Elise Mertens.
After her win, the Polish star said organisers should do more to protect players, especially on outside courts with no roof.
“I feel like it’s getting hotter in more places every year,” she said. “I’m just trying to stay focused, recover between points, and use my energy wisely , but it’s definitely a challenge.”
Monday’s matches saw play paused on outside courts due to the heat rule. On Tuesday, the rule was in place between 12:30 and 17:30, but play continued throughout.
Swiatek added, “I’m glad I didn’t play yesterday, it seemed too much for many players. The centre court is a bit cooler, but I hope future matches are scheduled better so we don’t have to suffer or risk our health.”
Earlier in the day, Raducanu was forced to stop her match against American Ann Li after feeling dizzy. She was trailing 6-1, 4-1 when she received medical attention and had her vital signs checked. The 2021 US Open champion later retired, sending Li into a second-round tie against ninth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Ostapenko, who played on an uncovered court, also became unwell due to the heat. She retired while down 6-0, 2-1 to Sorana Cirstea.
The tournament’s heat rule allows for a 10-minute break between the second and third sets and gives organisers the option to close the centre court roof to protect players from extreme temperatures.
