During summer months, the words “heat” and “Atlanta” are synonymous. For the past two years, players and fans alike have come to expect hot and humid conditions at the Atlanta Tennis Championships.
When Mardy Fish faced John Isner in last year’s championship match, the on-court temperature registered 140 degrees.
“I certainly remember how hot it was,” Fish said of last year’s conditions. “I’ve never played in that type of heat before, and I don’t think I ever will [again].”
Temperatures rose to just below 100 degrees by the weekend last year. The mercury read 99 degrees at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek for the Sunday final.
Fish won the final match, and immediately after the awards ceremony, he headed off the court to receive some fluids.
“I remember that I cramped up pretty badly after the match,” Fish said. “That’s the best that an IV felt ever.”
This year’s conditions have been a little more bearable. On Wednesday, temperatures at this year’s site, the Racquet Club of the South in Norcross, capped at around 90 degrees. This weekend, temperatures are expected to remain in the low 90s.
Kevin Anderson faced off against Michael Russell in the first singles match of the day Wednesday afternoon. Anderson beat Russell in two sets, 6-1 and 7-5, in their second-round match. Last year, Anderson, who currently holds the No. 34 world ranking, reached the semifinals.
“From playing the tournament last year, when it was incredibly hot, it’s at least a little bit more comfortable out there [this year],” Anderson said.
Still, any excessive heat can affect various aspects of a players’ game.
“Mentally, it takes its toll,” Anderson said. “Your legs feel pretty heavy, and the heat can get to you pretty quickly if you allow it to.”
The heat can have an effect on the ball and racket, too.
“How the ball heats up starts to affect some of its compression,” tournament director Bob Bryant said. “It even affects the racket. The heat will loosen the tension in the stringing.”
For the world’s top professional players, learning to play in the heat and adjust their style accordingly has become a necessity.
“They’re so physically fit, that it’s more about their game,” Bryant said. “You’ve got some of the guys from other parts of the world that aren’t so used to it, and then others that really kind of thrive in it.”
For Fish and a number of the other players, it was important to get out into the Atlanta heat during practices to prepare for matches later this week.
“It’ll take some getting used to here and putting in some hours on the court now,” Fish said.
With the championships in Norcross this year, Bryant made sure that the tournament would take advantage of the new space. The available indoor air-conditioned space for fans is four times larger than the space available at the Atlanta Athletic Club. Indoor seating near the food court can accommodate 500 people.
In addition to the natural outdoor shade at the Racquet Club of the South, this year’s setup includes more electric fans and more tents for spectators who need relief from the heat.
Gwinnett Medical Center is on hand to help fans who need medical assistance. Southern Orthopedic is in charge of medical attention for players, and their locker-room setup includes two treatment rooms.
“A lot of times, the issue is just getting someone out of the heat as quick as possible, and getting them hydrated and cooled down,” Bryant said. “The site this year has a lot of that space, so there’s somewhere to go to migrate to shade.”
