Daniil Medvedev has warned that one player “is going to die” given the intense humidity and soaring temperatures during the US Open.
New York is in the midst of a heatwave and in the middle of the day on Wednesday, when Medvedev was taking on Andrey Rublev in an all-Russian quarter-final, temperatures reached 33C amid humid conditions.
In the third set, with Medvedev two sets up, the outspoken world No 3 spoke directly into the camera, saying: “One player is going to die, and then you’re going to see…”
Medvedev closed out the match in straight sets against Rublev – who was struggling with the heat throughout – and will take on world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the last four on Friday.
A fan collapsed in the stands during the women’s quarter-final between Madison Keys and Marketa Vondrousova later in the day, delaying the match.
Speaking after the match, Medvedev said: “This and the Tokyo Olympic Games [were the worst conditions ever], it was brutal.
“The only good thing I see in these conditions is that both suffer. It’s tough for both of us.
“There were ups and downs but that’s so normal. At the end of the third set I kind of couldn’t see the ball anymore. I kind of played with sensations.
“It seemed like he couldn’t run anymore, but he kept coming back. Super tough to win.”
Tournament organisers did impose extreme heat measures on Wednesday, but male players could only take a 10-minute break after the third set.
The only saving grace for the tournament on Thursday is that both women’s singles semi-finals take place under the lights in the evening, when conditions will have cooled.
That being said, one of the men’s singles semi-finals will take place from 3pm ET on Friday, again in the middle of the day.
