Jakub Mensik collapses after victory in Paris heat

Jakub Mensik collapsed on the court after a strenuous second-round victory during the ongoing heatwave at the French Open. On May 27, 2026, temperatures reached the mid-30s Celsius, contributing to challenging conditions for the players. The 20-year-old Mensik, after an intense match lasting four hours and 41 minutes, expressed that his body "just turned off" following his victory over Argentina's Mariano Navone, with a score of 6-3 2-6 6-4 1-6 7-6 (13-11).

During the match, Mensik struggled with cramps and physical exhaustion, needing eight match points to secure his win. After his collapse, Navone came over to offer his congratulations and assistance, but Mensik was unable to get up immediately. He lay on the ground for several minutes as medical staff attended to him, applying ice packs to his head, neck, and chest to cool him down. An ice pack was also provided for him to rest his head on.

Eventually, mensik was helped to his feet, but he faced difficulty as he walked towards the locker room. Following another struggle, he was taken away in a wheelchair. Despite this, he informed the media that he later participated in an ice bath and a recovery session to prepare for his upcoming third-round match against eighth seed Alex de Minaur set for Friday.

Mensik reflected on his experience, saying, "When I hit the last winner, the emotions went out and my body just turned off. It's insane to play in this weather and especially in front of the sun, to be there for more than four and a half hours is just insane." He noted the short breaks that made cooling down difficult, lamenting the lack of towel service from ball kids during his match, which limited his ability to refresh himself.

In another match, three-time former champion Novak Djokovic played against Frenchman Valentin Royer in a different court environment, on Court Philippe Chatrier, which features a roof. Djokovic's match lasted three hours and 44 minutes, and although he lost a tight third set in a tie-break, he managed to win the match 6-3 6-2 6-7 (7-9) 6-3.

During his post-match press conference, Djokovic suggested that scheduling matches later in the evening should be considered if extreme conditions persist, highlighting the need for player welfare. French Open organizers monitor the temperature, engaging wet bulb sensors to potentially introduce breaks during matches if extreme heat affects conditions.

Women's 15th seed Marta Kostyuk noted that while conditions at the French Open were tough, they did not compare to the extremes she faced during the 2024 Olympics at the same venue. Other players have expressed similar concerns, indicating the significant impact of the heat on performance.