Jakub Mensik described the heat at Roland Garros as 'insane' after collapsing on court following a five-set victory over Mariano Navone. The 26th seed won 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (11) in a match lasting over four and a half hours, but was left unable to stand at the end, requiring a wheelchair to return to the locker room.
Mensik said he began to feel sick in the fourth set as temperatures reached 32°C, preventing him from taking in fluids. He criticised the strict enforcement of time limits between points, saying he received a warning and lost his first serve as a result. 'It's insane to play in this weather,' he said, adding that spectators would have given him 'five more seconds, 10 more seconds,' but he did not receive that leniency.
After winning the final-set tie-break, Mensik collapsed from full-body cramps and was helped by medical staff. However, he later said he was recovering well and expected to be ready for his third-round match against Alex de Minaur.
Novak Djokovic also commented on the conditions after his 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (7), 6-3 win over Valentin Royer, calling for organisers to use common sense and schedule more matches later in the day during extreme heat. Djokovic, who spent three hours and 44 minutes on court, acknowledged that playing into the night is not ideal but said it might be necessary on very hot days.
