Coco Gauff’s former coach says the ATP Tour should ‘definitely’ introduce a new rule that the WTA already have

Imagine you’re watching an intense tennis match—sun blazing, humidity high, and players pushing through grueling rallies. Now picture someone collapsing mid-point from the oppressive heat. That’s exactly what happened recently at the Cincinnati Open, and it’s stirred up a hot debate—pun absolutely intended.

Brad Gilbert, formerly the coach of tennis star Coco Gauff and now a commentator, has been speaking out loud and clear. He’s urging the ATP Tour (the men’s circuit) to adopt a formal heat rule, similar to the WTA’s (the women’s tour), to better protect players when conditions turn brutal. The WTA already has this—after two sets in extreme heat, players get a mandatory 10-minute break. The ATP, however, doesn’t have a universal rule like that, leaving men to soldier on through unsafe weather.

At the Cincinnati Open, temperatures soared to about 32 °C (that’s nearly 90 °F!), leading to several match retirements. Arthur Rinderknech literally collapsed mid-match due to dehydration, and other players resorted to drastic cooling tactics—think ice baths and even cooling their heads inside fridges to survive the heat.

Gilbert didn’t hold back in a Twitter post, pointing out the clear disparity: “There isn’t a heat rule I believe @atptour level. The @WTA has something … 10 min break after 2 sets. Should definitely be something if too extreme … or if over heat index 10 mins break after 2 sets.” It’s a simple yet powerful argument: if the women’s tour has identified and implemented this safety measure, why hasn’t the men’s tour followed suit?

This isn’t just about fairness—it’s about player health and safety. After all, tennis is demanding, and adding extreme weather into the mix ups the stakes even more. Gilbert’s call to action feels not just reasonable, but urgent—especially when you see players struggling to stay upright in these conditions.

Will the ATP listen? For fans and players alike, the hope is they do—so future tournaments don’t feel like battling through an oven, but remain exciting, safe contests of skill and endurance.