Heat at US Open: “The player will die,” warns Daniil Medvedev midway through the match

It was a sweltering 35 degrees Celsius in New York on Wednesday afternoon, during the US Open quarterfinal match between Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev. During one of his many stops at a towel box to dry his sweaty face, the latter said directly to the camera filming him that “a player will die one day” in such conditions.

“And they will see,” added the Russian, who will eventually defeat his best friend in three sets, two hours and 48 minutes.

Both players were bothered by the heat and high humidity in the Flushing Meadows Center throughout the match.

The roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium was partially closed to provide some cooling for spectators, but that didn’t seem to make any difference to the athletes on the field.

If this did not appear in the quality of their playing style – especially the style of Medvedev, who ran with all the balls – their faces dripping with sweat and their wet clothes still testified to their discomfort.

Nose burned with towel

She said in a press conference that the third seed wiped her face so much that her nose was “burned” by the towel.

Daniil Medvedev.

Getty Images via AFP

But far from being upset, the 2021 champion reiterated to reporters his concern for the athletes.

The latter also called in a therapist between two matches, who had him inhale a product into a pump to help him breathe.

“What I find dangerous is that we ask ourselves: How far can we go?” said the Russian.

“I don’t know what we can do,” he continued. We certainly couldn’t stop the tournament for four days, because three or four days have passed since then [la température] And it’s cruel too, because it can destroy everything: broadcasters, tickets, everything. “It would ruin everything.”