‘I’m Not a Politician’ – Alexander Zverev Makes Feelings Clear on ‘Difficult’ French Open Heat Rule Debate

The first two weeks of the 2026 French Open have been defined by a heatwave, turning the Parisian clay into an endurance test. Temperatures are soaring into the 90s (32°C to 33°C), sparking debates over whether the tournament’s heat protocols need an immediate update. But when asked to weigh in on the growing controversy, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev opted to stay firmly out of the boardroom.

‘Always Felt Comfortable’: Alexander Zverev Opens Up on Playing in Paris Heat at French Open

Zverev is currently having a notable run in Paris as the remaining favorite. Fresh off a straight-sets victory over Jesper de Jong to punch his ticket to the quarter-finals, the German is unbothered by the scorching sun.

When reporters asked Zverev if the extreme weather policy needed to be adjusted for the clay slam, he revealed his personal preferences, sidestepping the policy debate:

“It’s difficult for me to answer because I like heat. I’ve always liked it, I’ve always felt comfortable in the heat. The only time I really didn’t feel comfortable was in Tokyo at the Olympics, at that moment it was a different kind of heat, we were all dying on the court.”
While he acknowledged the toll the weather has taken on his peers, he believes that it will be the same for any clay-court match.

“But overall, there have been brutal matches and very tough conditions this week. Those kinds of matches would have been brutal anywhere though, with how long they were and how the rallies were. I don’t know. I’m not a politician. I don’t know what the rules are,” Zverev added.

Zverev might be comfortable, but the rest of the draw has been struggling. Novak Djokovic relied heavily on ice packs to survive before his five-set defeat to 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca. Jakub Mensik collapsed after a 4-hour, 41-minute, five-set win over Mariano Navone and had to be escorted off the court in a wheelchair.

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner looked physically drained in the sweltering 32°C (90°F) heat and got unwell in a massive upset to Juan Manuel Cerundolo. Elena Rybakina and Casper Ruud are also other examples.

18-year-old American Iva Jovic explicitly asked the chair umpire if she could go off-court to change out of her sweat-soaked clothes. In a move that drew heavy criticism, the umpire flatly denied the request, saying she would be penalized if she took another attire change break.

The tournament does have a heat protocol in place that relies on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), a metric based on air temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation. If the WBGT reaches 30.1°C (86°F), 10-minute cooling breaks can be allowed between the second and third sets for women, and between the third and fourth sets for men. If the WBGT hits 32.2°C (90°F), play will be completely suspended.

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The controversy is that, despite the actual air temperature in the 90s all week and several players suffering from exhaustion, the official heat policy was never activated because the specific WBGT algorithmic threshold wasn’t met. And that naturally points fingers to why Roland-Garros is not updating its rules.

Meanwhile, with Sinner and Djokovic out and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz already absent due to injury, Zverev is looking to win his first-ever Grand Slam. He will play the quarterfinal match against the 19-year-old Spanish sensation Rafael Jodar.