The Tokyo Olympics are celebrating the 4th day of the Games, and hot battles are taking place at each venue.
On the other hand, as the tournament progressed, I became worried.
There are many players who are suffering from the “heat” that was a concern before the tournament, and there are a series of complaints from tennis players in particular.
Serbian Novak Djokovic, who is ranked number one in the men's singles world ranking, said after the first match on the 24th, "It is very hot and humid, and the court will accumulate heat," and shift the match time after the evening. I was looking for it.
Also, Daniil Medvedev of the Russian Olympic Committee, who is second in the world, pointed out that it is necessary to change the match time because it is "the worst environment" for severe heat and humidity.
What exactly is the heat that players dislike?
Around 1 pm on the 26th, I walked around the venue, "Ariake Tennis Forest" in Koto-ku, Tokyo.
About 500 meters from the tennis court to the work place of our press, I walked for about 10 minutes while feeling the strong sunlight and the damp moisture that clings to my body, and the sweat oozes on my forehead.
The temperature around the venue was 29.9 degrees Celsius, which was lower than 30 degrees Celsius, probably because of a little wind, which was somewhat less hot than the maximum temperature of 32.9 degrees Celsius at the same spot I visited on the 24th. It was an impression.
How did the players feel in the heat of the 26th?
I asked Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fogina, who participated in the second round of the men's singles, which started after midnight, in 34th place in the world.
After about three hours of the match, Davidovich Fogina said, "During the match, my clothes got sweaty and messed up. I'm from southern Spain, where it's often hot, but Tokyo is hotter and humider." Was there.
Even though I felt the heat had eased somewhat, the humidity seemed unpleasant.
In response to this heat, the International Tennis Federation changed some of the rules before the tournament, and if the heat index exceeds a certain standard during a singles match, if either player requests it, There is a rule to take a 10 minute break between the 2nd and 3rd sets.
The 25th was applied from 11am to 5pm, but the 26th was not. Djokovic was in the second round of men's singles around 5 pm when the surrounding temperature was 27.2 degrees Celsius, which was cooler than during the day.
Djokovic, who seemed more relaxed from the outside of the court than in the first match, said after the match, "Today there were a lot of clouds so the sun was pretty easy."
On the other hand, looking back, he said, "It was difficult until the first round. It was a very dangerous situation with high temperature and humidity. Everything in my body was heavy and I felt like I was dragging my legs. I want to be released from the stress of the weather." I had a look on my face.
In non-tennis competitions, a Russian Olympic Commission archery girl was fainted and carried on a stretcher on the 23rd of this month, and the British public broadcaster BBC reported that she had "fallen in the harsh heat of Tokyo." ..
Since we have decided to hold the tournament in Tokyo, which is in the middle of summer, I would like to ask the organizers to manage it so that there are no players or people involved who will collapse due to the heat.