Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu call attention to scorching heat at Wuhan Open after major disruption at tournament

The WTA 1000 event in Wuhan's weather conditions has come under intense scrutiny as Emma Raducanu and Iga Swiatek recently shared how they are battling high humidity conditions during their practice sessions.

On Monday, Raducanu shared an update from Jiangxia, where temperatures hit 34°C (93°F) but felt like 37°C (99°F). She dropped a single emoji to sum up the struggle:

"🥵"

Meanwhile, Swiatek was also spotted on court, dripping with sweat during practice at the VOYAH Wuhan Open venue. The world No. 1 wrung out her soaked shirt after an intense training drill.

Raducanu's Thread post and Iga Swiatek's Instagram story

This comes after the Polina Kudermetova vs Elise Mertens game was suspended due to the heat. Organizers announced no play before 3 pm local time. At the time, Mertens was up by one set after saving five set points. The play resumed after some time. Mertens ended up winning the game 7-6, 6-3.

Upcoming Wuhan Open matches of Emma Raducanu and Iga Swiatek

Despite tough conditions, Emma Raducanu and Iga Swiatek will hit the court to start their tournament in Wuhan. Raducanu's first round match is against the USA's Ann Li. If she advances, she could face either Ekaterina Alexandrova or Victoria Mboko. Jessica Pegula could be waiting for her in the third round.

Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, as the No. 2 seed, has received a first-round bye, following which she will face Marie Bouzková in the second round. Down the line, she could face Belinda Bencic, Jasmine Paolini and Coco Gauff before she possibly enters the final and potentially face World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. This will be Swiatek's first time playing in Wuhan.

"Well, honestly, there are some specific things that I think I can improve on the court," Swiatek said after China Open (via Tennis365). "I’ll just try to do that in the next days. I’ve never been there. I have no idea even how the site looks like and how the courts are. It’s I think nice to just see a new place."

Meanwhile, the men's tournament in Shanghai has many players calling out the hot and humid conditions. The likes of Terrence Atmane, Jannik Sinner, Hamad Medjedovic and Yibing Wu have already retired due to the humidity and hot climate.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Krutik Jain