"Which other sport does this?" - Roger Federer's ex-coach calls out Cincinnati Open for making players play in extreme hot conditions amid complaints

Roger Federer's former coach, Ivan Ljubicic, is the latest to criticize the ongoing Cincinnati Open after multiple players, including Aryna Sabalenka, complained about the scorching heat in the first week. The temperature touched 90°F (32°C), resulting in Arthur Rinderknech collapsing and retiring from his Round-of-32 match against Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Rinderknech lost the first set 7-6(4) and fainted at 2-2 in the second set. However, the unseeded Frenchman, who beat Casper Ruud in the second round, continued playing after receiving treatment. He lost the next two games and retired.

Auger-Aliassime, who is through to the fourth round, spoke to Tennis Channel and tried to explain how harsh the conditions are:

"It feels like we're in an oven. We spoke afterward, and he (Rinderknech) told me he wasn't feeling very well today, right from the start, and that was the case throughout the entire match. He tried to stay in the fight. Winning that first set was key for me," he said.

Former player and coach Ivan Ljubicic expressed his disappointment by arguing that tennis is the only sport that doesn't take weather conditions into consideration.

"Nobody wins when players are fainting because of extreme conditions. Which other sport does this? Players are asked to go out day after day to complete in such conditions. Has nothing to do with being fit," he wrote on X/Twitter.

Ivan Ljubicic

@theljubicic

Nobody wins when players are fainting because of extreme conditions... Which other sport does this ? ... players are asked to go out day after day to complete in such conditions... Has nothing to do with being fit

It took Aryna Sabalenka three hours and nine minutes to beat Emma Raducanu 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) in the Round of 32. After the match, WTA No. 1 weighed in on the Cincinnati heat, tweeting:

"3 hour match in 90° weather. Immediate ice bath. I could stay there for an hour."

Sabalenka Aryna

@SabalenkaA

3 hour match in 90° weather 🤝 immediate ice bath 😆🧊 I could stay there for an hour 🫠🥶

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Elena Rybakina, Daniil Medvedev, and others struggle amid Cincinnati Open heat

Cincinnati Open 2025 - Day 3 - Source: Getty

Ninth-seed Elena Rybakina lost the first set of her opener in Cincinnati against Mexico's Renata Zarazúa. However, the 2022 Wimbledon champion roared back with a 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 win. During her on-court interview, Rybakina complained about the intense heat, saying (via The Tennis Letter's X handle):

“In the first set, the sun hit quite badly on me. I honestly didn’t feel well, especially at the beginning of the match. Somehow I got used to it & the weather became better. But it was really tough match. Happy that I managed to get through."

Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev faced an early exit as he lost 7-6(0), 4-6, 1-6 to Australia's Adam Walton in the second round. Frustrated with the weather conditions, the 12th-seed Russian placed his head inside a fridge on the court while also using a cooling towel.

Other players who seemed uncomfortable due to the heat in Ohio were Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Andrey Rublev.