Casper Ruud says sweltering conditions made him feel like a ‘zombie’ as he reaches French Open second round

Casper Ruud battled extreme heat and a demanding five-setter to reach the second round at Roland Garros after surviving a tense comeback from Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin. The two-time French Open finalist appeared to be in control after winning the first two sets and leading 5-2 in the third, but he missed five match points and dropped that set 7-5. His condition worsened in the fourth set, which he lost 6-0, as he received medical attention and was seen cooling himself with water, ice and towels while the temperature in Paris climbed to 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or 33 degrees Celsius, according to Météo-France.

Ruud said he felt as if he was experiencing heatstroke and described feeling dizzy and moving “like a zombie” during the fourth set. He said the only similar moment he had experienced was years earlier in Washington, DC, when he had to retire in a match. A five-minute heat break after the fourth set helped him recover enough to compete in the deciding set, where he regrouped and won 6-2, 7-6(5), 5-7, 0-6, 6-2. He will face Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic in the next round on Wednesday.

The Norwegian said he was proud that he did not give in, adding that he would rather stay on court and lose heavily than retire. He said he was glad he was able to “jump start” what felt like an almost dead body and finish the match. His victory came amid a broader wave of punishing weather affecting the French capital and much of Europe, with officials warning that the heat is likely to continue through the tournament.

Météo-France reported that 352 towns in France recorded their highest May temperatures on Monday, while 31 of the country’s 96 administrative departments were placed on high-temperature alert until Tuesday. The agency said temperatures could reach 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius, and described the conditions as a premature, remarkable and long heat episode expected to last several more days.

The heatwave has also raised serious safety concerns beyond tennis. French officials said there have been seven deaths directly or indirectly linked to the heat, including at least five drownings, as well as deaths connected to extreme heat during sports events. On Sunday, a 53-year-old man died during a running event in Paris and a woman died at a Hyrox sports event in Lyon, according to local media reports cited by the Associated Press. France’s sports minister said the incidents were a stark reminder that exercising in extreme heat requires absolute vigilance.

Despite the difficult conditions, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka also advanced on Tuesday, defeating Spanish qualifier Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 to move into the second round.