The Australian Open, a tough physical and mental challenge

The tennis season has started and the first one grand slam is he Australian Openheld in Melbourne in the middle of the southern summer under high temperatures. Often, matches are played in temperatures above 35° C, with peaks of up to 44° C, as occurred in the 2014 edition of the Grand Slam matches involve intermittent high-intensity exertion which can take up to four or five hours. If adverse weather conditions are added to this, the physical and mental challenge for the competitors becomes greater.

Scientific studies have shown that playing a game in extreme heat can generate sweat rates of up to 3.5 liters per hour, increasing the risk of hypohydration.

This phenomenon will negatively affect the main abilities for the player, such as aerobic capacity, balance, cognitive function or mood. Furthermore, playing at high temperatures causes players to increase their physiological responses, such as a higher heart rate, a higher perception of effort and an increase in body temperature. body.

These factors affect performance, such as a decrease in neuromuscular abilities. All of this translates into a higher rate of heat-related withdrawals and an increase in medical consultations at the end of matches.

To face this tough tournament, it is important that players maintain adequate fluid replacement, proper electrolyte balance and body temperature. During breaks, it is common to see tennis players using ice wrapped in a wet towel, placed on their heads or around their necks, to regulate their temperature. In the case of Spanish and European players, many of them have just finished their preseason in cold winter conditions, so proper acclimatization before the start of competition is very important.