Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, recently voiced strong opinions on the need for a formal heat policy on the ATP Tour after witnessing Francisco Comesana’s alarming collapse during his third-round match at the 2025 Cincinnati Open.
Gilbert argued that current tennis regulations allow players to pause play and take medical timeouts for what he classifies as fitness-related issues like cramps, which can unfairly disrupt the flow of the match.
What Prompted Brad Gilbert To Demand a Formal Heat Policy on the ATP Tour?
The incident with Comesana happened during a tense second set against America’s Reilly Opelka. After losing the first set 7-6 (4), Comesana led 4-3 with a 15-0 advantage on his serve. Suddenly, he hesitated on the baseline and stopped play. He slowly moved to the sidelines, showing visible distress. A ballgirl brought a sick bag while medical staff checked his blood pressure and applied ice to his neck to combat the intense Ohio heat.
After an 11-minute timeout, Comesana returned, regained momentum, and ultimately won the set 6-4 and the match in three sets. However, the episode raised concerns about the fairness and safety of rules allowing long breaks in extreme heat.
El momento de la descompensación de Comesaña.
Mirá #Cincinnati en el Plan Premium de Disney+. pic.twitter.com/Lfhq8cgSNY
— ESPN Tenis (@ESPNtenis) August 12, 2025
Gilbert voiced his frustration about the ATP’s lack of a structured heat rule through a series of posts on X. He criticized the current system that allows players suffering from cramps or heat exhaustion to take prolonged medical timeouts without penalty, which he believes disrupts the flow of the match and gives an unfair recovery advantage.
“The heat just hit Comesana out of nowhere, it’s on his serv 6-7 4-3 15-0, I know I’m old school, this is cramps fitness atm and how long can the player gets on this undetermined amount of time evaluation, then medical timeout, I feel like you should still lose this game,” Gilbert wrote, labeling cramps as a “fitness issue” rather than an injury. He suggested that players should forfeit the game in which they are affected instead of pausing the game.
The heat just hit Comesana out of nowhere, it’s on his serv 6-7 4-3 15-0, I know I’m old school, this is cramps fitness atm and how long can the player gets on this undetermined amount of time evaluation, then medical timeout, I feel like you should still lose this game
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) August 12, 2025
In a follow-up tweet, Gilbert pointed out that, unlike the WTA, which implements a 10-minute break after two sets in extreme heat, the ATP has no formal equivalent. He recommended that the men’s tour adopt a similar measure to either pause play entirely when conditions reach dangerous levels, as seen in the Australian Open’s Extreme Heat Policy, or at least introduce mandatory cooling breaks after two sets if the heat index exceeds a specific threshold.
“There isn’t a heat rule I believe @atptour level. The @WTA has something that there is 10 min break after 2 sets, should definitely be something if too extreme no play, like they have in Melbourne, or if over heat index 10 mins break after 2 sets,” he added.
there isn’t a heat rule i believe @atptour level. the @WTA has something that there is 10 min break after 2sets, should definitely be something if to extreme no play, like they have in melbourne, or if over heat index 10 mins break after 2sets
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) August 12, 2025
MORE: Distressing Scenes Unfold as Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Opponent Collapses on Ground in Extreme Heat, Retires at Cincinnati Open
How Did Extreme Heat Impact Players and Matches at the 2025 Cincinnati Open?
The 2025 Cincinnati Open highlighted the urgency of these concerns. With temperatures nearing 88 degrees and humidity soaring high, the tournament saw multiple heat-related medical issues and player complaints.
Felix Auger-Aliassime described the atmosphere as an “oven,” while his opponent, Arthur Rinderknech, was forced to retire mid-match after collapsing from heat exhaustion. Other competitors, including Jakub Mensik and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, withdrew due to the intense weather.
Top stars like Daniil Medvedev resorted to extreme cooling methods during matches, including putting his head in an ice cooler and using a portable air conditioner. Other top players like Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz frequently took ice towel breaks to combat the oppressive conditions.
