Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot! Millman’s Mid-Match Dash

He grew up in Brisbane, so knows a thing or two about humidity. But on Wednesday night, the hot conditions at the US Open got too much for John Millman.

“I’m not normally like the biggest sweater,” said Millman. “But I was really sweating…”

With temperatures at a relatively cool 70ºF, but humidity above 80 per cent, the Australian was drenched in perspiration as he approached Novak Djokovic at the net at 2-2 in the second set.

“Can I go change my clothes now?” Millman asked Djokovic. “They are saying I can only change now.”

It was a win-win for both. Djokovic smiled, and could be heard saying, “I can take a little rest.” The Serbian soon took off his shirt at his courtside bench.

The chair umpire agreed, invoking the ‘Equipment Out of Adjustment’ provision in the ITF Duties and Procedures for Officials, due to Millman’s excessive sweating and the moisture it was leaving on the court.

“It was a tricky one coming off,” said Millman. “I didn’t really want to come off. Novak was making me run a bit too much, though… I had to change!”

Two-time former US Open champion Djokovic believes it’s the toughest US Open he has contested in the past decade.

The Serbian later admitted, “I personally have never sweat as much as I have here. [It’s] incredible. I have to take at least 10 shirts for every match. It’s literally after two games you’re soaking.”

A similar situation occurred on Tuesday night, between the fourth and fifth sets of Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem quarter-final, when Thiem was allowed to get new shoes from the locker room.