Here in New York, this week’s heat wave was felt by fans and players at the US Open, where temperatures reached the mid-90s, accompanied by intense humidity. Russian player Daniil Medvedev issued a warning during his Wednesday quarterfinals match.
Daniil Medvedev: “You cannot imagine. One player is going to die, and they’re going to see.”
On Thursday, climate activists with Extinction Rebellion delayed a semifinal match by 50 minutes between Coco Gauff and Karolína Muchová, as they stood up in the crowd and called for an end to fossil fuels. One protester glued their bare feet to the ground. Nineteen-year-old Gauff eventually won the match, sending her to the finals. She is the youngest American to get this far since Serena Williams in 1999. Coco Gauff was questioned about the protest following her win.
Coco Gauff: “I mean, I think that, you know, throughout history, moments like this are definitely defining moments. And I definitely, I believe, you know, that — I believe in climate change. … Hey, if that’s what they felt that they needed to do to get their voices heard, I can’t really get upset at it.”