PARIS — Casper Ruud said sweltering conditions made him feel like a zombie as the two-time French Open finalist overcame extreme heat and a near-collapse to defeat Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin 6-2, 7-6(5), 5-7, 0-6, 6-2 in the first round at Roland Garros on Monday. The 15th-seeded Norwegian received medical attention during the fourth set after experiencing dizziness and disorientation in temperatures that reached 33 degrees Celsius on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Seven people died across France in heat-related incidents over the weekend, French authorities confirmed.

What Happened in Court

Ruud was two sets up and leading 5-2 in the third set with five match points. He failed to convert any of them. Safiullin took the third set 7-5. Ruud, visibly struggling, lost the fourth set 6-0 while receiving medical attention after the first and third games.

Television cameras captured Ruud pouring water on his head, wrapping his neck with an ice-filled towel, and rubbing ice on his face during the match. The four-hour contest stretched across five sets in conditions that Meteo-France, France’s national weather agency, described as part of a “premature, remarkable and long” heat episode.

A five-minute heat break after the fourth set allowed Ruud to recover. “I was able to get my pulse and body temperature down as much as possible,” Ruud said. He returned to win the deciding fifth set 6-2.

“I’m proud because I never gave in. I didn’t give up,” Ruud said. “I’d rather be out there and lose 6-0 and 6-0 than retire, but it didn’t look pretty there in the fourth. Of course, very happy that I was able to kind of jump start an almost dead body.”

Ruud said he had experienced similar symptoms only once before, during a match in Washington DC years earlier, when he retired in the third set with heatstroke. “That’s the only time I had that feeling I had today in the fourth set, where I felt at times really dizzy and walking around like a zombie, almost.”

The Heatwave Across France

Météo-France reported that 352 French towns recorded their highest-ever May temperatures on Monday. Thirty-one of France’s 96 administrative departments have been placed on high-temperature alert until Tuesday. The agency said temperatures could reach 37 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

The extreme heat caused deaths across the country. Maud Bregeon, a French government spokesperson, told French TV network TF1 on Monday that there had been “seven deaths directly or indirectly linked to the heat, including at least five from drowning, as well as deaths related 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 the city of Lyon, the Associated Press reported, citing local media. France’s Minister of Sports, Marina Ferrari, said the deaths were “a stark reminder that practicing sports in extreme heat requires absolute vigilance.”

What Happens Next

Ruud advances to face Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic in the second round on Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to remain high through the week.

Despite the sweltering conditions, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka overcame Spanish qualifier Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 on Tuesday to advance to the second round. Sabalenka did not require medical attention during her match.

The heatwave is expected to affect more players across the tournament as Paris faces continued scorching temperatures. Météo-France has described the heat episode as likely to last several more days.

Written by the Tennis Desk, drawing on Roland Garros post-match press conferences, Météo-France weather bulletins, Associated Press reporting, and French government statements. The desk has covered Grand Slam tennis for over 15 years.

Source: Roland Garros, Météo-France, Associated Press, French Government