Sweltering Heat Tests Players and Fans at U.S. Open

The second-round action at the U.S. Open saw players and fans struggle with extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 95°F. Madison Keys and Alexander Zverev secured victories, while some athletes faced physical challenges due to the weather. Officials had to intervene due to heat-related incidents amongst players and spectators.

(Adds details throughout) NEW YORK, Aug 28 (Reuters) -

Sweltering heat dominated the second-round action at the U.S. Open on Wednesday, pushing both players and fans to their limits. With temperatures soaring past 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35°C), competitors were seen battling through the scorching conditions at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Madison Keys made quick work of Australian qualifier Maya Joint, winning 6-4 6-0 within 62 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I just wanted to get on and get off," said Keys, the 2017 runner-up, who will face Belgian Elise Mertens in the next round.

German Alexander Zverev also secured a straight-sets victory against French wildcard Alexandre Muller at Louis Armstrong Stadium, setting up a match with Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. "I was at some point very, very wet. The whole court was flooded from me," said Zverev, who managed to stay physically strong despite the conditions.

While high temperatures are not uncommon at the year's final major, Wednesday's conditions were particularly brutal. Some players struggled to cope, with Etcheverry vomiting amid his five-set battle against Francisco Cerundolo, and Russian Andrey Rublev pulling off a comeback from two sets down to defeat Arthur Rinderknech. Both players had to wrap themselves in ice towels during changeovers.

The match between Rublev and Rinderknech was briefly halted when a spectator required medical attention due to the heat. Similar measures were taken during Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen's match, in which she placed an ice towel around her head during her 6-7(3) 6-1 6-2 win over Erika Andreeva. Officials called a 10-minute heat break at the Grandstand to manage the stifling conditions.

(With inputs from agencies.)