After her exit at the Wuhan Open and the wave of online abuse that followed, Magdalena Frech spoke out against the harsh playing conditions that have become a major talking point on the WTA Tour. She’s the latest to raise concerns after several players collapsed or withdrew due to extreme heat and humidity.
Fell to Laura Siegemund
Frech reached the third round in Wuhan, defeating Veronika Kudermetova and Karolina Muchova before falling to Laura Siegemund 6–4, 7–6 in the round of 16. Following that loss, she received a barrage of hateful messages on social media. In response, the 27-year-old took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a heartfelt message about what players are enduring.
“In response to the flood of negative comments after my last match, I just want to say this: I sometimes regret things, but I’m not a machine,” she wrote. “Sometimes it feels like the organizers treat us as if we are, judging by how they schedule the matches.”
“Playing three consecutive days between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. in extreme conditions has taken a toll on my health — which always comes first. Competing at 97°F (36°C) with heavy pollution, burning-hot concrete, and high humidity might be acceptable once in a while, but not every day.”
Frech went on to describe how the combination of exhaustion and emotional strain affected her ability to perform.
“Yesterday was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in all my years on tour,” she added. “It wasn’t just physical fatigue — it was a constant fight against negative emotions that drained my body. At one point, it wasn’t a tennis match anymore. It was about survival.”
A Growing Problem on Tour
Frech’s comments highlight two major issues that have plagued tennis recently: unsafe heat conditions and online abuse. Players like Eva Lys and Linda Noskova have also shared their experiences of social media harassment, exposing the darker side of the tour.
While Frech didn’t go into as much detail about the abuse, her statement underlined how players are vulnerable to both physical exhaustion and emotional pressure. Her struggles continued in Beijing, where she lost in the first round to Ella Seidel 7–5, 6–4, following an earlier defeat to rising Czech star Nikola Bartunkova in Guadalajara and a third-round loss to Coco Gauff at the US Open.
The Broader Context: When the Heat Becomes Dangerous
The discussion about player welfare isn’t limited to the WTA. Holger Rune has publicly called for a formal heat rule on the ATP side, after several men also collapsed in Shanghai. Even Emma Raducanu and Bianca Andreescu have drawn attention to the issue — Raducanu by seeking medical attention, and Andreescu by sharing videos of the extreme sweating and dehydration players face during matches.
The “Asian swing,” once known for its high-quality tournaments, is increasingly being criticized for unsafe scheduling in sweltering conditions. While players from warmer climates may adapt more easily, for many others, it’s become a test of endurance rather than skill.
Magdalena Frech: “A Matter of Survival”
Between oppressive heat, grueling schedules, and relentless social media harassment — often from gamblers upset over lost bets — players like Frech are confronting a toxic mix of challenges. Her words echo a sentiment growing louder across the sport:
“Competing on the tour shouldn’t be a fight for survival.”
Frech’s courage to speak up should not be ignored any further.