US Open star drank 15 litres of water in one day and warns 'accident will happen'

Arthur Rinderknech has admitted to drinking 15 litres of water during his defeat to Andrey Rublev at the US Open. The scorching conditions in New York have caused problems for many players, with temperatures reaching around 35 degrees Celsius at times.

Tomas Etcheverry was visibly struggling in his match against Francisco Cerundolo, which went to five sets and lasted four hours and four minutes. He threw up on the court moments before hitting the winning point, with the hot weather clearly taking its toll.

Rinderknech was also involved in a marathon contest against Rublev, eventually falling to a five-set defeat in just over four hours. Speaking after the match, he admitted that it was difficult to compete at his best with the blistering heat sapping the energy of players.

He also claimed that he drank 15 litres of water throughout the match in a bid to cope with the 'extreme' conditions.

"We have a pipe that brings fresh air, it feels great, but it’s not enough," said Rinderknech. "There was an ice pack in the tub next to it, as well as an ice towel that I put around my neck every time I changed sides.

"I drank, I think, 15 one-litre bottles, which means I drank 15 litres. I ate everything I could, but it’s so hard to eat in this heat. It was extreme."

Rinderknech also suggested that accidents will inevitably happen until more is done to help players cope with the gruelling conditions. He echoed Daniil Medvedev's view that someone is eventually 'going to die' as a direct result of the heat at the US Open.

"I am waiting for the day when an accident will happen," he added. "We are like dogs on the field. Not a single player backs down, we do not think, we rush, it is 4000 degrees, it is dangerous.