The Number One Killer of Tennis Spectators
- CAROLINE DIDELOTHow to Not Let Your Tennis Trip End at the Medical Tent
I am very accustomed to the heat and how to handle it. I’ve attended the Cincinnati Open which reached highs of 100℉, traveled to Italy when it got hit by an Saharan heat wave, and lived in Miami for a year –– which I think speaks for itself.
Even through all of that, in 2026 when I traveled to Indian Wells, I could feel gravity pulling the blood away from my head and down to the rest of my body on the second day of the tournament. Before I knew it, I had 90 seconds to do something, or I knew it would be lights out.
For full context, let’s rewind 24 hours. Day one of Indian Wells was easy. My friends and I were snapping photos, eating hot dogs, drinking beer, laughing, and moving between courts to watch different matches –– typical tournament shenanigans. We ended the day at a delicious restaurant with plenty to eat and drink.
Now, re-read that last sentence with a caveat –– I’m not one to drink much. When attending a tennis tournament there are several factors to consider. It's hot, you do lots of running around, water isn’t always free, and you might want a drink with dinner. That day, it’s fair to say I wasn’t keeping score. Skip to the morning of day two, and my head is glued to the toilet, we’re behind schedule, and the eggs I was supposed to have for breakfast are sitting cold on the kitchen counter.
Nonetheless we persist.
We finally get to the grounds, and our first order of business was shopping. Easy, right? Well, shopping instead of breakfast (aka fuel for the day) = wrong answer.
Now let’s take into consideration where we’ll be watching tennis that day –– the outer courts. If you’ve never sat on the outer courts before, they’re in direct sun with nowhere to escape, and your water will warm up after only one game.
Following?
After finding our seats, we’re now sitting on metal bleachers with no back support to hold us upright, and the matches begin. Suddenly, the hourglass flips and the sand starts running. Set one, set two, match. Set one, set two –– tiebreak. We’re going to a third set, and there hasn’t been one drop of shade the entire time.
That’s when your husband turns to you and asks you if you’re ok, and you say no because you finally learned a new tennis lesson the hard way.
A hangover, however big or small, combined with dehydration, is the number one killer of tennis spectators.