Alex de Minaur addressed the harsh heat and humidity at the Citi DC Open ahead of his opening-round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Australian player said the conditions force him to change shoes multiple times during matches.
“This is one of the few weeks of the year when the hot and humid conditions are so harsh that I sweat a lot on my feet and need several pairs of shoes per game,” de Minaur said. “Last year I used five in the same meeting. We have to try to adapt, and I’ll be ready.”
De Minaur is defending his title at the ATP 500 event after a fourth-round loss at Wimbledon. He trails Tsitsipas 1-12 in their head-to-head record.