(VIDEO) "Francisco are you alright?" - Lorenzo Musetti comes to the aid of 'lightheaded' Francisco Comesana in sweltering conditions

The conditions are proving to be challenging in Shanghai at the moment, with some of the players struggling with the heat and humidity while competing in the Shanghai Masters. Francesco Comesana got the brunt of this, suffering heatstroke and feeling lightheaded in his tie against Lorenzo Musetti. He would go on to lose 6-4, 6-0.

With temperatures soaring above 30 degree Celsius and the real feel even higher, it is very hard for these tennis players to be running around and competing in it, especially when the humidity is between 60-70%. This has been a problem for many stars when playing in this part of the world, with the Australian Open known for these problems. However, today saw a more alarming case, with Comesana visibly struggling on court.

The Argentine found himself on the back foot early on, having to save two break points from Musetti. He was not so lucky the next time, with the Italian stealing a march on his opponent before seeing out the first set to take the advantage.

Unfortunately for Comesana, he would not win a single game from here. As he started to get more affected by the sweltering heat, Musetti saw his opportunity, and claimed a trio of breaks to storm into an unassailable 5-0 lead.

This was when it got too much for Comesana, who was bent over the advertising board. The umpire noticed, and said: "Francisco are you alright?" He would ask him again, before a concerned Musetti got up and wandered over to his opponent, as he slowly collapsed to the ground. Comesana saw him coming and told him how he was feeling, before being overly relieved to see Musetti bring an ice towel with him as the crowd sportingly applauded.

Comesana wrapped the towel around his neck as the pair exchanged a few words. The umpire would come and ask if he was doing ok, before joining Musetti in helping him to his feet, which was followed by yet another round of applause. He picked up his racket before gingerly strolling voer to his chair, constantly wiping the towel on his face to cool him down.

Once at his chair, he started to drink the water supplied to him, desperately trying to get fluid into his system. Musetti was also doing the same. The medical team would finally come down to make sure he was not in any danger. He would fight on, but Musetti was able to hold to win the match and advance through to the next round.

This is not the first example of a tennis player not being able to cope with the heat this year. A couple of months ago Arthur Rinderknech collapsed halfway through his third round tie against Felix Auger Aliassime in CIncinnati. The Frenchman would go on to reitre. This is despite ice towels, cold water, fans, and umbrellas being provided to supprot the players.

Even the fans are susceptible for this torrid treatment. At Wimbledon, Carlos Alcaraz grabbed the headlines by aiding a fan who had collapsed in the stands due to heat stress. He rushed over and passed the fans a bottle of water. This was during a five-set battle with Fabio Fognini in temperatures reaching 32 degree Celsius.

This has to be a startling concern for the ATP and WTA, and a wake up call if it continues, with the next victim possibly not being as lucky, whether they are on or off the court. With tournaments played in gruelling climates, something must be done to make sure the players are safe on court.