Australian Open 2026: Tennis players calculate the health cost of the sun-chasing sport

A 2023 study published by the Australian Institute of Sport identified a confirmed link between an increased risk of skin cancer and those who regularly spend all or part of their day working outdoors. The study indicates that skin damage is permanent and irreversible and increases with each exposure.

Last week, when Zarazua got a sunburn — causing her to have a fever the next day — she didn’t apply sunscreen, even though she usually does.

She told BBC Sport that applying sunscreen “can be annoying sometimes because it can be very oily, you even get a little grip on your arm and then your grip becomes very slippery, so you can’t play.”

“That’s why I sometimes wear long sleeves and leggings to avoid all this stuff,” she added. “If I have a little cream, I feel like I can’t grip my fist properly and you need a strong grip to hit a forehand or a serve.

“You can put on extra sunscreen on the field, but what do you do with your hands after that? It’s not like you have a washing machine in there so you can put soap on.”

Brit Cameron Norrie uses a heavy-duty zinc-based sunscreen on his face, the kind that leaves a white streak but is sweat-resistant.

“I don’t look very good – I look a bit like a cricketer – but it’s the only way for me to protect for a long period of time,” he told BBC Sport.

Based on their experiences, Roddick and Everett called on current players at both the junior and senior levels to take strict precautions in the sun, urging the use of sun cream, hats and sunglasses.

Maya Joynt, who regularly wears sunglasses, praised the tournaments for doing a “really good job” of providing sunscreen, and the tours have rules to help players in hot and humid conditions.

New heat rules recently introduced on the men’s ATP Tour, similar to long-standing WTA provisions, will from this season allow a 10-minute break during matches in extreme conditions.

“I think a lot of players do a good job of it [looking after themselves in the sun]said the subscriber.

“[But] “I still know a couple of people who should probably wear more sunscreen.”