If tennis was a game show, you might liken it to the popular hit of the early 2000s, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" And it's not just because these players are playing for the ultimate prize in tennis at the US Open. They also get to use one of the popular "lifelines" contestants used in the show, the "Phone-a-Friend" option. In this case, that friend is the tour physio, who treats the players when they are dealing with a health issue during a match.
The role of a physio at the US Open is critical. It's the end of the year, and players' bodies are tired and worn out from the long and grueling season. Aches and pains that weren't present before suddenly start to creep in and affect movement.
So when a physio is called to the court for an ailing player, he is entrusted with making sure that player can get back to performing to the best of his ability at the year-end Grand Slam. No pressure, right? But there's one more challenge. Similar to the "Phone-a-Friend" option, the physio has to beat the clock when treating a player on court.
After a brief on-court evaluation, players are allowed one three-minute medical timeout per injury, with the only exception coming when a player receives an abrasion or cut and begins bleeding. In such cases, five minutes are allotted to treat the wound. If a player needs additional treatment outside of the medical timeout, they are allowed to ask for a physio on two changeovers in a match.
Clay Sniteman, medical director with the ATP, said that he and the five other ATP physios on standby throughout the Open are well equipped to handle any injury or ailment that may plague a player. The key is to get the player back to optimal conditions, pronto.
"Once a diagnosis is made, we try to do our best to be helpful to the player," Sniteman said. "That includes determining if the player has had a previous injury. Then we do what we can in the time given to help them improve their condition so that they can continue play and finish the match."
According to Sniteman, a physio can be called on court for any number of reasons, from blisters and rolled ankles to stiff necks and muscle cramping. So, of course, they have to be prepared for anything they may need to address when treating a player mid-match. They arrive on court equipped with a backpack full of tapes, ointments, blood-stop materials and other necessary medical items, ready to turn the tennis court into a three-minute clinic.
And though fans hate to see a physio called to court during a match, these professionals help to ensure a healthy finish to a match and are a necessary lifeline for a player. Just ask Juan Martin del Potro.
