During the first day of the Australian Open, a ball kid collapsed, causing a temporary stoppage in play. The incident took place as No. 11 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova was making a comeback against Zeynep Sonmez. Despite Sonmez initially leading, Alexandrova managed to break serve twice, setting herself up to serve for the second set at 5-3.
The match was interrupted when the ball kid fell at the side of the 1573 Arena court. Both players and court attendants rushed to assist, while the umpire called for medical help and announced a suspension of play.
Commentator Catherine Whitaker mentioned that the match would be paused until assistance arrived for the ball kid, emphasizing the importance of the child’s well-being. Fans praised Sonmez for her compassionate reaction, highlighting her sportsmanship.
After the brief delay, medical staff helped the ball kid off the court, receiving applause from the spectators. The interruption seemed to affect Alexandrova’s momentum as she was subsequently broken when play resumed.
Despite the setback, Sonmez managed to secure a remarkable 7-5 4-6 6-4 victory, delighting her supporters in the arena. Alexandrova will now focus on the women’s doubles event, teaming up with Venus Williams.
Meanwhile, players like Canadian qualifier Liam Draxl also faced challenges due to the warm weather in Melbourne, with temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius. Draxl required medical attention during his match against Damir Dzumhur in the men’s singles draw, underlining the demanding conditions at the tournament.