A match at the Australian Open faced a delay when a ball kid became sick on the court, disrupting the game between Greek player Stefano Tsitsipas and Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki in the first round on Tuesday.
Mochizuki secured the first set 6-4, but Tsitsipas rallied back to claim the second set 6-3. As the third set began, a ball kid fell ill at the back of the court, prompting a pause in play for medical attention. This incident occurred shortly after Naomi Osaka’s match was suspended at the Rod Laver Arena.
TNT Sports commentators were initially puzzled by the stoppage of the Tsitsipas-Mochizuki match, speculating about the cause of the delay. After the vomit was cleaned up, the game resumed, with Tsitsipas winning the following two sets 6-2, setting up a second-round encounter with Czech player Tomas Machac.
Unfortunately, this was not the first instance of a ball kid falling ill at the tournament. Earlier in the week, another ball kid fainted during a match between Zeynep Sonmez and Ekaterina Alexandrova. Sonmez quickly came to the aid of the girl, ensuring she received the necessary care before play resumed.
Sonmez’s actions were praised by TNT commentator Catherine Whitaker, highlighting the importance of being compassionate and attentive to the well-being of those involved in the game.