A ball kid vomiting on the court caused a delay during a match at the Australian Open between Greek player Stefano Tsitsipas and Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki. Mochizuki initially won the first set 6-4, but Tsitsipas came back to take the second set 6-3. However, the start of the third set was interrupted when a ball kid fell ill near the back of the court, leading to the match being temporarily halted for medical attention.
The medical staff attended to the ball kid while both players, Tsitsipas and Mochizuki, returned to their benches. This incident occurred shortly after another match involving Naomi Osaka was suspended at the Rod Laver Arena. The commentators from TNT Sports were initially unsure of the reason for the pause in the Tsitsipas-Mochizuki game.
After cleaning up the court, play resumed, and Tsitsipas went on to win the next two sets, securing a 6-2 victory and advancing to the second round to face Czechia’s Tomas Machac. Unfortunately, this was not the first instance of a ball kid falling ill during this year’s tournament.
In a separate incident earlier in the week, a ball kid fainted during a match between Zeynep Sonmez and Ekaterina Alexandrova. Sonmez quickly assisted the girl, helping her recover before play resumed. Sonmez emphasized the importance of being a good human being over a good tennis player in situations like these.
Commentator Catherine Whitaker praised Sonmez’s quick response, highlighting her attentiveness to the ball kid’s well-being. Overall, incidents like these demonstrate the compassion and quick thinking needed in high-pressure sporting events.