A ball kid’s sudden illness caused a brief delay in a match at the Australian Open between Greek player Stefano Tsitsipas and Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki. Mochizuki took the first set 6-4, but Tsitsipas rallied to win the second set 6-3. As the third set began, the match was interrupted when a ball kid became sick near the court, prompting medical attention.
The unexpected incident led to a temporary halt in play, with both players returning to their benches. This pause occurred shortly after another match involving Naomi Osaka was suspended at the Rod Laver Arena. Commentators from TNT Sports were initially puzzled by the stoppage in play before the situation was clarified.
After the ball kid received medical care and the court was cleaned, the game resumed, and Tsitsipas dominated the next two sets, securing a victory. The match concluded with Tsitsipas setting up a second-round encounter with Czech player Tomas Machac. Unfortunately, this was not the only instance of a ball kid falling ill at this year’s tournament.
In a separate incident during a match between Zeynep Sonmez and Ekaterina Alexandrova, another ball kid fainted. Sonmez quickly assisted the girl, ensuring she received help and was able to continue the match after a brief delay. Sonmez’s compassionate actions were commended by TNT commentator Catherine Whitaker, highlighting the importance of being a good human being above all else in such situations.