Tennis player Grigor Dimitrov had to be helped off the court after his quarter-final victory against Francisco Cerundolo at the Miami Open.
This incident occurred shortly after Emma Raducanu reported feeling faint and dizzy during her own quarter-final match against Jessica Pegula on Wednesday.
Dimitrov managed to save a match point, securing his 150th victory at the ATP Masters 1000 event with a score of 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (3).
Despite falling behind 3-0 in the final set, he rallied to win.
The demanding match lasted two hours and 48 minutes, ultimately setting up a semi-final clash for the Bulgarian against the winner of the Novak Djokovic versus Sebastian Korda match.
Following a cordial exchange with Cerundolo, Dimitrov requested tournament officials to postpone his post-match interview.
The 33-year-old then needed medical assistance and sat down heavily on his courtside chair.
Appearing to suffer from cramps and struggling to breathe, he received lengthy treatment.
Medical personnel checked his blood pressure and helped Dimitrov leave the court.
Tennis commentator Martina Navratilova commented, “I’ve never witnessed a player collapse after winning a match.”
“He was visibly exhausted towards the end of the second set.”
“His ability to win despite feeling so unwell was an incredible display of mental and physical strength.”
“Grigor`s effort was truly remarkable. He faced setbacks but consistently fought back.”
“Cerundolo seemed less fatigued, and I anticipated him winning, yet Grigor prevailed.”
Dimitrov has a day to recover because Korda`s quarter-final match with Djokovic was delayed due to time constraints.
ATP and WTA rules stipulate that matches cannot commence after 11:00 PM local time without special permission.
In related news, Jessica Pegula, seeded No. 4, ended Raducanu`s impressive run in the tournament with a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-2 victory.
Raducanu experienced brief medical concerns late in the second set due to dizziness.
However, she continued playing after receiving medical attention, including blood tests, and completed the third set.
Reflecting on her dizziness, the 22-year-old stated, “I felt extremely dizzy and faint.”
“I`m unsure, perhaps it was the high humidity and the extended wait times.”
“It might just be a combination of factors, including the physical exertion and the lengthy rallies in these challenging conditions.”
