A ball kid’s illness caused a delay in a match at the Australian Open, where Greek player Stefano Tsitsipas was up against Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki in the tournament’s first round. Mochizuki took the initial set 6-4, but Tsitsipas fought back to claim the second set 6-3. As the third set began, a ball kid became unwell near the court’s back, leading to a temporary stoppage in play for medical attention.

The interruption puzzled TNT Sports’ commentators, who paused to allow for resolution of the situation. Following a quick clean-up by staff, the game resumed, with Tsitsipas securing victory by winning the next two sets 6-2. This win set up a second-round match for Tsitsipas against Czech player Tomas Machac. Unfortunately, this incident was not the only one involving ill ball kids at the tournament, as another ball kid had fainted earlier in a different match.

In a separate incident, during a match between Zeynep Sonmez and Ekaterina Alexandrova, a ball kid fainted, prompting Sonmez to assist the child to safety and resume play shortly after. Sonmez recounted the incident, emphasizing the importance of being a good human being over being a skilled athlete.

TNT commentator Catherine Whitaker praised Sonmez’s quick actions in aiding the distressed ball kid, highlighting her attentiveness and compassion. Such incidents underscore the challenges faced by ball kids during high-stakes matches.