Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 19th-ranked player in the world, collapsed on court and was forced to retire from her opening-round match at the Memphis Classic on Tuesday. The high temperatures, which reached 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit), contributed to her withdrawal.
The Russian player was competing against 16-year-old compatriot Kristina Liutova when the incident occurred. Alexandrova was trailing 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 5-4 in a match that had already lasted over three hours. The match was initially paused as Alexandrova attempted to continue, but she received a time violation for taking too long to serve due to her struggles.
During the next point, Alexandrova fell to the ground and required immediate medical attention. Although she was able to stand, she had to forfeit the match. The victory marked a debut WTA tour win for Liutova, but the teenager was visibly distressed by the circumstances.
In other women's tennis news, Venus Williams was defeated in the first round of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington D.C. on the same day. The 46-year-old player lost her match 6-3, 6-3 to Austria's Anastasia Potapova. Williams' last singles victory was at the same event in the previous year.