A spectator at Wimbledon fell ill on Centre Court, with Carlos Alcaraz’s match against Fabio Fognini paused in the fifth set.
On the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history, with temperatures hitting 32C, Alcaraz’s enthralling first-round contest with Fognini was stopped with the Spaniard 3-0 in the fifth set.
Alcaraz rushed to bring a water bottle to the fan, 79-year-old Delyth Lewis from west Wales, with paramedics quickly arriving on the scene.
Fans quickly surrounded the spectator with umbrellas, who was taken away from the stands on a stretcher by medical staff.
Lewis’s niece, Sharon, revealed that her aunt fainted due to the hot conditions on Centre Court.
She said: “We think she overheated, we were drinking plenty of water, we were just about to hop out because she said she needed a break from the sun but she was desperate to see him win.
“Suddenly, she just leaned over and passed out. He came over straight away, he stayed and he kept talking to her. He was such a sweetheart.
“She’s a huge fan. The first thing she asked when she came around was did he win? And she was delighted that he did win, but she was sorry she didn’t get to see it!”
The match was paused for more than 15 minutes before play resumed, with Alcaraz taking the match with a comprehensive 6-1 scoreline in the final set.
