Not even a quick vomit break can stop Coco Gauff.
The pro tennis player had to call a medical timeout during the second set of her match at the Madrid Open against Sorana Cirstea on Sunday, April 26, running to the side of the court before getting sick.
The short delay didn’t hold her back long, as Gauff went on to advance in the tournament, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.
“I don’t know how I got it done,” Gauff told Sky Sports after the match. “Just dealing with a lot of trying to keep my food down. But once I threw up — and I was able to throw up after the first set — I felt a bit better.
She continued, “It was just a tough match. I think I got the Madrid stomach virus that’s going around. I’m usually someone who doesn’t get sick. My luck today just wasn’t good.”
Gauff’s medical issues came just one day after Iga Swiatek had to retire in the third set of her match. Swiatek also took a medical timeout but — unlike Gauff — ultimately had to step away from the court.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine in a couple of days, but I had zero energy,” Swiatek told Tennis.com after withdrawing. “I just felt really bad physically and yesterday, even worse. So I thought maybe today it’s gonna be better, but maybe it was, but not enough to play a match.”
She continued, “The symptoms are not something you want to hear about.”
Nearly half a dozen players have been forced to retire from the tournament so far due to an illness that is seemingly making its rounds.
“When I actually threw up on the court, that was a little bit embarrassing,” Gauff told reporters, per the WTA. “Then after that first game and the second, I was like that took everything out of me. I’m someone who doesn’t like to pull out [of matches]. I don’t like to do that unless I really feel like I have no other options.”
She continued, “So the plan was to always just try to finish, even if it ended up with me, just playing just to get through it.”
Gauff next faces No. 13 Linda Noskova on Monday, April 27.
Jannik Sinner — the World No. 1 on the men’s side — said he’s doing everything he can to avoid the stomach bug.
“I come match days a little bit earlier, but practice days are very late,” Sinner said. “I practice, and then I get away. But this is how I do every tournament.”
He continued, “I don’t know if it’s something that’s just around here or in general, but this can happen. When one gets sick, you’re always quite close to each other in the dining rooms and in the gym.”
