Play was stopped during Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open semi-final match against Jannik Sinner as a fan in the stands was taken ill. After dropping the first two sets, Djokovic was serving at 5-5 deuce when a medical emergency was called in the crowd, with both players made to wait while paramedics assisted the person, who had reportedly fainted.
Djokovic was on the verge of his first Australian Open defeat in six years when his match was paused for a medical emergency. Sinner took the first two sets 6-1 6-2 over the top seed and was putting more pressure on Djokovic’s serve at 5-5 in the third when both men were forced to stop playing.
After hearing shouting in the crowd when Djokovic was about to serve, it emerged that someone had been taken unwell in the stands. “Some commotion in the crowd here, we’re not quite sure what it is,” commentators on Australian TV said. “I think it’s an issue where someone maybe fainted.”
A second commentator added: “Yeah guys it looks like somebody maybe fainted in the crowd. You can hear the ‘help’ coming from the stands there and looks like doctors are on the way.”
Paramedics could be seen among a row of empty seats where the spectator was presumably on the floor as other members of the crowd turned to see what was going on. The match was paused while they assisted, with Djokovic and Sinner waiting at the baseline to resume.
The spectator was eventually taken out of the stands by medics as fans applauded their efforts. When play resumed, Djokovic was able to get himself out of a tough service game to keep himself in the match and eventually got to a tiebreak. The 10-time champion saved a match point to take the third set 7-6(6).
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