Field Level Media
18 Jan 2026, 22:10 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images)
Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez came to the aid of a ball girl who fainted during her 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 victory over No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova on Sunday in the first round of the Australian Open.
Alexandrova was serving for the second set with the temperature at 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit) when the ball girl fell flat on her back near the umpire's chair at Melbourne Park.
She quickly got up but was unsteady on her feet, prompting Sonmez to ask to halt play and help the girl to the side of the court. From there, the girl received medical attention in the shade.
Play resumed after a six-minute delay. Alexandrova went on to win the set, however the 23-year-old Sonmez -- ranked No. 112 in the world -- rallied from down 3-0 in the deciding set to beat her Russian opponent.
Sonmez swept six of the final seven games and converted her fourth match point. She became the first Turkish woman in the Open Era to win a match at the Australian Open after becoming the second to reach the main draw.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of St Petersburg Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to St Petersburg Star.
More InformationNEW DELHI, India: The U.S. ambassador-designate to New Delhi, Sergio Gor, said on January 12 that the United States and India are working...
(Photo credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images) Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez came to the aid of a ball girl who fainted during her 7-5,...
The Nazi blockade of the city lasted 872 days and claimed the lives of over a million people ...
Novi Sad [Serbia], January 18 (ANI): Thousands rallied in Serbia's Novi Sad as university students spearheading over a year of mass...
(260118) -- MELBOURNE, Jan. 18, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Bai Zhuoxuan celebrates scoring during the women's singles 1st round match between...
Mark Bullen's British nationality has been revoked over security reasons, the Daily Mail has reported ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has hit out at countries that have objected to his plans to seize Greenland whether by agreement or by...
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON: As the main enrollment window for subsidized U.S. health insurance plans closes, millions of Americans are heading...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump signed a bill on January 14 that overturned Obama-era limits on higher-fat milk options, signaling...
NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand: At least 32 passengers were killed on January 14 when a construction crane crashed onto a moving passenger...
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico: Facing charges of child sex abuse, Emmy award-winning actor Timothy Busfield was ordered held without bond...
HONG KONG: Former executives of Apple Daily, the now-defunct, pro-democracy newspaper founded by media mogul Jimmy Lai, finished pleading...
