Coco Gauff vomited on court at the Madrid Open but avoided the same fate as Iga Swiatek, who revealed on Saturday that a stomach virus was going round the locker room in the Spanish capital.
The Pole withdrew during the third set of her third-round clash with Ann Li and Gauff looked to be heading the same way at a set and a break down to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, as she had to dash to the side of the court to be sick during the second set.
The third seed called a medical timeout but managed to turn the contest around to win 4-6 7-5 6-1.
“I don’t know how I got it done,” Gauff told Sky Sports. “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.
“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 will hope to recover in time for her fourth-round clash against 13th seed Linda Noskova.
The Czech benefited from a walkover on Sunday, with 20th seed Liudmila Samsonova apparently another victim of the virus and not able to take to the court.
Clay specialist Marta Kostyuk dispatched fifth seed Jessica Pegula in an emphatic 6-1, 6-4 victory in just an hour and 13 minutes.
Jannik Sinner dropped a set in his opening match to Benjamin Bonzi but was much more comfortable in beating qualifier Elmer Moller 6-2 6-3 to move into the fourth round.
The Italian is doing his best to avoid catching any germs, saying: “I heard (there were) many withdrawals.
“I don’t spend a lot of time here. I come match days a little bit earlier, but practice days very late. I practise and then I get away. But this is how I do every tournament.
“I don’t know if it’s something what’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.”
The victory was Sinner’s 19th in a row as he chases a record fifth consecutive Masters 1000 title.
Sixth seed Lorenzo Musetti saw off Tallon Griekspoor 6-4 7-5 while in-form Frenchman Arthur Fils is also through to the fourth round.
