Coco Gauff threw up on the court during her victory against Romania's Sorana Cirstea at the Madrid Open.
The American third seed found herself trailing by a set and a break when she was forced to rush to the courtside, where she was physically sick during the second set.
Following a medical timeout, Gauff somehow managed to turn the contest around completely, battling back to claim victory with a scoreline of 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.
A stomach virus has been circulating through the locker room in the Spanish capital, with world number one Iga Swiatek forced to retire during her third-round encounter with Ann Li on Saturday.
Coco Gauff threw up during her win at the Madrid Open
|REUTERS
The 20th seed Liudmila Samsonova also fell victim to the bug, unable to take to the court for her scheduled match on Sunday.
Gauff told Sky Sports after her win: "I don't know how I got it done. 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.
"I think I got the Madrid stomach virus that's going around. I'm usually someone who doesn't get sick."
Gauff admitted that being sick helped her 'feel a bit better'
|REUTERS
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Gauff now faces a race against time to recover sufficiently for her fourth-round clash with Czech player Linda Noskova, the 13th seed.
Noskova progressed to the last 16 without hitting a ball on Sunday, receiving a walkover after Samsonova was unable to compete due to the illness sweeping through the draw.
British tennis star Emma Raducanu was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to illness.
The British number one continues to battle the effects of a viral illness that first struck during her Middle East swing in February.
The American will face Linda Noskova in the next round
|REUTERS
The 23-year-old former US Open champion last appeared on court at Indian Wells in early March, where she fell to Amanda Anisimova in a punishing 52-minute defeat.
Since then, she has sat out both the Miami Open and the Upper Austria Ladies Linz while managing persistent post-viral symptoms.
Her withdrawal means she forfeited 35 ranking points from last year's second-round showing in Madrid.
Raducanu remains hopeful of making her comeback at the Italian Open, which gets underway on May 5 in Rome. Reports indicate she has resumed training but is not yet prepared for competitive action in the Spanish capital.
Raducanu remains hopeful of making her comeback at the Italian Open
| GETTYThe world number 29 has been concentrating primarily on rebuilding her fitness during her time away from the tour.
However, she will require substantial practice time on clay before returning to competition, given her well-documented difficulties with movement on the surface.
The red dirt has historically posed challenges for Raducanu's intermittently troublesome back, making a cautious approach to her return essential.
Her absence compounds a difficult period for Madrid Open organisers, who have seen their draw decimated by high-profile withdrawals.
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