The Wimbledon men's semi-final between Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz was halted twice during a single game as spectators required medical assistance in the scorching 31C heat at SW19.
The extraordinary interruptions occurred on Centre Court on Friday afternoon as the two-time defending champion faced the American No 1.
Both incidents happened during the same Alcaraz service game at 4-3 in the second set, after the Spaniard had taken the opening set.
Chair umpire Marijana Veljovic was forced to stop play on two separate occasions within minutes as fans struggled in the sweltering conditions, marking the latest in a series of heat-related medical emergencies during this year's Championships.
The Wimbledon men's semi-final between Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz was halted twice during a single game as spectators required medical assistance in the scorching 31C heat at SW19
PA
The first incident saw a spectator in the east stand, sitting in direct sunshine, require assistance. A ballboy rushed over with water for the affected person, with play resuming after approximately one minute.
However, moments later during the same service game, Veljovic had to halt the match again. This time an elderly woman in the west stand behind the umpire's chair was struggling.
The Serbian official spoke on her phone whilst a Wimbledon official came onto court for consultation. Both players approached the net to speak with Veljovic before returning to their chairs.
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Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to make the final of Wimbledon for the third year in a row
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A ballboy again delivered water, and the elderly woman was eventually able to walk from the stand to receive further medical attention. Play resumed at 30-30, with Alcaraz saving a break point to hold for 4-4.
These disruptions continued a troubling pattern of heat-related medical emergencies throughout the fortnight.
Alcaraz himself had assisted a fan with water on the opening Monday of the Championships, later sending a personal message on social media wishing the spectator a swift recovery.
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Fritz's third-round match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina had been interrupted four times, with medical emergencies combining with the American's own injury concerns to cause repeated stoppages.
The 27-year-old American and the 22-year-old Spanish champion had therefore both experienced firsthand the impact of the extreme temperatures on spectators' wellbeing during their respective runs to the semi-final stage.
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The heat-related disruptions extended beyond the men's semi-final. Thursday's women's semi-finals were similarly affected by the extreme conditions.
During Aryna Sabalenka's match against Amanda Anisimova, play was stopped twice in the first set alone. Sabalenka provided water and an ice pack to assist the first affected spectator.
Taylor Fritz won the second set of his Wimbledon semi-final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz
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The pattern continued in Iga Swiatek's victory over Belinda Bencic, where distressing scenes unfolded as a spectator had to be carried from the stands on a stretcher.
These incidents throughout the Championships have highlighted the challenges posed by the exceptional temperatures, with multiple matches disrupted as spectators struggled to cope with the heat at SW19.