Play was suspended during the Wimbledon women's semi-final between Iga Swiatek and Belinda Bencic after a spectator collapsed at Centre Court and required emergency medical treatment.
The incident occurred just ten minutes into the match, with Bencic leading 3-0, when the fan fell ill in the shaded area behind the umpire's chair. Medical personnel rushed to the scene and spent ten minutes treating the individual before carrying them out on a makeshift yellow stretcher.
This marked the third medical emergency at Centre Court on Thursday, as temperatures soared to 31 degrees. The extreme heat had already caused two spectators to require assistance during the earlier semi-final between Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova.
Sabalenka had earlier rushed from her courtside seat to assist both affected spectators during her match, bringing water to help those struggling in the heat. Despite her efforts to aid the fans, the Belarusian went on to lose her semi-final to Amanda Anisimova in three sets, missing out on her first Wimbledon final.
Play was halted after a medical incident behind the umpire's chair
Getty
BBC commentator Sam Smith noted during the stoppage: "I am just hearing that the medics have arrived and that's what we are waiting for, there have been a few heat-related illnesses over the course of the first semi-final as well."
The extreme conditions have made this one of the hottest Wimbledons on record.
JUST IN: BBC suffer awkward live Wimbledon TV moment between Martina Navratilova and Clare Balding
Medical staff erected two large umbrellas around the affected spectator to shield them from public view whilst administering treatment. The privacy screens allowed medical personnel to work on the individual for approximately ten minutes before they were transported from the venue.
The fan had been seated in a shaded section behind the umpire's chair when they fell ill, prompting immediate intervention from on-site medical teams. Following the extended treatment period, staff carefully moved the spectator onto a makeshift yellow stretcher for evacuation from Centre Court.
READ MORE: Nick Kyrgios brands Wimbledon a 's**t show' as tennis star rages at controversy
Players were forced to wait over 10 minutes as the incident was dealt with
Getty
The incident caused a significant delay to the semi-final, with players Swiatek and Bencic forced to wait whilst emergency services attended to the situation.
During the medical stoppage, former champion Martina Navratilova offered her perspective on the increasing frequency of such incidents.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
High temperatures have plagued the tournament this year
Getty
"It seems to happen a lot more often these days. I think I remember like twice, ever, in my career that we had to stop for a medical situation on the court," she said.
When fellow commentator Anne Keothavong observed that "this has got to be one of the warmest Wimbledons on record, today we are up in the 30s," Navratilova responded pointedly: "But there's no global warming you know, according to many people. Try sitting on the grass and see how you feel today."
The match eventually resumed after the medical emergency was resolved as Swiatek went on to reach her first Wimbledon final.