Coco Gauff recovered from feeling unwell and vomiting on court to beat Sorana Cirstea in feisty Mutua Madrid Open contest on Sunday.
The reigning French Open champion, runner-up here 12 months ago, overcame physical struggles, fighting back from a set and a break down to book her spot in the fourth round with a 4-6 7-5 6-1 win in the Spanish capital.
Gauff called for the physio in the second set and vomited on court after which she had her blood pressure check by the doctor.
There have been concerns at the event over the presence of a virus that has led to several players withdrawing, including Iga Swiatek, Marin Cilic and Madison Keys.
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Gauff gives her reaction after she overcame illness throughout the clash
Asked how she managed to pull through, Gauff said: “I don’t know. Honestly, I was just trying to finish the match and one point turned into another.
“I think I got what everybody else is having here in Madrid unfortunately. Just going try to push through for tomorrow.”
She later told Sky Sports: “I don’t know how I got it done. I tried to keep my food down but once I threw up I was able to throw up again and then I felt a bit better.
“It was a tough match. I think I got the Madrid Open virus bug that’s going around and I’m usually someone who doesn’t get sick.”
Gauff battled illness to beat Cirstea in Madrid
On her relationship with the surface, the American added: “The clay helped me today because the ball was a little bit slower so it bounced higher. It gave me time to get to some balls when I wasn’t moving my best.”
Cirstea also complained to umpire Kader Nouni about Gauff’s coaching box, with the Romanian heard saying before the eighth game of the first set: “Her coach is screaming from that end, ‘Come on, aggressive, let’s go, do this all game long, come on, forehand, backhand, first serve’, this is coaching!
“Because I’m there and they are bothering me because they are screaming in my ear.”
“For me, I do not hear any coaching,” the umpire replied.
Gauff’s next opponent will be Linda Noskova, who advanced by walkover over 20th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova due to illness.
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