COCO GAUFF BATTLES THROUGH ILLNESS, VOMITING ON COURT TO ADVANCE PAST SORANA CIRSTEA
Coco Gauff battled a severe stomach virus to defeat Sorana Cirstea. See how she survived the illness sweeping the Madrid Open.
Coco Gauff caught the stomach bug that’s been knocking players out left and right at the Madrid Open. Even so, she somehow pulled out a win over Sorana Cirstea, grinding through three sets – 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 – on April 26 to book her spot in the round of 16.
It’s been a rough week in Madrid. Players keep dropping from illness; just ask Iga Swiatek, who had to stop mid-match against Ann Li on April 25, or Marin Cilic, who withdrew before his second-rounder with Joao Fonseca the day before. Liudmila Samsonova didn’t even make it to the court for her third-round match with Linda Noskova; she pulled out sick, too.
Gauff, just 22, threw up into a courtside bin during her match with Cirstea. She called for a medical timeout late in the fight but pushed through, finishing after two hours and 21 minutes.
“Yeah, I don’t know, honestly,” she said afterwards, still sounding a bit dazed. “I was just trying to finish the match, and one point turned into another. I think I picked up what everyone else has here in Madrid. So I’m just going to try to hang on for tomorrow.”
Gauff finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka here last year. With her clay season full of points to defend (3,300 from Madrid through the French Open), there’s a lot on her plate and not much time (Roland Garros starts May 24).
“I pulled out at Indian Wells. I really hate retiring, so I didn’t want to do that again today. I’m glad I could tough it out,” said Gauff, who already has two Grand Slam trophies at home.
“I started to feel better, at least not on the verge of throwing up anymore. They gave me some medicine, so that helped.
“But honestly, I was so tired... At first, I was just trying not to throw up the little food I ate. After the meds, I was just wiped out and still nauseous. But I can play like that.”
JANNIK SINNER CRUISES PAST NORRIE IN MADRID; EXTENDS DOMINANT MASTERS 1000 STREAK TO 25
Jannik Sinner stays perfect at Masters events, moving past Cameron Norrie in Madrid as he hunts for his first tournament win.
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Jannik Sinner, the world number one, barely broke a sweat as he rolled past Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-2, 7-5, locking in a Madrid Open quarter-final spot and stretching his ATP Masters 1000 win streak to 25. They kicked off at 11 a.m., so the heat wasn’t a problem, but Madrid’s allergy situation is brutal right now. Pollen levels are the highest they’ve been in 45 years, and clouds of yellow and white grains keep swirling through the Caja Magica, settling on the courts and bothering anyone with eyes or lungs.
Sinner didn’t look bothered, though. He’s still hunting for his first Madrid trophy, and he wasted zero time taking control. He bagged the first set in just 35 minutes, barely giving Norrie a chance.
Norrie, seeded 19th, tried to flip the script in set two. He withstood some early pressure but then dropped serve for 3-2 after a misjudged underarm serve that didn’t clear the net. Fans let out a chorus of boos. To his credit, Norrie broke right back and got things back on level terms at 3-3, keeping some hope alive.
The Brit dug in until the tenth game, but then a double fault gave Sinner two break points. Norrie fought both off but couldn’t save a third. Sinner converted and went up 6-5.
That was basically the end. Sinner stayed cool and finished things off in an hour and 26 minutes.
Afterwards, Sinner was satisfied. “I’m happy with my performance. I tried to play more aggressively, and I think it worked really well today against a tough opponent. Glad to get through in straight sets and ready for the next round.”
Up next, Sinner faces either Czech player Vit Kopriva or 19-year-old Madrid native Rafa Jodar, who’s in the draw on a wild card.
JANNIK SINNER URGES RIVAL ALCARAZ TO BE PATIENT DURING HIS WRIST RECOVERY
Two-time champion Alcaraz will miss Roland Garros. Jannik Sinner shares his support as the French Open title race gets a shake-up.
So, Carlos Alcaraz, twice a French Open champ, won’t make it to Roland Garros this year. He’s out with an injury, and it’s official. Alcaraz shared the news on social media, saying, “After seeing the test results today, we decided the smartest move is to play it safe, so I won’t compete in Rome or at Roland Garros. We’ll keep an eye on my recovery and figure out the right time to get back on court. It’s a tough moment for me, but I’m sure I’ll come back stronger.”
The tournament wished him a quick recovery with a simple, “We’ll miss you, Carlos!”
With Alcaraz stepping out, Jannik Sinner becomes the clear favourite in Paris. Sure, Novak Djokovic might make his move too; he always does, but right now the buzz is all about Sinner.
Reporters asked Sinner about his chances in France now that his big rival is out. He wasn’t eager to go there. Sinner said, “Honestly, this isn’t about me being the favourite. Tennis needs Carlos; he brings a whole different energy to the sport. And personally, I enjoy having him around because he makes me think about my own game and the tournament differently. Even though we’d only clash in the final as the top two seeds, it just feels better when he’s part of the draw. I hope he recovers quickly. It’s really difficult for tennis when a top player is injured, especially with the wrists. Look at what’s happened to others. I just hope he takes his time and comes back fully ready. Nobody wants to see him rush back and end up with a worse problem.”
Fans loved Sinner’s answer. Videos from the press conference popped up on social media, with people calling it “pure class". One fan commented, “That’s class. Don’t root for others to get hurt.” Another added, “Jannik Sinner, pure class for his rival dealing with a serious injury." Nothing but respect between these two young legends. And really, it’s hard to disagree. Sinner kept it respectful. He knows his odds are better now, but he made it clear: tennis just isn’t the same without Alcaraz.
