HEARTBREAKING! Another Tennis Player Retires Due to Heat at Tokyo Olympics 2020

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been an enthralling tournament so far. The summer games have lived up to its expectations as it provides thorough entertainment and relentless drama. In particular, the tennis event has been making front-page headlines with surprise defeats, big upsets, and epic fightbacks in rather hard conditions. With eventful days so far, fans were uncertain of what to expect, as Spain’s Paula Badosa battled out against Marketa Vondrousova in the third round of the competition.

As both players looked game set and match ready when disaster struck. Right from the swing, both athletes played with their hearts on their sleeves. However, it wasn’t long until Paula faced a medical setback and was forced to retire from the game. Courtesy of the heat, she faced difficulty in continuing the game and began to lose consciousness. As a result, the umpire called the game off and Vondrousova progressed to the quarter-finals of the tournament.

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Agony for Paula Badosa, delight for Marketa Vondrousova

Undoubtedly, fans were utterly disappointed to see Paula bow out in such a tragic manner, especially after her successful run of form. Only recently, the 23-year-old stunned fans with her youthful exuberance at the 2021 Wimbledon Championship. Hence, the Spaniard’s progress in the Summer games so far caught the eye of many as they deemed her favorite going into the match.

However, even Vondrousova put on a similar display like yesterday, carrying her form from the incredible upset she pulled off, eliminating Naomi Osaka. She rocked the tennis fraternity in her last outing after knocking out the World No. 2 in straight sets. Even in despair, fans bawled their eyes to Marketa’s remarkable display. Hence, as the tournament progresses, fans are sure to look forward to witnessing more such on-court heroics from the up-and-coming star.

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Not a first for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Paula isn’t the first to fall victim to Tokyo’s heat. A certain Daniil Medvedev was also on the receiving end of the unbearable heatwave. Playing in his third-round match too, the Russian required immediate medical attention. They stopped play on several occasions as Daniil was handed a medical time-out.

The World No. 2 was struggling to even gain consciousness in the scorching heat. Infuriated, he lashed out at the chair umpire when asked about his health. He said, “I can finish the match, but I can die. If I die, who will take responsibility?”

Regardless, Daniil completed the match eventually and progressed into the quarter-finals of the tournament. However, his condition on-court raised serious questions about his health and the safety of other players as well.