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Tennis world stunned by 'terrible' scenes after Wu Yibing's on-court collapse

The Chinese player was forced to retire after the scary incident in Washington.

andrew reid
·3-min read
Pictured here, Chinese tennis star Wu Yibing suffering a scary on-court collapse during his opening match at the DC Open.
Chinese tennis star Wu Yibing suffered a scary on-court collapse during his opening match at the DC Open in Washington. Pic: Tennis TV

Chinese star Wu Yibing has sent a scare through the tennis world after horrible scenes in his hardcourt match in Washington. Wu was forced to retire from his first round match against Japan's Yosuke Watanuki after collapsing onto the court in distressing scenes at the DC Open.

Wu was leading 4-1 in the opening set when his legs appeared to give out amid sweltering conditions in the American capital. With the mercury hitting 30 degrees and the temperature even hotter for the players on court, Wu tried to take a seat after taking a wobbly step towards the side of the court.

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He then collapsed forward over the back of a folding chair, with officials promptly coming to the aid of the 23-year-old. The Chinese player was eventually helped to his feet and eased down onto the court with the help of a number of officials.

One man could be seen holding an umbrella over Wu to provide him with shade, before he was helped off court. Tennis journalist Jose Morgado said they were “terrible scenes” to witness as fans took to social media to wish Wu a speedy recovery.

Wu Yibing suffers second scare in recent weeks

A statement provided later by tournament organisers said Wu retired due to illness. The incident is the second health scare for the Chinese player in a month, with the 23-year-old falling ill and needing a medical timeout during his first round loss to American Frances Tiafoe at Wimbledon.

In that instance, Wu was cleared to resume the match after being cleared by medics, with the Chinese star later revealing that he had been suffering from indigestion. “There was something wrong with the food I ate last night – I even felt like I was losing my consciousness out there,” Wu said at the time.

Seen here, Wu Yibing in action during the 2023 Wimbledon grand slam.
Wu Yibing is seen here in action during the 2023 Wimbledon grand slam. Pic: Getty

“I was better after my medical timeout, but it still affected my breathing. I feel good to play like I did, given my situation. I will go for a further check-up later.”

The Chinese star won his first ATP title in February at Dallas, becoming the first man from his nation to capture an ATP crown. Wu's victory also saw him reach a career-high ranking of 54 in May - a record ranking in China for a men's player.

Now ranked 90 in the world, Wu also played last week in Atlanta, where he was beaten by France's Corentin Moutet in his first match. He then lost to eventual champion and World No.9 Taylor Fritz in the second round.

with agencies

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