Coach�s medical drama rocks Ivanovic, Murray
AFP
AFP, MELBOURNE: A mid-match medical emergency involving Ana Ivanovics coach who is also the father of Andy Murrays heavily pregnant wife caused concern and disruption on a dramatic evening at the Australian Open on Saturday.
Nigel Sears, 58, collapsed at Rod Laver Arena during Ivanovics match with Madison Keys, and needed emergency treatment as the shocked players and thousands of fans looked on.
The match was halted for just under an hour as the British coach was stretchered away before Serbias Ivanovic bravely resumed play only to lose 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to a determined Keys.
As the drama unfolded, Murray was playing at the adjacent Margaret Court Arena, watched by his mother Judy. He did not give the usual on-court interview after his 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Joao Sousa. Murray, Ivanovic and Keys all cancelled their post-match press conferences and the mens world number two was understood to have gone to the hospital to see Sears.
However, a stadium announcer told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena that Sears was conscious and sitting up. Hes okay, he said, in an announcement that was greeted with applause.
Uncannily, it was the second Ivanovic match at Rod Laver Arena to be interrupted by a medical emergency after an elderly spectator fell on a stairway and also needed lengthy treatment on Thursday. Murray has pledged to quit the tournament if his wife, who is due to give birth to their first child within weeks, goes into labour.
Earlier, French Open champion Stan Wawrinka brought up his 400th tour-level win to set up a clash with Milos Raonic, who is in mourning for victims of a Canadian high school shooting, which left four dead.
Two-time womens champion Victoria Azarenka raced into the last 16 for the loss of just five games in total, and also saw Garbine Muguruza cleared from her path as the third seed crashed to Barbora Strycova.
Wawrinka, who won his first Grand Slam title in Melbourne two years ago, wielded his signature one-handed backhand to devastating effect against Lukas Rosol as he rolled the Czech 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
A day after Roger Federer reached 300 Grand Slam wins, the victory was the 400th on tour for the Swiss number two, who has emerged from his compatriots shadow to establish himself among the top mens contenders.
Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open champion, now goes into a last-16 clash with Canadas Raonic, who was fired by his grief over the high school shooting as he overwhelmed Victor Troicki 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
Montenegro-born Raonic, who moved to Canada as a child, later explained that thoughts of the tragedy had given him enormous intensity as he played Troicki. Towering American John Isner thundered 44 aces as he outlasted Feliciano Lopez 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-4 to set up a last 16 clash with David Ferrer, who beat Steve Johnson 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.
Meanwhile Azarenka, back to her best after two years of injury trouble, blew away Japanese teenager Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-1 as she accelerated into the second week.
It opens up a path to the quarter-finals for the Belarusian, with Spanish world number three Muguruza no longer a concern after she was shocked by Czech veteran Strycova in straight sets. Johanna Konta beat Denisa Allertova 6-2, 6-2 to become the first British woman to reach the fourth round in 29 years and set up a clash with Russias Ekaterina Makarova, who ousted Czech player Karolina Pliskova.
