Australian Open ball kid collapses during match as player rushes over in worrying incident | Tennis | Sport

An Australian Open ball kid collapsed on day one of the qualifiers in Melbourne, with a player seen rushing to their aid. It occurred during a match between Moez Echargui and fellow qualifier Luca Van Assche. 

The camera was focused on Echargui during a break, with the Tunisian seen wiping his face with a towel. As he began walking back to the baseline for the next point, a ball kid started to fall over just out of shot.

After stumbling for a second or two, the unfortunate ball kid eventually crashed to the ground, with Echargui seen sprinting to help. Thankfully, the kid did get back to their feet soon after, with an Australian Open official also seen rushing to the scene.

The kid was then escorted off the court, before action in the Echargui and Van Assche match resumed. It’s unclear what caused the incident, and Express Sport have contacted Tennis Australia for an update.

Despite his commendable actions, the qualifier ended in defeat for Echargui, who was beaten in straight sets by his French opponent. The 21-year-old won both sets 6-4, meaning he’ll progress into the second qualifying round, with a match against Estonian Daniil Glinka pencilled in for tomorrow.

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