Wimbledon semi-final halted by medical emergency as announcement made | Tennis | Sport

A men’s doubles semi-final match at Wimbledon was brought to a halt following a medical emergency in the crowd. Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic had teamed up to face Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz when play was suddenly stopped.

Temperatures reached 33 degrees on Thursday afternoon when play was halted at 1-1 in the second set, as staff rushed to assist a spectator who had become unwell in the stands. “We’re just going to pause,” said umpire James Keothavong. “A fellow spectator requires medical assistance at the top.”

Both sets of players waited at the net until play was cleared to restart. Less than 10 minutes later, the umpire confirmed they were ready to resume.

Arevalo and Pavic then went on to book their place in the men’s doubles final, beating Krawietz and Puetz in straight sets. The opening set was settled by a tie‑break, and the second was level at 2-2 before the sixth seeds reeled off four consecutive games to wrap up the victory.

They will face the winner of Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara’s clash with Aleksandar Kovacevic and Thanasi Kokkinakis, with the second semi‑final scheduled for 3pm.

Elsewhere in the men’s singles semi‑finals, Arthur Fery will take on Alexander Zverev on Friday lunchtime (1pm). Jannik Sinner’s meeting with Novak Djokovic will follow, with their semi‑final scheduled to begin on Centre Court at 1:30pm.

While the decision is far from unprecedented, the players who enjoyed the extra day of rest, in this case Djokovic and Sinner, would typically play first. However, their global appeal has prompted organisers to give them the later slot to maximise worldwide viewership.

The scheduling also ensures Fery avoids any lengthy wait before the biggest match of his career. Had Djokovic and Sinner opened proceedings, a five‑set epic similar to their Australian Open semi‑final could have significantly disrupted the Brit’s preparations.