Tennis Players Rush to Help Ball Girl Who Fainted at Open

When a young ball girl fainted courtside during a first-round Australian Open match, two tennis players showed the world what true sportsmanship looks like.

The incident happened Sunday as Russian player Ekaterina Alexandrova prepared to serve in her match against Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez. The ball girl suddenly fell backward onto the court at the base of the umpire's chair as temperatures climbed to 82°F in Melbourne.

Sonmez immediately sprinted across the court to help. Alexandrova raced to the courtside fridge and grabbed ice bags for the youngster while medical staff rushed over.

Play stopped for several minutes while the ball girl received care. Both players waited without hesitation, their match suddenly secondary to making sure she was okay.

"I always say it is more important to be a good human being than a good tennis player," Sonmez told BBC Sport afterward. "It was just my instinct to help her and I think everyone would do the same."

Why This Inspires

In professional sports, the pressure to stay focused and win can be overwhelming. These players had everything on the line during a Grand Slam tournament, yet neither hesitated for a second.

Their response showed something beautiful: empathy doesn't pause for competition. When someone needs help, the scoreboard stops mattering.

Sonmez's words capture what made this moment special. She didn't see her actions as heroic or unusual, just human.

The story got even better when play resumed. Sonmez went on to win 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in the biggest victory of her career, defeating the 11th-seeded Alexandrova.

The 23-year-old Turkish player already made history at Wimbledon last year as the first player from Turkey to reach the third round of a Grand Slam in the Open era. Now she's inspiring people for reasons that go beyond tennis rankings.

Australian Open temperatures regularly soar past 104°F, and this week forecasts predict highs of at least 97°F. Tournament organizers provide extensive heat protocols for players and staff, though moments like these remind us why those precautions matter.

Sometimes the most memorable moments in sports have nothing to do with the final score.