Wimbledon: Jodie Burrage helps unwell ball boy during opening match
- Published
Jodie Burrage rushes to help unwell ball boy during defeat by Lesia Tsurenko
Wimbledon 2022 on the BBC |
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Venue: All England Club Dates: 27 June-10 July |
Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. |
Britain's Jodie Burrage rushed to help a ball boy who was taken unwell during her first-round defeat at Wimbledon.
Burrage raced over to the fridge for water and got an energy gel from her bag when he was struggling early in the second set, later handing him sweets while he sat on a chair.
The 23-year-old watched over him, talking to him for several minutes before medical assistance arrived.
"I just reacted how I think anyone would," she told a news conference.
"He was not in a good spot. I just tried to help him out as much as possible."
The boy was helped off court 18, walking shakily, and the All England Club later said "he's fine".
Burrage said the youngster had told her he was feeling "really faint".
"He couldn't actually really talk. It was quite distressing to see," she said.
"I've fainted a few times. I actually had a panic attack once in juniors here, so I've been where he is. I kind of know a little bit how he was feeling. So I just tried to help as much as I could. Hopefully I did."
She said she had tried to give him an energy gel but that they "are not the nicest thing to have".
"I was just like, 'This kid needs sugar'. Someone just shouted on the side, 'Got some sweets here if you want'."
The match had only just started again after play had been suspended for more than an hour because of rain at 5-2 to Lesia Tsurenko in the first set.
The Ukrainian, who stood at the net keeping warm during the incident, eventually won 6-2 6-3 to go through to the second round.
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