Concerning scenes unfolded on the opening day of Australian Open qualifying at Melbourne Park after a ball kid collapsed on court during a match between France's Luca van Assche and Tunisia's Moez Echargui.
Incident Halts Play on Court
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon as world number 165 Van Assche led by a set and 2-1 in the second. As the Frenchman prepared to serve, the ball kid, positioned behind the baseline, stumbled and fell to the ground behind Echargui. The Tunisian 22nd seed immediately turned and rushed to aid the youngster, calling for assistance from the sidelines.
Echargui, with the help of the chair umpire, was able to help the ball kid to their feet and escorted them off the court. The individual was then seated under a sun umbrella on the side of the court, where a representative from Tennis Australia arrived to check on their condition. The exact cause of the collapse remains unclear.
Match Resumes Amid Warm Conditions
Play resumed following the distressing interruption. Temperatures at Melbourne Park had reached 21.9°C during the afternoon clash. Echargui, who had fought bravely and shown skill at the net, found himself 5-3 down in the second set. Despite his efforts, he could not withstand Van Assche's power, with the Frenchman serving out a 6-4, 6-4 victory to advance to the second round of qualifying.
Van Assche will now face Estonia's Daniil Glinka for a place in the next round. The 21-year-old's last appearance at the Australian Open was in 2024, where he reached the third round of the main draw before falling to Brazilian star Joao Fonseca.
Qualifying Week Underway
The main draw of the Australian Open begins next Sunday, with qualifying matches taking place throughout this week. In other qualifying action on Monday, Australia's Bernard Tomic moved a step closer to ending his five-year wait for a home Grand Slam main-draw appearance with a straight-sets win over Bolivia's Hugo Dellien.
Britain's Dan Evans, however, fell to a 6-1, 6-2 defeat against Japan's Rei Sakamoto. In the women's qualifying, former US Open champion Sloane Stephens progressed to the second round with a win over Barbora Palicova, while Australian Olivia Gadecki defeated 22nd seed Arantxa Rus 6-2, 6-4.
Daily Mail has contacted Tennis Australia for comment regarding the incident involving the ball kid.
