Tennis star suffers second medical emergency in one month

Tennis star Yibing Wu Monday suddenly collapsed at a tournament in Washington, DC, the athlete’s second sudden medical emergency last month.

Wu was forced to withdraw from a match at the Mubadala Citi DC Open where he was ahead 4-1. The 23-year-old's knees buckled as he approached his chair, which he fell over. He was helped up but remained limp and was taken to receive medical attention.

His 25-year-old opponent Yosuke Watanuk went on to compete in the next round despite Wu’s lead.

The incident followed a similar one at Wimbledon last month where Wu suddenly complained of breathing problems. He was taken for a three-minute sit-out, which was extended after he suddenly fainted in the dressing room. According to reports, Wu’s heart rate was measured at 187.

While it is still unclear what caused Monday’s collapse, Wu blamed the Wimbledon incident on food he ate the night before.

"There was something wrong with the food I ate last night – I even felt like I was losing my consciousness out there,” he said. “I was better after my medical timeout, but it still affected my breathing. I feel good to play like I did, given my situation. I will go for a further check-up later."

Wu’s collapse comes a week after basketball star Lebron James’ son Bronny suddenly collapsed on the court from a cardiac arrest, which came two days after former athlete and ESPN host Shaka Hislop suddenly collapsed live on-air, the same day that award-winning singer Tori Kelly suddenly collapsed while at dinner with friends. Kelly was discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Monday after being treated for blood clots.

Wu is not the only healthy athlete to withdraw from a sports competition in the last year due to sudden health complications. One year ago in July, champion cyclist Victor Lafay Friday withdrew from the Tour de France race after experiencing unexplained shortness of breath. The 26-year-old had managed to cross the Alps but did not have the strength to continue. 

"I find it hard to breathe,” he told Eurosport France. “I lack oxygen, I have pain in all my legs, no strength. All the COVID tests are negative, it could be something else. We are many in the group who have the same symptoms.” 

While media operatives were quick to blame the heat, Lafay assured Le Parisien that the heat had nothing to do with it. 

A month earlier, Olympic swimmer Anita Alvarez fainted in the swimming pool during her routine at the FINA World Aquatic Championships and was rescued just in time by coach Andrea Fuentes. It was the second time the 25-year-old had to be rescued from the pool. During an Olympics qualifying event in June 2021 in Barcelona, Alvarez lost consciousness in the pool and was then also rescued by Fuentes.