Katie Boulter’s opening match in Indian Wells was halted for an emergency in the stands. The British No. 1 was taking on Irina-Camelia Begu when the umpire stepped in, pausing the game and telling both women to return to their benches.
Begu was serving at 5-5 40-15 in the first set when play was suspended while medics attended to a spectator in the crowd. Boulter retreated to the sidelines before pacing around the baseline, trying to stay cool in the shade on a hot day in the Californian desert.
Boulter and Begu were getting to the business end of the first set when there was a commotion on Court 7. The umpire could be heard speaking on a walkie-talkie before informing the players there was an emergency in the stands.
Begu looked over at the bleachers on Court 7 as both players were called back to their benches while medics attended to the spectator in question. It was a hot day in the Californian desert and there was little shade on the smaller court at midday.
“Have a feeling someone may have perhaps been taken ill in the crowd here,” commentator Adam Fielder said on Sky Sports.
“Just seen Begu having a look up there. You can see over there. The umpire has just called the players back to their seats. There’s just going to be a little bit of a delay whilst they get the medical assistance that is required. Medics will be out very soon.
Sky cut away from Court 7 to recap other matches during the pause in Boulter’s contest with Begu. When coverage resumed, the British No. 1 could be seen pacing around at the back of the court.
“As you can see, play still has not resumed here. Boulter just trying to find a little bit of shade at the back of the court there,” Fielder added.
“You want to make sure whoever it is in the crowd gets the medical treatment available to them but you don’t quite know how long it’s going to go on for. As a player, what do you do? Do you sit down? Do you keep warm?”
The spectator eventually left the stands with a member of staff and play resumed, with Begu comfortably closing out the game, not bothered by the interruption.
Boulter then held serve to force a tiebreak but things quickly ran away from her. World No. 72 Begu raised through the breaker, dropping just two points to take the tight first set 7-6(2).
But the British No. 1 stormed back to win 6-7(6) 6-3 6-0, racing through the final set to book a third-round meeting with Elena Rybakina.
The match marks Boulter’s first appearance since the Australian Open, where she lost in the second round. The world No. 38 missed the entire Middle Eastern swing due to a foot injury.
The 28-year-old teamed up with her fiance, Alex de Minaur, for the Eisenhower Cup on the eve of Indian Wells. The event pits pairs of players against each other in first-to-10-point tiebreaks.
But Boulter and De Minaur lost in the first round and the Brit joked that it was the “second and last time” they would be teaming up in mixed doubles.
