TOUGH BREAK

Wild-Card Wimbledon Player Bethanie Mattek-Sands Suffers Gruesome On-Court Injury

Bethanie Mattek-Sands was playing the third set of her singles match against Sorana Cirstea when she crumpled to the ground, crying out in agony over an injury to her right knee.

If there is shouting on the grass courts at Wimbledon, it is typically a player’s tantrum, or the roaring of spectators for their favorites during tense tie-breaks.

Not so on Thursday, as American player Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who was a wild-card entrant to the women’s singles tournament, suffered a gruesome injury during the third set of her second-round match against Romanian opponent Sorana Cirstea.

Running towards the net, Mattek-Sands, 32, appeared to buckle and then cry out in agony. Cirstea jumped over the net, and seemed to immediately realize the gravity of her opponent’s injury.

Mattek-Sands repeatedly cried out, “Help me,” in agony.

Trainers and medics attended to Mattek-Sands on court, as distressed spectators looked on.

Mattek-Sands, who is one half of the number-one women’s doubles team in the world (with Lucie Šafárová), was later stretchered off court.

Šafárová was pictured in tears after the incident, and being comforted by their team-mates. The pair have won the last three Grand Slam tournaments: the U.S., Australian, and French Opens.

The incident took place on Court 17. Mattek-Sands had won the first set 6-4, Cirstea the second 7-6, and the pair had just begun the first game of the third set with Cirstea serving.

The Express reported that Mattek-Sands, who was born in Rochester, Minnesota, was treated for 25 minutes on court, with her husband and Šafárová at her side.

Cirstea said, “For me, I think she was too long on the ground. I mean, I was there for 10, 15 minutes, then I left and the stretcher was not there yet. It took a really long time not only for the stretcher to get there but, I mean, I don’t know for how long she was on the ground, but I would say ten, 15 minutes—for me, that’s really long.”

In a series of tweets, the official Wimbledon Twitter account, said: “The first response to Court 17 was within 1 minute, by a qualified ambulance technician. The player was kept on court while pain relief was given. The player was then transferred directly to an ambulance and taken under emergency conditions to a hospital.”

WTA Insider tweeted out that Mattek-Sands had “an acute knee injury.”

Cirstea said she had “never seen anything like this in my life, such an injury.” She thought it looked like Mattek-Sands’ “kneecap was out.”

Cirstea told of her shock at first seeing the injury. Mattek-Sands had repeated over and over again, “Sorana, help me.”

“I was trying, but of course I felt useless,” Cirstea said. “In this kind of moment when she is screaming so loud, you watch the knee, it was a very uncomfortable moment. I felt, yeah, a little bit useless. I wish I could have done more.”

Other players like Marion Bartoli, the 2013 Wimbledon women’s champion, tweeted their support to Mattek-Sands, and Cirstea herself tweeted: “I love you girl, you are strong, you will get through it! My thoughts are with you Beth.”

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Tim TeemanSenior Editor and Writer

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