Arthur Gea’s French Open debut turned into a tense medical interruption when the 135th-ranked home player took an emergency bathroom break early in the first set, trailing Karen Khachanov 4-2. The chair umpire allowed it after Gea cited medical circumstances a
PARIS — Arthur Gea didn’t even wait for the usual pause between sets.
Early in the first set of his French Open debut on Sunday. the 135th-ranked home player abruptly ran off court for what he described as an emergency bathroom break. “I need to go to the bathroom. I can’t move anymore. I’m going to (go) on the court. ” Gea told the chair umpire in French before hastily heading to Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
At the time, he was trailing 13th-seeded Karen Khachanov 4-2. Khachanov went on to win 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-0.
Usually, bathroom breaks are permitted only between sets. As Gea returned, Khachanov protested to the chair umpire after three minutes passed between games at a point in the match that wasn’t a changeover when players change ends.
Gea said the chair umpire approved the break because of “medical circumstances.” He added that he was given some medicine to settle his stomach pain.
After the match, Gea said he hadn’t felt ill the night before. But the problem started after he woke up in the morning. “During the match it was even worse,” he said. “I had to go to the toilet really quick.”
What might have made it harder to endure was the heat at Roland Garros. With lunchtime temperatures hitting 31 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit), Gea said it felt worse “than usual” because he was sick.
The 21-year-old was playing his main-draw match at Roland Garros after receiving a wild card invitation from the organizers.
Arthur Gea French Open Roland Garros Karen Khachanov bathroom break chair umpire medical circumstances heat wild card
So he just… left mid-game? Wild.
I feel bad for him but also Karen Khachanov shoulda been allowed to play, like cmon. Three minutes between games when it wasn’t even a changeover??
Wait so the umpire let him take a bathroom break early because of “medical circumstances” but then he’s out here saying he didn’t feel ill the night before… that sounds kinda like an excuse? also 88 degrees is hot but athletes have trainers everywhere. idk.
Heat illnesses are no joke, but the whole bathroom timing thing is confusing. Like shouldn’t they do it between sets automatically? And he got medicine to settle his stomach pain, so did he have food poisoning or something? I just know at tournaments they’re always pushing fluids, so it feels like something could’ve been prevented. anyway Khachanov going up 4-2 then winning 6-3 after is crazy.