World number three Coco Gauff battled illness to advance to the Madrid Open last 16 on Sunday, defeating Sorana Cirstea 4-6 7-5 6-1.
Gauff fought off sickness, which appears to be affecting several players at the tournament, admitting she was "trying not to throw up on the court." She did vomit midway through the second set, describing the moment as 'embarrassing' before rallying to dominate the decider.
"Honestly, I was just trying to finish the match and one point turned into another," Gauff stated. She aims to push through for her next match despite the prevalent bug.
Earlier, six-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek retired from her match due to a virus that left her with "zero energy." Gauff, however, found a way to continue, though she barely had the energy to celebrate her hard-fought victory.
Medical intervention, including pills, proved crucial. "I did start to feel better (in the final set), not feeling like I had to throw up," Gauff reported. While still tired and nauseous, she felt she could manage the symptoms to continue competing.