As Alexandrova served for the second set to level the tie, the ball girl, standing next to the referee’s chair, fell on her back before quickly getting back up.
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Sonmez ran over to her and helped her walk to the side of the court, where she received medical attention in the shade.
The ball girl managed to get to her feet and was helped off the court by medical staff, and play resumed after a six-minute delay.
Russia’s No. 11 Alexandrova won the set but Sonmez, world No. 112, recovered from 3-0 down in the decider to complete a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 upset on her fourth match point.
It is the biggest win of the 23-year-old’s career and takes her into the second round at Melbourne Park for the first time.
Temperatures hit highs of 28C on Sunday at Melbourne Park as the first major competition of the year began, while the mercury is forecast to hit 35C on Saturday 24 January.
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The Australian Open updated its extreme heat policy (EHP) in 2019 after conducting research into the effects of heat stress on tennis players.
This research led to the development of the Heat Stress Scale (HSS), which is used to decide when conditions become too challenging and when players’ health could be at risk.