Ekaterina Alexandrova collapsed on court before retiring from her match against Kristina Liutova at the Memphis Classic because of heat-related illness. The tournament’s No 1 seed was two points away from defeat to the 16-year-old Liutova, who was making her WTA debut, as temperatures in Tennessee reached around 97°F (36°C) during a gruelling first-round contest lasting more than three hours.
How did the Memphis match unfold?
With Liutova leading 7-6 (2), 4-6, 5-4, Alexandrova began to struggle on serve and initially received a time violation. The world No 19 then fell to the ground during the next point and received treatment on court. Alexandrova was able to stand briefly but left the arena in a wheelchair, while her young opponent was left in tears after being told her opponent could not play on.
What else happened in Memphis?
The tournament’s second seed, McCartney Kessler, also exited in the first round after a 6-4, 6-1 loss to Mexico’s Renata Zarazua. The American, who is still seeking her first WTA title this year after winning two events in 2025, led 4-2 in the first set but dropped four straight games and never recovered.
Alexandrova’s withdrawal raised questions over the decision to add Memphis as a summer stop on the WTA Tour. The new WTA 250 event has replaced Cleveland on the schedule this year and takes place across late July and early August, when average temperatures in Tennessee are around 83°F (29°C).
How did Venus Williams and Katie Boulter fare in Washington?
Elsewhere, Venus Williams was beaten in the first round of the Mubadala DC Open on Tuesday, suffering a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova in Washington.
The tournament’s fifth seed, Anna Kalinskaya of Russia, defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-1 by converting four of her six break-point chances. Katie Boulter claimed the first set against Ashlyn Kreuger but went on to lose 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Poland’s Magdalena Frech beat Ann Li 6-4, 6-3 to set up a second-round match against Jessica Pegula. Tuesday’s other first-round winners were Alexandra Eala of the Philippines, Uzbekistan’s Polina Kudermetova and China’s Xinyu Wang.
Key Facts
- Ekaterina Alexandrova collapsed and retired against Kristina Liutova at the Memphis Classic due to heat-related illness.
- Alexandrova was the tournament’s No 1 seed and was playing 16-year-old WTA debutant Kristina Liutova.
- The match lasted more than three hours in around 97°F (36°C) heat in Tennessee.
- McCartney Kessler lost 6-4, 6-1 to Renata Zarazua in the first round.
- Venus Williams, Katie Boulter, Daria Kasatkina and others also featured in first-round action in Washington.
