Ekaterina Alexandrova collapsed on the court before retiring from her first-round match against Kristina Liutova at the Memphis Classic on Tuesday, succumbing to heat-related illness in sweltering conditions. The world No 19 and tournament’s top seed was two points away from defeat when she stumbled during her serve, received a time violation, then fell to the ground during the next point. After receiving on-court treatment, Alexandrova stood briefly but left the arena in a wheelchair, leaving her 16-year-old opponent in tears after being told the match was over.
Heat Takes Toll in Gruelling Contest
The temperature in Memphis, Tennessee, reached around 97F (36C) as the two Russians battled for over three hours. Liutova, making her WTA Tour debut, led 7-6 (2), 4-6, 5-4 before Alexandrova’s collapse. The match was part of the new WTA 250 event, which replaced Cleveland on the summer schedule and takes place in late July and early August, when average temperatures are around 83F (29C). Alexandrova’s withdrawal has raised concerns about the timing of the tournament.
Other Seeds Fall in Memphis and Washington
Second seed McCartney Kessler also exited in the first round, losing 6-4, 6-1 to Mexico’s Renata Zarazua. Kessler, still seeking her first WTA title of 2025 after winning two in 2024, led 4-2 in the first set but dropped four straight games and never recovered. In Washington at the Mubadala DC Open, Venus Williams fell 6-3, 6-3 to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova. Fifth seed Anna Kalinskaya defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-1, converting four of six break-point chances. Katie Boulter took the first set against Ashlyn Krueger but lost 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Other winners included Magdalena Frech, Alexandra Eala, Polina Kudermetova, and Xinyu Wang.
