Wimbledon shocked by Mattek-Sands’ horror injury

American collapses, damages knee against Cirstea in singles match

LONDON: America's Bethanie Mattek-Sands suffered a horror knee injury at Wimbledon on Thursday which left her screaming and crying in pain in the middle of the court.

The 32-year-old collapsed to the ground after damaging her right knee as she approached the net in the first game of the deciding set against Romania's Sorana Cirstea on Court 17.

"Please help me, please, please," screamed the 32-year-old in scenes so distressing that television cameras panned away from the stricken player.

Cirstea said her friend's knee was "out... and in a very weird position".

"I freaked out. I have never seen such an injury before; the knee was really in a bad position. It was like something you see only in the movies," said Cirstea. "I tried to comfort her but I panicked. I felt useless. All she kept saying was 'Sorana, help me, help me. I wish I could have done more. You wouldn't wish that on your worst enemy."

Mattek-Sands's husband Justin tried to console his wife before medics arrived, while Cirstea was distraught and in tears.

After lying prone on the ground for around 20 minutes, Mattek-Sands was eventually stretchered away and taken to a west London hospital where she was said to have suffered "an acute knee injury".

Mattek-Sands's doubles partner, Lucie Safarova, with whom she shares the world number one ranking as well as four Grand Slam titles, also arrived at the scene in tears.

Cirstea, who had dropped the first set 4-6 but took the second 7-6 (7/4), was declared the winner of the second round match.

She questioned why it took the medical services so long to reach a court which is just a stone's throw away from the famed Centre Court.

"I was screaming at the umpire. I told them to bring a stretcher because everyone froze, nobody reacted," said Cirstea who said only she, her physio and Justin Mattek-Sands initially raced to the player's assistance. “She went into shock and it took so long for the medical team to arrive. It felt like forever.

"What if it was a heart attack?” she then asked. “You should look at the video and time how long it took. I was there 10 to 15 minutes and the stretcher had still not arrived."

The All England club defended its medical teams.

"The first response to Court 17 was within one minute, by a qualified ambulance technician," they said in a statement. "The player was kept on court while pain relief was given. The player was then transferred directly to an ambulance and taken under emergency conditions to a hospital."

Djokovic shrugs off McEnroe's remarks

Novak Djokovic says he still respects John McEnroe despite the American comparing the Serb's slump to Tiger Woods's similar decline and hinting at troubles in the three-time Wimbledon champion's private life.

McEnroe caused a stir by claiming that Djokovic's recent difficulties on the court, which have seen him lose possession of all four Grand Slam titles, could have been caused by "off-court issues with the family".

"The person that comes to mind immediately is Tiger Woods," said McEnroe in reference to the golf superstar whose life and career imploded after a series of extra-marital affairs were revealed.

But Djokovic, the winner of 12 Grand Slam titles, shrugged off McEnroe's comments.

"He's very well known for his kind of bold comments and not really caring too much about being politically correct but saying whatever is on his mind," said 30-year-old Djokovic. "That's all I can say. I really don't take anything personal. I always got along very well with John."