It was a warmer day than expected at Wimbledon on Thursday, and that led to multiple delays as Aryna Sabalenka and Amanda Anisimova squared off during the first match of the day.
During their first set, Sabalenka and Anisimova had to stop play twice after two different fans experienced medical episodes in the stands related to the heat.
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The first incident occurred in the fifth game of the first set. With the action all tied up 40-40, play briefly stopped as a fan received attention in the stands. Sabalenka stepped up in the moment, bringing water to the fan.
Sabalenka rallied after the stoppage, scoring two straight points to win the game.
A few games later, there was another stoppage due to the heat. Sabalenka again took action, bringing water over to the stands to help the second fan who was struggling with the heat.
Temperatures reached 84 degrees at Wimbledon, with many fans sitting directly in the sun.
The brief pauses in action distracted from what was an excellent first set. Both Sabalenka and Anisimova traded games early before Anisimova broke through to pick up an early 6-4 win.
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This story will be updated.
