Players support Mattek-Sands after horrific injury

Players have expressed sympathy and support for Bethanie Mattek-Sands after the American was forced to retire from her second-round singles match on Thursday.

Charging into the net early in the third set, Mattek-Sands slipped and suffered an horrific knee injury, falling to the grass and screaming in agony before being stretchered from the court.

Mattek-Sands’ screams extended for several minutes, with her opponent Sorana Cirstea – who crossed the net to help her – and members of the crowd visibly distressed by what they were seeing.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands taken off on a stretcher. Doubles partner Lucie Safarova rushes over in tears. Tough scenes on Court 17. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/IE3AKtKuVh

— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) July 6, 2017

“Was heartbreaking to see her that way,” Cirstea said.

“I’ve hit the ball towards her direction, and then I did not really see what happened. I saw she was on the floor. Then, yeah, she started screaming. I went over. Her knee was in a very weird position. I’ve never seen anything like this probably except in the movies. And, yeah, I panicked a little bit, as well.

“Then I turned around and told them to bring a stretcher or something. Because I think everyone froze. No one was having any reaction. And then, yeah, was heartbreaking because she went into shock. Took a while until the medical team was there. I think for long time it was me, her husband and my physio. My physio jumped and he was there.

“It’s not easy because at the end of the day it’s not about tennis any more. We are like a family. You want everyone to be okay. It doesn’t matter you win, you lose, once you are out, you want them to be okay.

“I hope is not as bad that it seemed, and she can have a quick, quick recovery. I’m very sad about everything that happened.”

Awful scene on Ct 17 where Bethanie Mattek-Sands has fallen near the net. A stretcher is out to help her. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/fvHnAoO1PC

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 6, 2017

Lucie Safarova, Mattek-Sands’ friend doubles partner, rushed to the court and and broke down in tears.

Safarova had to contest her second-round singles match soon after the event against American Shelby Rogers, and fell in three sets.

“It’s shocking few hours obviously. I mean, it’s just terrible what happened. Obviously I’m very sad for her. Doesn’t matter about whatever goals we had. It’s just about her being healthy,” said Safarova, who with Mattek-Sands was the No.1 seed in the women’s doubles draw.

“I know what she has been through with the injuries. Everything was going so well for her. We’ve been going, like, we had amazing run. I’m just really hurt for her that she’s hurt again like that.

“Shelby is also her good friend. It was not nice situation for any of us. Obviously it’s been in my mind. I wasn’t playing the greatest.”

Lucie Safarova in tears, seeing her doubles partner and now close friend Bethanie Mattek-Sands, still being tended to. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/mTkJVqDXe3

— Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) July 6, 2017

Ash Barty and Casey Dellacqua, who faced Mattek-Sands and Safarova in last month’s Roland Garros final, expressed their sympathy for Mattek-Sands after seeing the physios called to court just as they were preparing to play their first-round match.

“Beth’s such an amazing girl and a fighter, and hopefully it’s nothing too serious. I know it doesn’t sound great but hopefully it’s not,” Barty said.

“You never want to see anyone do that (kind of injury), no matter who it is, but especially such a good girl like Beth.”

Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic revealed that she and second-round opponent Alison Riske had asked not to play after the first two games of their match around the same time due to what they felt was a hazardous, slippery court.

“Honestly, the feeling is that I couldn’t care less if I lost the match today, I just want to be healthy,” Mladenovic said.

“I’m just so blessed and happy that I am not injured today, because we saw worse today.

“It’s quite unique with your opponent, after two games, you both agree on stopping playing in a slam. You asking the referee to tell you what’s the rule if both players don’t want to keep on playing. And the answer is that they just can’t do anything, unfortunately, and you have to keep on playing.”

In their second-round match, Zarina Diyas and Arina Rodionova both made several complaints to the umpire about the slipperiness of the grass on Court 14.