New York: Suffering from heat illness and cramps, a brave Peng Shuai ignored doctor’s advice and returned to a baking court determined to complete her US Open semi-final on Friday — only to have her Grand Slam dream end in agony.
With Caroline Wozniacki leading 7-6(1) 4-3 and closing in on victory when Peng suddenly clutched at her thighs and stumbled to the back wall of Arthur Ashe Stadium court with severe cramping.
In obvious distress, the Chinese doubles specialist was eventually helped off the court and disappeared into the locker rooms where she received treatment.
A valiant Peng, playing in her first career Grand Slam singles semi-final, refused to throw in the towel, and returned 11 minutes later determined to continue.
But after six points, Peng was left curled up in pain on the baseline, and the tearful 28-year-old lifted into a wheelchair and taken to an onsite medical facility.
“The doctor, she said to me, ‘You are not able really go out to fight, compete, because your look is not really well,” Peng told reporters after recovering from her ordeal. “I said, ‘No, no, no, I don’t want to give up. I want to try one more time.’ Then I come back. I know I’m not going to stay maybe too long but I just want to try. I just wanted to challenge her one more time.” Peng said she knew the moment she returned to the court there was no chance to complete the match.
Clearly suffering the effects of the heat, a disorientated Peng was not sure if she told the chair umpire she was defaulting or if doctors finally intervened to end the ordeal.
Tournament director David Brewer, however, was adamant that it was Peng’s decision to quit.
“I couldn’t remember, actually,” said Peng softly. “I don’t know in the moment because for me it was tough for me to breathe. Was cramping.
“Maybe they talk to me or they telling me or asking me. I could not hear it.
“The doctor asks me, ‘Do I know what’s going on’? Because I was cramping there.
“My body is really hot and I could not really breathe. I think in the moment I could not remember everything.
“I could not really control maybe myself, my body already. I want [to play], but I could not.” Peng’s exit from the year’s final grand slam provided a heart-breaking finish to what had been one of Flushing Meadows feel good stories.
Peng arrived at the tournament having never won a WTA Tour singles title and holding down 39th spot in the world rankings.
In 36 previous grand slams she had never before been past the fourth round.
But Peng staged an unlikely and inspiring march to the last four that included upsets over three seeds — number four Agnieszka Radwanska, number 28 Roberta Vinci and number 14 Lucie Safarova. “It’s really good two weeks,” said Peng, who received on site treatment and was cleared to return to her hotel. “It is a lot of new experience to me. A lot of challenges.
“This almost two weeks I feel like I play really good and then I just maybe need to believe more in myself and then give me a lot like energy.
“Keep going fight, work and then look forward.”
