Aryna Sabalenka Avoids Shrimp Tacos Amid Madrid Illness Scare

Several players at the Madrid Open have suffered from either food poisoning or a stomach virus. Iga Swiatek, the 2024 Madrid champion, was forced to give the walkover to Ann Li in the third round and left the court in tears. It was her career’s second retirement from a tournament. Madison Keys, Liudmila Samsonova, and Marin Cilic also withdrew.

Corentin Moutet was sick, and even Karolina Pliskova was unwell. Last year’s runner-up Coco Gauff, before her three-set defeat to Linda Noskova in the fourth round, threw up on court during her third-round match against Sorana Cirstea. At first, shrimp tacos served in the players’ dining were blamed for the spread of the virus.

I didn’t eat the shrimp, so I don’t think it was that. I think it’s just a virus going around between the city, and then I think the players got it. I think I got it from another player that was sick and their locker’s close to mine, so I probably got it from that player. But, yeah, what can you do except just try to get through it? It’s the first time I’ve gotten sick since I’ve been on tour, so I’m not too upset.

Coco Gauff told reporters

Now, first seed Aryna Sabalenka, following her fourth-round victory over Naomi Osaka, said she has been having a simple meal to avoid falling victim to the illness. She told reporters:

So far, so good. I was told I should avoid the tacos (laughs). Since the start of the tournament, I’ve been careful: I always eat the same thing, I don’t stay too long on site, and I take a bit more vitamin C. I stick to simple meals, like chicken breast with rice and salad. I hope it continues like this.

The defending champion will face Hailey Baptiste in the quarterfinals. The 30th seed, who trails 0-1 in the head-to-head matchups versus Sabalenka, eliminated Belinda Bencic in the previous round.

Aryna Sabalenka on her 15-match winning streak

Aryna Sabalenka is chasing her fourth title of the season at the Madrid Open. After defending her Brisbane International crown, the Belarusian ace suffered heartbreak in the Australian Open final against Elena Rybakina.

She then skipped the Middle East Swing, and upon her comeback, she completed the Sunshine Double, taking her revenge on Rybakina in the Indian Wells final and defeating home favorite Coco Gauff in the Miami Open final. The four-time Grand Slam singles champion is on a 15-match winning streak.

I don’t think much about it, but I suppose it’s easy to count. I just try to play each match as best as possible. That’s my focus. The feeling of losing is never forgotten. It’s unforgettable. Just like winning. I hate losing; it’s the worst feeling for an athlete.

Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference

The World No.1 is chasing her fourth title in Madrid. She beat Ash Barty in 2021 and later upset Iga Swiatek in 2023. Swiatek took her revenge over the 27-year-old in the 2024 Madrid final.

Last year on the clay swing, apart from winning the Madrid Open, Sabalenka also reached the finals of the Stuttgart Open and the French Open, losing both to Jelena Ostapenko and Gauff, respectively. At the Italian Open, however, 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist Qinwen Zheng downed her in the quarterfinals.

If Sabalenka reaches the semifinals, she could schedule her match against Mirra Andreeva, who knocked out Anna Bondar, to schedule her quarterfinal match against Leylah Fernandez. The only time Sabalenka dropped a set in the tournament was against Naomi Osaka, against whom she now holds a 2-1 head-to-head record.

Also read: Latwogang’s YouTube Livestream Fundraiser for Cancer Fighters Receives Generous Donation from Iga Swiatek

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