A sudden, heavy cry as he played.
And then the cancellation from all social networks.
Viktoria Azarenka, Belarusian tennis player in the past number 1 in the world, had said that she was "annihilated" by the pain for the victims of the war, before starting the Indian Wells tournament, to which she had been admitted as the Russian colleagues without a flag. no sign of nationality.
In the third round of the Californian tournament she lost 6-3 6-4 to Kazakh Elena Rybakina, but her match will be remembered for the sudden cry in the middle of the match, which forced her to stop for several moments, before resuming, lose and leave the field to the applause of the audience.
"She needs help", said the judge who got off her chair when the Belarusian folded in on herself at 2-2,
sobbing and hiding tears.
"I'm sorry," Azarenka repeated three times.
The Kazakh rival also approached to understand what was happening ("it's not normal, it never happened to me but it ensures that she is fine", the judge's reply), then the meeting resumed.
In the evening, Azarenka's Instagram and Twitter profiles were deactivated.