MELBOURNE // Andy Murray’s father-in-law, Nigel Sears, was cleared to leave hospital and fly home after a dramatic mid-match collapse at the Australian Open, as a bizarre string of medical emergencies continued on Sunday.
In what will be a huge relief to Murray, Sears, Ana Ivanovic’s coach, was given the all-clear following his collapse at Rod Laver Arena late on Saturday while watching the former women’s world No 1 play.
It was one of a series of medical dramas at the season’s first grand slam, which continued on Sunday when the mother of Australia’s Sam Groth was hurt in a fall down some stadium stairs.
“My medical advice is that I will be allowed to leave the hospital shortly and I have been cleared to fly back to the UK in the next day or so,” Sears, 58, said in a statement.
“I just wanted to express my sincerest thanks to the incredible people who came to my aid, as well as the brilliant staff both at the Australian Open and the Epworth Hospital.
“I feel truly grateful to everyone involved for the manner in which this has been handled.”
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Murray, whose wife Kim Sears is heavily pregnant, was playing on the neighbouring Margaret Court Arena unaware of the emergency, and he rushed to see his father-in-law in hospital after coming off court.
Reports said Murray, who has pledged to quit the tournament if his wife goes into labour, spent the night with Sears at hospital. The second seed was back on the practice courts on Sunday.
Sears’s collapse mirrored an incident which shook up Ivanovic during her third-round match, when an elderly spectator was badly hurt in a fall on stairs at the same stadium.
On Sunday, Groth’s mother fell and also needed treatment, Fairfax Media reported, delaying play in Lleyton Hewitt’s last professional appearance as the Australian doubles pair lost to Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock.
And earlier in the tournament, Bernard Tomic was left shaken when a spectator suffered a seizure during his first-round match and was treated by an anti-allergy shot.
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A hospital official earlier told AFP that Sears was out of danger but gave no word on the nature of his complaint, citing patient confidentiality.
Witnesses said Sears appeared to receive mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before he was stretchered out of the centre-court stadium and taken to hospital.
The incident held up play for an hour and appeared to unnerve Ivanovic before she resumed against America’s Keys, eventually going down in three tight sets 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
“Thank you for all your nice tweets and words of encouragement. The crowd was amazing tonight! So grateful for all my fans around the word!” Ivanovic tweeted later.
Australia’s Tomic, who is due to play Murray in the last 16, offered his sympathies to the Briton and said he was sure the incident would not affect him in their match on Monday.
“I’m very sorry. I heard briefly what happened quickly,” Tomic said. “For his sake, it’s bad luck. I wish him the best. I’m sure it will have no effect for him when he plays on Monday.”
Murray married Kim Sears, his long-term partner, last April and they are expecting their first child in the coming weeks.
The four-time runner-up has promised to fly home if she goes into labour during the Australian Open, even if it means missing the final.
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