Johanna Konta suffers heart palpitations in first match back after lockdown
Written by News on 11/08/2020
Johanna Konta was forced to interrupt her first match since lockdown as she suffered heart palpitations.
The British tennis number one sought medical help just 10 minutes into her first-round match against Marie Bouzkova at the Lexington Open in Kentucky on Monday.
Konta, 29, says it is not the first time her heart has caused her problems, suffering a similar experience during the 2016 US Open and the Fed Cup last year.
She said: “My heart rate shoots up for no reason, we didn’t have a long point, I wasn’t gassing in any way in my lungs.
“It actually goes up and stays there so it makes me a bit lightheaded, I just needed to see the doctor and the physio.
“It was very high when they came out. I was having all the checks. I am as fit as a fiddle but it can happen. It took a while to settle down but then it did and I was able to concentrate on the tennis.”
The star said the condition is “not ideal” and she is having an ECG to investigate further.
The world Number 15 added: “We don’t know why it happens, it’s been under stressful situations, in no stress situations. We just don’t know. It’s been sporadic.
“It’s probably not going to happen again for another year or something. I’m not too worried.”
Third-seeded Konta had her pulse and blood pressure checked, but was allowed to carry on playing. She lost against unseeded Czech player Bouzkova 6-4 6-4.
The Top Seed Open in Lexington is the first WTA Tour event in the US since coronavirus shut down all tournaments in March.
(c) Sky News 2020: Johanna Konta suffers heart palpitations in first match back after lockdown
