Christopher Eubanks looks to be the latest victim of the virus circling around the US Open as he was forced to leave the court mid-rally.
One of the storylines developing at the 2023 US Open is a virus that many players seem to be struggling with. John McEnroe tested positive for COVID-19 and had to miss some days of ESPN commentary, but also ATP & WTA players are struggling.
There have been multiple players struggling as Ons Jabeur played sick, Emil Ruusuvuori withdrew because of sickness, Dominic Thiem struggled with stomach issues, and Hubert Hurkacz also appeared to be sick.
One of the players that also seemed to struggle was Christopher Eubanks. Facing off against Benjamin Bonzi in the second round of the US Open, the American painted a scene that was very bizarre as he rushed off the court.
Down a set and neck-to-neck at 5-5 in the fourth, it wasn’t Bonzi's shots at Flushing Meadows that troubled Eubanks. It was, rather unusually, an internal battle - the kind that doesn't stem from the psyche, but from the stomach. What ensued was a brief, but intriguing dialogue with the umpire about the logistics of forfeiting a game for a restroom break.
C: "If I take a penalty for every point this game, plus a bathroom break, how much time is that? Like just sacrifice this next game to go to the bathroom."
U: "Now?"
C: "Yeah I mean, yeah. If I did, how much time is that?"
U: "You wouldn't have long."
C: "I wouldn't? Even if I gave the game plus a bathroom break?"
U: "You have the whole changeover at 6-5."
Eubanks, earlier in the game, was noted requesting nausea medication, indicating that this wasn't just a sudden inconvenience. The umpire’s guidance was clear – the impending changeover post 6-5 offered a reprieve
So at 5-5, a tantalizingly quick game followed, as Bonzi fired two swift aces and as the Frenchman led 40-0, Eubanks darted off the court, leaving behind a bewildered opponent and a buzzing stadium.
Upon his return, Eubanks, perhaps galvanized by the brief respite, managed to hold his serve, drawing the game level. The narrative, however, met its climax not in a dramatic fifth set, but in a tie-break. Falling short at 9-7, Eubanks crashed out of the event.
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